Michael Corbett Shannon (born August 7, 1974 in Lexington, Kentucky) is an American actor. He is a two-time Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nominee for his roles in "Revolutionary Road" and "Nocturnal Animals". He was a regular on the HBO series "Boardwalk Empire", playing Agent Nelson Van Alden. Shannon played General Zod in Zack Snyder's 2013 movie "Man of Steel". He plays Colonel Richard Strickland in "The Shape of Water".