In May 2014 , Dafoe served as member of the main competition jury at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival . He was next featured in a supporting role as a mean-spirited , alcoholic author who is visited by a pair of cancer patients , who are played by Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort , in the romantic drama '' The Fault in Our Stars '' . Dafoe once again collaborated with Ferrara on the drama '' Pasolini '' , in which he played Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini during his last days before his murder in 1975 . Film critic Peter Bradshaw noted the physical similarities between Dafoe and Pasolini , although felt Dafoe had too little screen time in the film . His final film of 2014 was the action thriller '' John Wick '' starring Keanu Reeves , in which Dafoe appeared as the mentor to the titular character , a former hitman who is forced out of retirement to seek vengeance for the killing of his puppy . Dafoe stated he found the use of gun fu combat created an interesting mix of action , stating " you have the grace of martial arts , but then the bang of the gun " . His performance in the film was generally well received by critics , including Peter Travers who felt he provided " ample compensation " . Dafoe made his second guest appearance in the animated sitcom '' The Simpsons '' in November 2014 , voicing a new school teacher who bullies Bart Simpson profusely . Dafoe starred in the late Brazilian director 's Héctor Babenco 's final film '' My Hindu Friend '' ( 2015 ) as a film director close to death who befriends a Hindu 8-year-old boy while hospitalized
2014 Cannes Film Festival
2014 Cannes Film Festival
Willem Dafoe