Bill Irwin
Personal details
  • Born:
    • Birthday: 1950-04-11
    • Born Place: Santa Monica, California, USA
  • Also Known As:

    William Irwin, Fool Moon

Bill Irwin

Born on April 11, 1950, in Santa Monica, California, Bill Irwin is a world-renowned American actor, clown, and choreographer celebrated for his mastery of physical comedy and vaudevillian technique. The son of an aerospace engineer and a teacher, Irwin studied at UCLA and Oberlin College before graduating from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College in 1974. He rose to prominence in the 1970s as a founding member of the Pickle Family Circus in San Francisco, where he helped spark a renaissance in the American circus tradition by blending classical clowning with contemporary performance art. His unique physical style—often described as a modern-day Buster Keaton—earned him a MacArthur "Genius" Grant in 1984, making him the first performance artist to receive the prestigious fellowship. Irwin's career seamlessly bridges the worlds of avant-garde theater and mainstream entertainment. On Broadway, he has garnered critical acclaim and multiple accolades, most notably winning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his 2005 performance in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and receiving a Special Tony Award for his signature show Fool Moon. Television audiences recognize him for his extraordinary range, from the whimsical Mr. Noodle on Sesame Street to the chilling serial killer Nate Haskell on CSI and the brilliant but fragmented Cary Loudermilk in the FX series Legion. In film, he has delivered memorable performances in Rachel Getting Married, Interstellar (where he provided the physical performance and voice for the robot TARS), and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Continuing his legacy of artistic excellence into 2026, Irwin remains a vital force in the industry. He is currently participating in the Sea Dog Theater’s Spring 2026 Reading Series, featuring in a meditative production of Will Eno’s Title and Deed. Furthermore, he is set to appear in a supporting role in Christopher Nolan’s mythic action epic The Odyssey, scheduled for release in July 2026. Residing in New York with his wife, Martha Roth, Irwin continues to mentor the next generation of performers through his residency at The Juilliard School, remaining one of the most respected and versatile figures in American performing arts.

Person History