Michael Anthony Claudio Wincott (born January 21, 1958) is a Canadian actor, perhaps best known for his roles as Top Dollar in The Crow, Rene Ricard in Basquiat and Gary Soneji in Along Came A Spider. He is recognized for his rough, gravelly voice.
Wincott was born in Scarborough, Ontario. His father, William Wincott, an English immigrant from Blackpool, England, worked as a construction worker, welder and salesman. His mother, Lucia, was an Italian immigrant from Milan; the two met in Italy when William was stationed there during the war. They were married then emigrated to Canada in 1952. He is the younger brother of actor Jeff Wincott. Wincott was raised in Scarborough, Ontario, attending Cedarbrae Collegiate and then briefly the University of Toronto. and graduated from Juilliard Drama School in 1986.
Wincott is identifiable for playing either small character roles in indie films and more recognizable roles as villains in more mainstream fare. He's most noted for roles such as Guy of Gisbourne in Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, Adrian de Moxica in 1492: Conquest of Paradise, Captain Rochefort in the 1993 film Three Musketeers, the evil crime lord Top Dollar in 1994's The Crow and Frank Elgyn in Alien: Resurrection. Other roles include Jean-Michel Basquiat's mentor Rene Ricard in Julian Schnabel's biopic Basquiat (1996), Doors producer Paul A. Rothchild in Oliver Stone's The Doors, Armand Dorleac, a sadistic prison warden in 2002's The Count of Monte Cristo, and the equally despicable villain of the 1997 Eddie Murphy movie Metro.
Wincott is known for his apathetic stance on celebrity and the ideals of Hollywood, often stating that he holds art in higher regard than money. Wincott is a keen fencer and is known for starring in many swordfighting roles. He also plays drums, guitar and harmonica.
