Daniel Sallis Huston (born May 14, 1962) is an American actor, director, and screenwriter. A member of the Huston family of filmmakers, he is the son of director John Huston and half-brother of actress Anjelica Huston.
He is known for his roles in films such as Ivans Xtc (2000), for which he was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead, 21 Grams (2003), Birth (2004), The Aviator (also 2004), The Constant Gardener (2005), Marie Antoinette (2006), Children of Men (also 2006), The Kingdom (2007), 30 Days of Night (also 2007), Robin Hood (2010), Hitchcock (2012), The Congress (2013), Big Eyes (2014), Wonder Woman (2017), Game Night (2018), Stan & Ollie (also 2018), and Angel Has Fallen (2019).
Huston portrayed The Axeman on the FX series American Horror Story: Coven and Massimo Dolcefino on American Horror Story: Freak Show. He played Ben "The Butcher" Diamond on Magic City (2012–13), Dan Jenkins in the first two seasons of the Paramount Network drama series Yellowstone (2018–19), Jamie Laird on the second season of Succession (2019), and the voice of Jonas Backstein on the first season of Common Side Effects (2025). His directing credits include the films Mr. North (1988), The Maddening (1995), and The Last Photograph (2017).
Early life Huston was born May 14, 1962, in Rome, Italy. He is the son of director and actor John Huston and actress Zoe Sallis. Huston was in Italy directing The Bible: In the Beginning..., in which Sallis played Hagar. Through his father, he is the half-brother of Anjelica Huston and Tony Huston. He has two adoptive siblings, Pablo Huston and Allegra Huston. He is the uncle of Jack Huston and grandson of Walter Huston. He is of Canadian, Welsh, Scots-Irish, Scottish and Anglo-Indian descent.
He spent much of his early life in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and maintains British citizenship through his mother. He worked as an assistant to his father during the production of Under the Volcano (1984) and was a second unit director on The Dead (1987). Huston is a graduate of London Film School.
Career Huston made his acting debut at the age of 12 in the George Kennedy-starring thriller film The "Human" Factor (1975).
In 1988, Huston directed Mr. North, which was an adaptation of Thornton Wilder's Theophilus North. The film was produced by his father, who died before its completion. In 1995, Huston played Bartender #2 in Leaving Las Vegas and directed the film The Maddening.
Huston was nominated for Best Male Performance at the Independent Spirit Awards in 2003 for his performance in the independent film Ivans Xtc.
Huston appeared in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator. The ensemble cast was nominated for a 2004 SAG Award. In 2006, Huston received the Golden Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Sandy Woodrow in Fernando Meirelles' The Constant Gardener. Huston starred in the Australian western The Proposition.
Huston starred in Alpha Male and Oliver Parker's Fade to Black, in which he played Orson Welles. He starred in The Kreutzer Sonata, which premiered at the 2008 Edinburgh International Film Festival.
His other film credits include Birth, Silver City, Marie Antoinette, The Number 23, The Kingdom, How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, and 30 Days of Night. He portrayed Samuel Adams in the award-winning HBO miniseries John Adams and Colonel William Stryker in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a prequel to the original trilogy of X-Men films.
Huston has been featured in Boogie Woogie, The Warrior's Way, Edge of Darkness, Clash of the Titans, Robin Hood, You Don't Know Jack, and Medallion.
Huston played gangster Ben "The Butcher" Diamond on Mitch Glazer's Magic City, for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film in 2013. He portrayed The Axeman in the FX thriller series American Horror Story: Coven and Massimo Dolcefino in American Horror Story: Freak Show. Huston starred as General Erich Ludendorff in the 2017 film Wonder Woman and as Wade Jennings in Angel Has Fallen.
Personal life From 1989 to 1993, Huston was married to actress Virginia Madsen. In 2001, he married Katie Jane Evans with whom he has a daughter. Huston and Evans separated in 2006. Evans died by suicide in October 2008 before the divorce was finalized.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1975 The "Human" Factor Mark Kinsdale Credited as 'Danny Houston' 1988 Mr. North As director 1991 Becoming Colette 1995 The Maddening Leaving Las Vegas Bartender 1997 Anna Karenina Stiva 1998 Spanish Fly John Susan's Plan Gambler 1999 Rockin' Good Times Jimmy's Manager 2000 Timecode Randy Ivans Xtc Ivan Beckman 2001 Eden Kalman Hotel Hotel Manager 2002 Torture TV Gary Silverman The Bacchae Herdsman 2003 21 Grams Michael 2004 Silver City Danny O'Brien Birth Joseph The Aviator Jack Frye 2005 The Proposition Arthur Burns The Constant Gardener Sandy Woodrow 2006 Marie Antoinette Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor Alpha Male Jim Ferris Children of Men Nigel Fade to Black Orson Welles 2007 The Number 23 Isaac French / Dr. Miles Phoenix I Really Hate My Job Al Bowlly / Himself The Kingdom Gideon Young 30 Days of Night Marlow 2008 The Kreutzer Sonata Edgar How to Lose Friends & Alienate People Lawrence Maddox 2009 X-Men Origins: Wolverine William Stryker Boogie Woogie Art Spindle 2010 Edge of Darkness Jack Bennett Clash of the Titans Poseidon The Warrior's Way The Colonel Robin Hood Richard the Lionheart The Conspirator Joseph Holt 2011 A Monster in Paris Préfet Maynott Voice, English dub Playoff Max Stoller 2012 Two Jacks Jack Wrath of the Titans Poseidon Stolen Agent Tim Harlend Hitchcock Whitfield Cook Boxing Day Basil 2013 The Congress Jeff Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox Sam LaneVoice 2014 Big Eyes Dick Nolan Tigers Alex The Liberator Martin Torkington 2015 Pressure Engel Frankenstein Viktor Frankenstein 2016 All I See Is You Dr. Hughes 2017 The Last Photograph Tom Hammond Also director Newness Larry Bejerano Wonder Woman Gen. Erich Ludendorff 2018 Game Night Donald Anderton The Professor Peter Stan & Ollie Hal Roach 2019 Io Dr. Henry Walden Angel Has Fallen Wade Jennings Samurai Marathon Matthew C. Perry 2021 Traveling Light Harry 2022 Across the River and into the Trees Capt. Wes O'Neill We Are Gathered Here Today Peter Stone Ride Above Monsieur Cooper Life Upside Down Paul Hasselberg Marlowe Floyd Hanson2023 Consecration Father Romero The Dead Don't Hurt Rudolph Schiller I Told You So (Te l’avevo detto) Father Bill2024 Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 Colonel Houghton The Crow Vincent Roeg Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 Colonel Houghton2025 The Naked Gun Richard Cane Icefall Rhodes 2026 Diamond Bruce Tenenbaum 2027 Post-production Post-production Duke of Albany Post-production Charles Clybourn Post-production General Groves Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes1987 Mister Corbett's Ghost Director only; television film Bigfoot 1996The Ice Princess 2004 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Ty Caulfield Episode: "Suckers" 2006 Covert One: The Hades Factor Frank Klein 2 episodes 2008 John Adams Samuel Adams 3 episodes 2010 You Don't Know Jack Geoffrey Fieger Television film 2012–2013 Magic City Ben "The Butcher" Diamond 16 episodes 2013–2014 American Horror Story: Coven The Axeman of New Orleans 7 episodes 2014 Masters of Sex Dr. Douglas Greathouse 3 episodes 2014–2015 American Horror Story: Freak Show Dr. Feinbloom (voice only) and Massimo Dolcefino 3 episodes 2016 Paranoid Nick Waingrow 4 episodes 2018–2019 Yellowstone Dan Jenkins 17 episodes2019 Succession Jamie Laird 6 episodes Doc Martin Robert Brooke Episode: "Wild West Country" 2020 Red Bird Lane Hugh Unaired pilot 2021 Calls Frank Voice; episode: "The Universe Did It"2025 Common Side Effects Jonas Backstein Voice; 5 episodes The Artist Edgar Degas 6 episodes
Awards and nominations Institution Year Category Nominated work ResultChlotrudis Awards2007Best Supporting ActorThe PropositionEdinburgh International Film Festival2017Best FilmThe Last Photograph Golden Globe Awards 2013 Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Magic City Independent Spirit Awards 2003 Best Male Lead Ivans Xtc Monte-Carlo Television Festival 2008 Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries John Adams Montreal World Film Festival 2011 Best Actor Playoff Satellite Awards 2005 Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture The Constant Gardener Screen Actors Guild Awards 2005 Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture The Aviator Saturn Awards 2014 Best Guest Starring Role on Television American Horror Story: Coven Toronto Film Critics Association Awards 2006 Best Supporting Actor The Proposition
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