Willem Dafoe Skewers Method Acting in 'Shadow of the Vampire' Portraying a fictionalized version of 'Nosferatu' star Max Schreck, Dafoe uses his expressive talents to let us laugh at the ridiculous antics of overly committed actors. Liongate Acting is an art form, and behind every iconic character is an artist expressing themselves. Welcome to The Great Performances, a bi-weekly column exploring the art behind some of cinema’s best roles. In this entry, we examine Willem Dafoe’s Academy Award-nominated performance in Shadow of the Vampire. A myth was born in the immediate decades following the release of F.W. Murnau’s classic silent horror film