Which actor plays the serial killer in David Fincher's Se7en?

The actor who plays the serial killer in David Fincher’s Se7en is Kevin Spacey. He plays John Doe, the anonymous murderer whose crimes are organized around the seven deadly sins.

Se7en, released in 1995, follows veteran detective William Somerset, played by Morgan Freeman, and young detective David Mills, played by Brad Pitt. The detectives investigate a series of elaborate murders, including victims representing gluttony, greed, sloth, lust, and pride. John Doe eventually turns himself in, but his surrender is part of a larger plan involving the final two sins, envy and wrath.

Spacey’s name was deliberately omitted from much of the film’s marketing and opening credits so that audiences would not know John Doe’s identity in advance. That production choice helped preserve the shock of his appearance and surrender. A common mix-up is answering “John Doe”: that is the character’s name, while Kevin Spacey is the actor who portrays him.