Julian Richings (born 30 August 1956)^[1][2][3] is a British-Canadian character actor,^[4] having appeared in over 225 films and television series. He is best known for his appearances in a variety of horror films, including Cube, Wrong Turn, The Witch, Beau is Afraid, Ejecta, and Anything for Jackson, as well as for portraying Death in the dark fantasy series Supernatural.^[5][6]

Richings was born in Oxford, England on August 30, 1956. He trained in drama at the University of Exeter.^[7]

After touring the United States with a British stage production, Richings moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1984.^[7] Within five years, he had become a regular on the second season of the War of the Worlds TV series. In the 1996 film Hard Core Logo, he played the bitter, aging, punk rock legend Bucky Haight. He appeared in the iconic opening of the 1997 film Cube.^[4] In 1999, he appeared in the science fiction film Thrill Seekers.

In 2000, he appeared as Bellanger in The Claim, and earned a Genie Award nomination for best supporting actor.^[8] He was a member of the repertory cast of the A&E TV original series A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2001–02).

Richings performed in heavy makeup as cannibal-killer Three Finger in Wrong Turn (2003), and was a series regulars as the nearly-blind security guard Otto in Stephen King's 2004 miniseries Kingdom Hospital.^[9] Dramatic roles include stagehand Mr. Turnbull in the 2004 film Being Julia.^[4] He appeared as Orr, a cruel loan shark in the 2004 Canadian film The Last Casino. In 2006, he appeared in a brief speaking role as the Mutant Theatre Organiser in X-Men: The Last Stand, and played a vampire killer alongside in the direct-to-DVD horror film The Last Sect.

In 2007, Richings played a driver in the film Shoot 'Em Up,^[4] a dissipated and aging punk rocker in The Third Eye, transvestite psychologist Dr. Heker in The Tracey Fragments, and a number of small roles in other films, including Skinwalkers and Saw IV.^[4]

He appeared in the 2008 film The Timekeeper. That year, Richings was nominated for another Dora Award for his performance in The Palace of the End.

Richings made an appearance in the 2010 fantasy film adaption Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lighting Thief as Charon, the ferryman of Hades.^[10] That year, he began a recurring villian role on the horror comedy series Todd and the Book of Pure Evil.^[6] From 2010 to 2015, he portrayed Death in the hit dark fantasy series Supernatural.^[11] He was also Death in the short film Dave v. Death (2011).^[12]

He appeared in Zach Snyder's 2013 Superman film Man of Steel as Lor-Em, spokeman for the Krytonian Council.^[4] The same year, Richings played the mysterious, stringy-haired Phil Prosser in Septic Man.^[13]

In 2014, he starred in the science fiction film Ejecta.^[14] The role earned him a Best Actor win at the Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival.^[15][16] In 2015, he appeared in Robert Eggers' horror film The Witch and the drama film Reign.^[5]

In 2019, Richings played Nazi scientist Heinrich Von Fuchs on DC Universe's Doom Patrol.^[17]

His portrayal of Henry Walsh in Justin G. Dyck's 2020 supernatural horror film Anything for Jackson, earned him his second Best Actor win at the Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival.^[18][19]

In 2022, Richings appeared in the television shows The Umbrella Academy, Reginald the Vampire, and Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities.^[20][21][22] In 2023, he had a role in Ari Aster's tragicomedy horror film Beau is Afraid.^[23]

In 2024, Richings appeared as Procrustes, the half-giant and half-brother of the titular character, in the Disney+ fantasy show Percy Jackson and the Olympians.^[24]

Richings is married and has two children. They reside in Toronto.^[7]