Michael Corbett Shannon is an American actor. He often works with director Jeff Nichols and has been in many of Nichols’ movies like Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special, Loving, and The Bikeriders. Shannon got nominated for two Academy Awards for his roles in Revolutionary Road and Nocturnal Animals. He also got nominations for a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Golden Globe Award for 99 Homes.
Shannon started his acting career in the movie Groundhog Day in 1993. He has been in several films like 8 Mile, Bad Boys II, The Shape of Water, Knives Out, and The Flash. He played General Zod in the movies Man of Steel and The Flash.
He made his debut on Broadway in the play Grace in 2012. Shannon was nominated for a Tony Award for his role in the play Long Day’s Journey into Night in 2016. On TV, he played Nelson Van Alden in the show Boardwalk Empire and had roles in Nine Perfect Strangers and George & Tammy.
In his early life, Shannon was born in 1974 in Lexington, Kentucky. His parents divorced, and he lived with both of them in different places. He went to different high schools and dropped out before finishing in Chicago.
Shannon’s first film role was in the music video for “House of Pain.” He was part of the A Red Orchid Theatre in Chicago. He acted in Bug and Killer Joe, written by Tracy Letts. In 2008, he starred in Revolutionary Road and got praised for his performance.
He played in various movies like Take Shelter, Premium Rush, and The Iceman. Shannon got more acclaim for his role in Nocturnal Animals in 2016. He played in The Shape of Water in 2017 and played Gary Noesner in Waco in 2018. He was part of the mystery film Knives Out in 2019.
In 2021, Shannon was in the Hulu series Nine Perfect Strangers. He returned as General Zod in The Flash in 2023. He also works as an executive producer for the series Waco: The Aftermath.
In his personal life, Shannon formed a band called Corporal in 2002. He married actress Kate Arrington in 2017, and they have two daughters. They live in Red Hook, Brooklyn, New York.