[1] His roles include Private Leonard "Gomer Pyle" Lawrence in Full Metal Jacket (1987), Robert E. Howard in The Whole Wide World (1996), Edgar the Bug in Men in Black (1997) and Men in Black: The Series (1997–2001), Carl Stargher in The Cell (2000), New York City Police Detective Robert Goren in Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001–11), Victor "Vic" Hoskins in Jurassic World (2015), and Wilson Fisk / Kingpin in four television series of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Daredevil (2015–2018) and Daredevil: Born Again (2025).

He later studied method acting at the American Stanislavsky Theater and the Actors Studio, under coaches Sonia Moore and Sharon Chatten,[8] which landed him his first paid role in off-Broadway's This Property Is Condemned.

[10][11] While filming an obstacle course scene for the movie, D'Onofrio injured his left knee, compounded by the excessive weight, which required surgical reconstruction.

In 1989 he played a supporting role as Young Gar in The Blood of Heroes alongside Joan Chen and Rutger Hauer, for which he is also billed under his full name.

D'Onofrio continued to play a wide variety of minor or supporting roles, including the father of a saint in Nancy Savoca's Household Saints (1993), director Orson Welles in Tim Burton's Ed Wood (1994), farmer Edgar and the evil "Bug" that possesses him from Men in Black (1997), a man who claims to be from the future in Happy Accidents (2000), and the serial killer Carl Stargher, opposite Jennifer Lopez's character in The Cell (2000).

In 1997, he made a move to television and received an Emmy nomination for his appearance as John Lange in the Homicide: Life on the Street episode "Subway".

On March 1, 2008, D'Onofrio made a cameo appearance in a presidential election-related sketch in a Saturday Night Live episode as his character Det.

[16] He was replaced by Jeff Goldblum, but after a drop in ratings, D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe agreed to return for a 10th (and final) season of the show.

[17][18] In 2003, it was reported that D'Onofrio and Joe Pantoliano had begun work on a small film titled Little Victories, about a 12-year-old boy whose perceptions of the world are forever changed when his gangster uncle comes to live with him.

[21] On May 1, 2012, due to "explicit violence", the movie was given an NC-17 rating by the MPAA, despite appeals by both Jennifer Lynch and the distributor, with scenes cut to maximize theater exposure and distribution.

[24] On September 14, 2011, it was announced that D'Onofrio would star alongside Ethan Hawke in a new NBC show, Blue Tilt, named after the harmful psychological effects homicide detectives experience after constantly dealing with horrific crimes.

The hour-long cop drama, in which D'Onofrio would play Sonny, was to follow the main characters' attempts to balance their careers with family life.

[26] On March 27, 2012, a tweet from Kevin Dunigan, the co-creator and developer of the pilot, revealed that NBC had shelved the project because it did not have enough "pop to attract viewers".

[27] Also in November, filming began on the Vidhu Vinod Chopra movie Broken Horses, which focused on gang warfare around the border between the United States and Mexico.

[32] His other projects included a role in Supreme Ruler with Marcia Gay Harden and Jeffrey Dean Morgan,[33] Eric Bogosian's Mall which he co-wrote with his former Law & Order: Criminal Intent co-star, and Pawn Shop Chronicles.

[36] He also portrayed Victor "Vic" Hoskins in the action adventure film Jurassic World (2015),[37] and Jack Horne in Antoine Fuqua's 2016 remake of The Magnificent Seven.

[38] He was able to draw upon his extensive acting experience to fully flesh out the voice of the corrupt Duke Abele in various public speeches that were broadcast in-game over large speakers suspended in the game area.

Burton decided to procure the services of Maurice LaMarche, a voiceoover artist known for his imitation of Welles' voice, to produce a more dramatically effective rendering of the character's dialogue.

Disappointed with his performance, having been given two weeks notice to prepare for the role, D'Onofrio wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the short in answer to the critics and himself.

[44] In 2008, he returned to directing with the feature-length musical slasher Don't Go in the Woods (2010), written by his friend Joe Vinciguerra, featuring a score by Sam Bisbee, and starring various unknown actors hand-picked by D'Onofrio.

It follows an indie rock band who venture into the woods to write new music, only to meet a crazed murderer (Tim Lajcik).

[48] On October 27, 2009, D'Onofrio made his musical debut, appearing in character as comedic country singer George Geronimo Gerkie at Joe's Pub in New York City.

[49] He appeared as Gerkie again at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom on December 6, 2009, during Matt Pinfield's Holiday Extravaganza Show and at the premiere of his movie Don't Go in the Woods at Joe's Pub on May 28, 2010.

[50] On November 11, 2011, while teaching students at the Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, D'Onofrio discussed plans for further concerts, and a George Gerkie documentary which is to be filmed by Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston director Whitney Smith.

[citation needed] In August 2022 D'Onofrio announced the upcoming publication of a children's book based on his viral tweet about pigs and their reputed inability to look up.

In February 2011, D'Onofrio became a public face of the gun control debate, appearing in an ad by the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City urging a ban on large-capacity ammunition magazines.

Produced by Jonathan Marc Sherman and directed by Ethan Hawke, the play, based on Baal by Bertolt Brecht, opened at The New Group at Theatre Row on February 7, 2013.

[71] On March 22, 1997, D'Onofrio married Dutch model Carin van der Donk[citation needed] and the couple had a son (born 1999).