Keaton, Michael (1951– )

US film actor. A talented character player, Keaton has alternated lead and support roles throughout his career, establishing a reputation for his edgy characters and offbeat performances. Keaton rose to stardom in the late 1980s through his association with maverick film-maker Tim Burton, for whom he played the eponymous roles in Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), and Batman Returns (1992).

Having injected a degree of psychological instability into the comic-book figure of Batman, Keaton continued to explore the darker side of humanity, giving a chilling performance as a psychopath in Pacific Heights (1990). His performance in Much Ado About Nothing (1993) also suggested an aptitude for comedy and lampoonery. Among his other films are Johnny Dangerously (1984), Muliplicity (1996), Jackie Brown (1997), Jack Frost (1998), A Shot at Glory (2000), First Daughter (2004), and Cars (2006).