Will Patton

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14 Feb 2024

Will Patton

William Rankin Patton, born on June 14, 1954, is an American actor and audiobook narrator. He is best known for his role as Colonel Dan Weaver in the TNT science fiction series Falling Skies. Patton has also appeared in numerous films, including Armageddon (1998), Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), Remember the Titans (2000), The Punisher (2004), American Honey, Halloween, and Minari (2020).

In addition to his film roles, Patton has worked alongside Kevin Costner in two movies: No Way Out (1987) and The Postman (1997). He also had guest appearances in seasons 3 and 4 of Costner's Paramount Network series Yellowstone (2020–2022). Patton portrayed Deputy Marnes in season 1 of the 2023 TV series Silo.
Patton's ensemble work in Minari and Yellowstone earned him nominations at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2020 and 2021. He has won two Obie Awards for Best Actor for his performances in Sam Shepard's play Fool for Love and the Public Theater production of What Did He See?.

William Rankin Patton was born on June 14, 1954, in Charleston, South Carolina. He is the eldest of three children. His father, Bill Patton, was a playwright and acting/directing instructor who also served as a Lutheran minister and chaplain at Duke University. Patton grew up on a farm where his parents ran a foster home for troubled teenagers.

William Rankin Patton has had a diverse career in film and television. Some of his notable roles include portraying the antagonist in Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) and having a significant role in No Way Out (1987) opposite Kevin Costner, which marked his first major film appearance. He also played General Bethlehem in The Postman (1997), coach Bill Yoast in Remember the Titans (2000), and FBI agent Melvin Purvis in the 1991 made-for-television film Dillinger. Patton has appeared in a range of other films, including Armageddon (1998), Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), The Punisher (2004), and Minari (2020).
On television, Patton had a recurring role as Alan Wilson in the TV show 24 (2009) and portrayed Colonel Weaver in the TNT sci-fi series Falling Skies (2011-2015). He also guest-starred in seasons 3 and 4 of Kevin Costner's Paramount Network series Yellowstone (2020-2022).

In addition to his film and television work, Patton has ventured into the horror genre, portraying Officer Frank Hawkins in the Halloween reboot (2018) and reprising the role in its sequels Halloween Kills (2021) and Halloween Ends (2022). He also portrayed Avery Sunderland in the DC Universe TV series, Swamp Thing (2019).
In May 2023, it was announced that Patton would reunite with Kevin Costner in the upcoming project Horizon, a Civil War saga covering the settlement of the American West. Costner plans to write, direct, and act in the production, which spans a 15-year period of pre- and post-Civil War events.

William Rankin Patton has made significant contributions as an audiobook narrator, lending his voice to various projects. He provided the voice for the audio version of Al Gore's 2007 book "The Assault on Reason" and has recorded the audio versions for 22 books by best-selling mystery writer James Lee Burke. In total, he has recorded more than 45 audiobooks.

William Rankin Patton's acting abilities have garnered recognition both critically and from his colleagues. Kevin Costner, who is not only an executive producer but also a fellow cast member on Yellowstone, spoke highly of Patton's performance. Costner praised Patton as being "very dynamic in his own way, formidable and detailed," describing him as "a fantastic actor." Costner also expressed his pleasure at seeing Patton on set, indicating the respect and admiration he holds for him as a colleague.