Bill Pullman
Known for
Bill Pullman (Hornell, New York, 1953) came to acting after training in theater and working as a university professor, and became a reliable face of 1990s American cinema. He debuted in 'Ruthless People' and strung together roles in 'Spaceballs', 'Sleepless in Seattle' and 'While You Were Sleeping'. His most iconic moment was President Thomas Whitmore of 'Independence Day', whose speech remained in the collective memory. He also explored darker registers with David Lynch in 'Lost Highway'. In the 21st century he found one of his best roles as the tormented detective Harry Ambrose of the series 'The Sinner'. Pullman brings an earthbound decency and a somewhat melancholy warmth that make him believable as both hero and ordinary man.
Bill Pullman
78 Movies
11 Series
Bill Pullman (Hornell, New York, 1953) came to acting after training in theater and working as a university professor, and became a reliable face of 1990s American cinema. He debuted in 'Ruthless People' and strung together roles in 'Spaceballs', 'Sleepless in Seattle' and 'While You Were Sleeping'. His most iconic moment was President Thomas Whitmore of 'Independence Day', whose speech remained in the collective memory. He also explored darker registers with David Lynch in 'Lost Highway'. In the 21st century he found one of his best roles as the tormented detective Harry Ambrose of the series 'The Sinner'. Pullman brings an earthbound decency and a somewhat melancholy warmth that make him believable as both hero and ordinary man.
Movies
Plays Brian Plummer
The Equalizer
2014
Plays President Thomas J. Whitmore
Independence Day
1996
Plays Henry Hale
Scary Movie 4
2006
Plays Lone Starr
Spaceballs
1987
Plays Brian Plummer
The Equalizer 2
2018
Plays Fred Madison
Lost Highway
1997
Plays Walter
Sleepless in Seattle
1993
Plays Dr. Harvey
Casper
1995
Plays President Whitmore
Independence Day: Resurgence
2016
Plays Orin Meecham
Sommersby
1993
Plays Peter Kirk
The Grudge
2004
Plays Jack Callaghan
While You Were Sleeping
1995
Plays Harry Dietzler
Dark Waters
2019
Plays Korso (voice)
Titan A.E.
2000
Plays Ed Masterson
Wyatt Earp
1994
Plays Bob Hinson
A League of Their Own
1992
Plays Jack Wells
Lake Placid
1999
Plays Andy Sarafian
Malice
1993
Plays Krueger
American Ultra
2015
Plays Ross
Killing Faith
2025
Plays Lone Starr
Spaceballs: The New One
2027
Plays Joshua Mansky
The Coldest Game
2019
Plays Dr. Jeffrey Jamison
Singles
1992
Plays Hank Greene
Brokedown Palace
1999
Plays Jack Kramer
Battle of the Sexes
2017
Plays Clay Gregory
The Last Seduction
1994
Plays Max
The High Note
2020
Plays Dr. Rex Martin
Brain Dead
1990
Plays Billy Boy Walker
The Killer Inside Me
2010
Plays Dennis Alan
The Serpent and the Rainbow
1988
Plays Bryan Denton
Newsies
1992
Plays Earl James Mott
Ruthless People
1986
Plays Julian Hedge
The Accidental Tourist
1988
Plays Ralph Yarborough
LBJ
2017
Plays Peter
The Favor
1994
Plays Lefty Brown
The Ballad of Lefty Brown
2017
Plays Jim Barrett
Bottle Shock
2008
Plays Clyde
Walking Out
2017
Plays Edmund French
Peacock
2010
Plays John Webster
Red Sky
2014
Plays Callum Crane
The Guilty
2000
Plays Max Mariner
Nobel Son
2007
Plays Dave
You Kill Me
2007
Plays Peter Lichten
Phoebe in Wonderland
2008
Plays Paul Kessler
Liebestraum
1991
Plays Morgan Banner
Alien Autopsy
2006
Plays Harry Howe / Ernie Halliday
Spy Games
1999
Plays Lenny
Lola Versus
2012
Plays The Ticket Clerk
29 Palms
2002
Plays Jason
Igby Goes Down
2002
TV Shows
Plays Harry Ambrose
The Sinner
2017
Plays President Dale Gilchrist
1600 Penn
2012
Plays Oswald Danes
Torchwood
2006
Plays Dr. Richard Massey
Revelations
2005
Plays David Mahoney
Halston
2021
Plays Alex Murdaugh
Murdaugh Murders: The Movie
2023
Plays Jack Willard
The Boroughs
2026
Director
Plays Major Ben Darnell (segment "A View Through the Window")
Night Visions
2001
Plays Henry Tibbetts
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Plays Rich Thurber
Fallen Angels
1993
Plays Curtis
This Fool
2022
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
Spaceballs: The New One
Full Filmography
Spaceballs: The New One
Lone Starr
2027
Film
The Boroughs
Jack Willard · 2 episodes
2026
TV
Everybody Digs Bill Evans
Harry
2026
Film
Killing Faith
Ross
2025
Film
Murdaugh Murders: The Movie
Alex Murdaugh · 2 episodes
2023
TV
This Fool
Curtis · 1 episode
2023
TV
Halston
David Mahoney · 3 episodes
2021
TV
The High Note
Max
2020
Film
Dark Waters
Harry Dietzler
2019
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Bill Pullman and where are they from?
Bill Pullman is 72 years old, born on December 17, 1953 in Hornell, New York, USA.
What are the most famous roles of Bill Pullman?
Bill Pullman is best known for roles in Independence Day, The Equalizer, Independence Day: Resurgence.
How many movies has Bill Pullman been in?
Over a 40-year career (since 1986), Bill Pullman has appeared in 77 movies and 11 TV shows.
What was Bill Pullman's first movie?
The career of Bill Pullman began with Ruthless People (1986).
What is Bill Pullman's most recent movie or series?
Bill Pullman's most recent release is The Boroughs, which premiered on May 21, 2026.
What TV shows has Bill Pullman appeared in?
On television, Bill Pullman has appeared in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Sinner, Torchwood, Saturday Night Live.
Does Bill Pullman have any upcoming projects?
Yes, Bill Pullman's upcoming work includes: Everybody Digs Bill Evans (2026), Spaceballs: The New One (2027).
Bill Pullman
1953-12-17 · Hornell, New York, USA
William James Pullman (born December 17, 1953) is an American actor. After graduating with a Master of Fine Arts degree in theatre, he was an adjunct professor at Montana State University before deciding to pursue acting.
Pullman made his film debut in Ruthless People (1986), and starred in Spaceballs (1987), The Accidental Tourist and The Serpent and the Rainbow (both 1988), Newsies (1992), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Wyatt Earp (1994), While You Were Sleeping (1995), Independence Day (1996), Lost Highway (1997), and Lake Placid (1999). He also voiced Captain Joseph Korso in Titan A.E. (2000). He has also appeared frequently on television, usually in TV films. Since the 21st century began, Pullman has also acted in miniseries and regular series such as Torchwood (2011), playing starring roles in 1600 Penn (2012–13) and The Sinner (2017–2021). In 2021, he had a recurring role in the miniseries Halston.
Pullman also has a long stage-acting career. He has appeared on Broadway several times, including in Edward Albee's The Goat or Who Is Sylvia? (2002).