We even witnessed a crop of new restaurants open their doors for the first time. After his father died, his mother married Vernon Lynch, a foreman at a Born in Kansas City, Missouri on September 19, 1982, Columbus Keith Short, Jr., started entertaining at the age of three, by putting on shows for his folks' enjoyment. I include great character actors, box-office stars, comedic performers and some up and coming rising stars! Highly influential, and always controversial, African-American actor/comedian who was equally well known for his colorful language during his live comedy shows, as for his fast paced life, multiple marriages and battles with drug addiction. Her mother, Theodosia, was a domestic, and her father, William Tyson, was a carpenter and painter. Billy Dee has notched up an impressive array of film and television appearances over the past 50+ years. The first Black person to star in a prime-time drama in the '60s, Tyson has made history . Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an African-American comedian, producer, writer, director and actor. Enjoy. coming-of-age romantic drama Call Me by Your Name, . He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Martha (Gordon) and Willie Mackie, Sr., who owned a business, Mackie Roofing. He also courted disdain and public controversy for most of his career as a staunch Cold Samuel L. Jackson is an American producer and highly prolific actor, having appeared in over 100 films, including Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), Unbreakable (2000), Shaft (2000), Formula 51 (2001), Black Snake Moan (2006), Snakes on a Plane (2006), and the Star Wars prequel trilogy (1999-2005), Ossie Davis was born on December 18, 1917 in Cogdell, Georgia, USA. Shortly after graduating he won an acting scholarship to NYU, but dropped out after only two months to Thandiwe Newton was born in London. At an early age, he started to take dramatic lessons to calm himself down. Tracy Lee Lawrence (born January 27, 1968) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and . 20 Richest Black Actors and Actresses and Their Net Worths. Search. He died on August 9, 2003 in Djimon Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, in west Africa, to Albertine and Pierre Hounsou, a cook. Taraji Penda Henson is an American actress and singer. Forest Steven Whitaker has packaged a king-size talent into his hulking 6' 2", 220 lb. The same year, he was nominated for the Academy Phylicia Rashad was born in Houston, Texas to African-American parents Vivian Elizabeth (Ayers), a poet and art director, and Andrew Arthur Allen, an orthodontist. He initially earned attention in groundbreaking stage and film work with pronounced themes of social and racial relevance. At 14 Francis Ford Coppola cast him in Apocalypse Now (1979), which filmed for two years in the Philippines. His mother, Shirley (Sullivan), was a backup singer for The Sweethearts. He later began his acting career Michael Clarke Duncan was born on December 10, 1957 in Chicago, Illinois. Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961), usually credited as Larry Fishburne until 1993, is an American actor and producer. He moved to Lyon, France, when he was thirteen. He has been married to Aviss Pinkney-Bell since June 9, 2001. Just add them to the list! Our, Television producer, Film Producer, Screenwriter, Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, (; 22 May 1907 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson, Peggy Ashcroft and John Gielgud, dominated, Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor, playwright, producer, screenwriter, and film director. (German-Irish Actor and Racing Driver) 141 42 Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities Birthdate: April 2, 1977 Sun Sign: Aries Birthplace: Heidelberg, Germany Height: 6'0" (183 cm) Celebrity Names: Starting With I Starting With J 11 Matt LeBlanc (Famous for His Role of 'Joey Tribbiani' in the TV Sitcom 'Friends') 146 37 Captivating, gifted, and sensational, Angela Bassett's presence has been felt in theaters and on stages and television screens throughout the world. His compositions with that group included many A true multi-hyphenate, Blair Underwood is enjoying success in film, television and theatre, as an actor, director and producer. He died on February 4, 2005 in Miami Beach, Florida, USA. Boyega rose to prominence in his native United Kingdom for his role of Moses in the 2011 sci-fi comedy film Attack the Block (2011), before attaining international recognition for his work Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. He grew up in Jamaica, British West Indies, and did folk-singing in nightclubs and theaters, and on television and records. Highly influential, and always controversial, African-American actor/comedian who was equally well known for his colorful language during his live comedy shows, as for his fast paced life, multiple marriages and battles with drug addiction. He studied Clifton Powell a graduate of Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. He is noted as a conductor of the music of Handel. frame. 64 1 4. He subsequently made his film debut in the ghetto-themed Cornbread, Earl and Me (1975). There he played football, ran track, and boxed. He is an actor and producer, known for The Birth of a Nation (2016), Arbitrage (2012) and The Great Debaters (2007). He has been married to Sarah DiSanto since 2007. Emma Thorne Drugs used to target HER2-positive invasive breast cancer may also be successful in treating women in the first stages of the disease, researchers at The University of Sidney had little formal After working as early as the 1910s as a band vocalist, Hattie McDaniel debuted as a maid in The Golden West (1932). Started acting in the Chicago production of the Broadway musical "Hair" as well as the Broadway production of "The Me Nobody Knows". His first break into acting came when a One of television's premier African-American series stars, elegant actress, singer and recording artist Diahann Carroll was born Carol Diann (or Diahann) Johnson on July 17, 1935, in the Bronx, New York. Then she started guest-starring on series like The Parent 'Hood (1995), With roots leading back to Louisiana southern aristocracy, lovely leading lady Lynn Whitfield was born in 1953, the eldest of four children and a third-generation BFA graduate from Howard University. Glover trained at the Black Bill Cosby is one of the world's most well-known entertainers and comedians. He gained a huge recognition for his performance as Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film series. He died on August 9, 2003 in Forest Steven Whitaker has packaged a king-size talent into his hulking 6' 2", 220 lb. In April 2007, Newsweek called him "the most powerful actor in Hollywood". Then be sure to vote up all of the celebrities with the surname Lawrence that you've heard of. A former high school With roots leading back to Louisiana southern aristocracy, lovely leading lady Lynn Whitfield was born in 1953, the eldest of four children and a third-generation BFA graduate from Howard University. His first big-screen feature was Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and he has subsequently created. Lawrence Timmons, 36 Football Player. One of his sisters is his twin. Samuel L. Jackson is an American producer and highly prolific actor, having appeared in over 100 films, including Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), Unbreakable (2000), Shaft (2000), Formula 51 (2001), Black Snake Moan (2006), Snakes on a Plane (2006), and the Star Wars prequel trilogy (1999-2005), . After graduating from high school, Denzel enrolled at Actress | This is a list of African-American actors by birth order. He won an Academy Award for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the film The Last King of Scotland (2006), and has also won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. His recent credits include Warner Bros.' "Man of Steel", The CW's "Emily Owens, M.D. Then, her parents packed up to move back to the US and settled in Fresno, California. Laurence Cummings (born 1968, Birmingham), MA (Oxon), ARCM, FRCO, HonRAM is a British harpsichordist, organist, and conductor. He is the fourth African-American male to Ossie Davis was born on December 18, 1917 in Cogdell, Georgia, USA. 11. He shares, "I in no way believe that I am the highest or most high Coby Bell was born on May 11, 1975 in Orange County, California, USA. He first came to be recognized by moviegoers starring as Ricky in Boyz n the Hood (1991), a role where he played a high school running back using his football Derek Luke was born on April 24, 1974 in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. In April 2007, Newsweek called him "the most powerful actor in Hollywood". He is best known for playing Cedric Daniels in The Wire and Phillip Broyles in Fringe. Larry Holmes (born November 3, 1949) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1973 to 2002. She graduated from Fordham University in 1992, and went on to earn a master's degree in journalism from New York University before shifting to an acting career. He has been married to Stephanie Cozart Burton since October 3, 1992. His father, Winston, is from Sierra Leone and worked at Ford Dagenham; his mother, Eve, is from Ghana and had a clerical duty. A native of New Jersey and son of a mechanic, African-American John Amos has relied on his imposing build, eruptive nature and strong, forceful looks to obtain acting jobs, and a serious desire for better roles to earn a satisfying place in the annals of film and TV. He is also known for portraying Detective Johnny Basil on Oz, Matthew Abaddon in Lost, Charon in the John Wick franchise and Guillermin in Godzilla vs. Kong. Pooch won the Southern New England golden gloves in 1994. When he was a child, his mother married Jeffries Diggs, whose surname Taye took. He is an actor and writer, known for Cool Runnings (1993), New York Undercover (1994) and Cop Land (1997). Gossett was the first African-American to Physically imposing, intense Yaphet Kotto was one of the few actors of his generation to succeed in breaking racial stereotypes in Hollywood. His father was a Whoopi Goldberg was born Caryn Elaine Johnson in the Chelsea section of Manhattan on November 13, 1955. He was previously married to Lynn Griffith and Elena Simms. She is an actress and executive, known for The Manchurian Candidate (2004), For Colored Girls (2010) and Almost Christmas (2016). An actor and voice actor, he is best known for having played the role of Ernie Cooper in K. C. Undercover. Lawrence Fishburn is on my flight & I recognized him instantly but I'm disappointed in myself for not remembering his name I had to Google "Black actors of the 90s" . She is known for her lead roles in the television series Girlfriends (2000-2008) and Black-Ish (2014-2022). Lawrence has survived from Roman times, when Laurentium was a city noted for its laurel trees (the laurel is a symbol of wisdom and achievement). He has enjoyed success in television, film, and music. Now, 39 years later, he is one of the stars on CBS's "Young and The Restless", the number one rated drama for the past 25 years on daytime television, playing the popular character of Neil Winters. Her parents divorced while she was still a toddler. 27. In 1997 at age 26, she began Tracee Joy Silberstein known professionally as Tracee Ellis Ross, is an American actress, singer, television host, producer and director. Boyz n the Hood, Apocalypse Now, and What's Love Got To Do With It are among his notable projects. Hounsou has graced the catwalks of Paris and London as a popular male model. They have one child. He has appeared in a number of films and television shows, including Claudine (1974), Cooley High (1975), Roots, Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor, playwright, producer, screenwriter, and film director. He is known for playing Morpheus in The Matrix trilogy, Jason "Furious", Lawrence Julius Taylor (born February 4, 1959), nicknamed "L.T. He was previously married to Debbi Morgan. When he left Silver Spring, Maryland, with a degree in English, he headed off to New York. Davis Jr. Willard Carroll "Will" Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, producer, rapper, and songwriter. He also writes and directs, and is a singer/songwriter. Warner first rose to national prominence by starring on the celebrated and long-running classic television series "The Cosby Show." Akinnagbe was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Yoruba Nigerian parents, and was raised in Silver Spring, Richard Timothy Jones is a American actor. Laurence Fox Actor Age: 44 Birthplace: Yorkshire, United Kingdom Laurence Paul Fox (born 26 May 1978) is an English actor, singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known for his leading role as DS James Hathaway in the British TV drama series Lewis from 2006 to 2015. Gossett was the first African-American to English actor, writer and director Chiwetel Ejiofor is renowned for his portrayal of Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave (2013), for which he received Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations, along with the BAFTA Award for Best Actor. Laurence John Fishburne III (born July 30, 1961) is an American actor, playwright, producer, screenwriter, and film director. Hounsou has graced the catwalks of Paris and London as a popular male model. Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence (born April 16, 1965) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, producer, talk show host, and writer. The same year, he was nominated for the Academy Billy Dee Williams was born William December Williams on April 6, 1937 in New York City. He has been married to Stephanie Cozart Burton since October 3, 1992. Vanessa and her brother grew up in suburban New York in comfortable surroundings. He is a three time Emmy Award and Tony Award winning actor known for his roles on stage and screen. Another of the famous people with the first name Lawrence is Lawrence Welk. He has acted in films, like "Bad Boys", "Blue Streak", and "Big Momma's House". Under the prodding of her mother, Dorothy and her sister Vivian Dandridge began performing publicly, usually in Taye Diggs was born in Newark, New Jersey, and was raised in Rochester, New York. He would become better known, however, Born and raised in Washington DC, Jeffrey Wright graduated from Amherst College in 1987. In 2020 Leon starred in Hallmark's #1 movie of the year, "Time for Us to Edward Regan Murphy was born April 3, 1961 in Brooklyn, New York, to Lillian Lynch (born: Lillian Laney), a telephone operator, and Charles Edward Murphy, a transit police officer who was also an amateur comedian and actor. In film, she is best known Regina Hall was born December 12, 1970 in Washington, D.C., to Ruby, a teacher, and Odie Hall, a contractor. His debut was at the Village Vanguard in New York. More at IMDbPro Kamil McFadden. He is a television, film, and theater actor, best known for The Brother from Another Planet (1984), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Eureka (2006), and Scandal (2012). White Perry was born and raised in New Orleans, to Willie Maxine (Campbell) and Emmitt Perry, Sr. His mother was a church-goer and took Perry along with her once a week. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname of "The, Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, former coach, and former executive who most recently served as President of Basketball Operations for the, The Greatest Stand-Up Comics from the USA, Actors in the Most Christopher Guest Movies, The Toughest Professional Fighters in History, Larry Bird's Best Teammates Throughout His NBA Career. MARCH 4 WADE'S COMPLAINT Wade Phillips accomplished a great deal in his NFL life, including his work as a head coach of the Cowboys.But he's now out of the NFL and working as the head coach of the . Whoopi's recent ancestors were from Georgia, Florida, and Virginia. His father, Cuba Gooding, was the lead vocalist for the R&B group The Main Ingredient, which had a hit with the song "Everybody Plays The Fool". ", Fox's "Dollhouse," HBO's "Little Britain," as well as the critically acclaimed series "24" as Walid Al-Rezani.Harry Joseph Lennix III was born Derek Luke was born on April 24, 1974 in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Abduction of Jesse Bookman (2008), Clinic and Little Richard (2000). Rollins graduated from Towson State College, where he studied theater. His mother, Shirley (Sullivan), was a backup singer for The Sweethearts. Raised by his single mother, Jean, a house cleaner, on Chicago's South Side, Duncan grew up resisting drugs and alcohol, instead concentrating on school. He is an actor and director, known for It Chapter Two (2019), Shadowhunters (2016) and Horrible Bosses (2011). He is the son of Rosalie (Tingman), a teacher and social worker for the mentally handicapped, and Julius Rock, a truck driver and newspaper deliveryman, whose own father was a preacher. Meagan Monique Good was born on 8 August 1981 in Panorama City, California, USA, to Tyra Wardlow-Doyle, who worked as her manager, and Leondis "Leon" Good, an LAPD officer. Lawrence Joseph Ellison (born August 17, 1944) is an American businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who is a co-founder and the executive chairman and chief technology officer (CTO) of Oracle .more #24 of 57 The Most Influential CEOs Of All Time #10 of 13 Celebrity Parents Who Donated To Their Children's Colleges #18 of 18 He has been married to Sophia Adella Luke since April 4, 1999. He has enjoyed success in television, film, and music. Upcoming films include "Horizon Line" with Allison Williams ("Get Out") and " Actor, producer and humanitarian Danny Glover has been a commanding presence on screen, stage and television for more than 35 years.Glover was born in San Francisco, California, to Carrie (Hunley) and James Glover, postal workers who were also active in civil rights. Beer Barrel Polka and Tonight You Belong To Me are among his popular songs. Although he studied Political Science while at Amherst, Wright left the school with a love for acting. His recent credits include Warner Bros.' "Man of Steel", The CW's "Emily Owens, M.D. Lawrence John Miller (born October 15, 1953) is an American comedian, actor, podcaster and columnist. Critically hailed for his forceful, militant, authoritative figures and one of Hollywood's most talented and versatile performers, Laurence (John) Fishburne III has been the recipient of numerous awards, including a number of NAACP Image honors. He was later nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Actor for his performance in the LGBT drama Brother to Brother (2004), and in the same year, appeared in psychological thriller The Manchurian Candidate and the sports film Million Dollar Baby. He is known for playing Morpheus in The Matrix trilogy, Jason "Furious" .more #56 of 272 The Best (Male) Actors Working Today #80 of 643 The Best Actors In Film History #53 of 183 The All-Time Greatest Action Stars 3 He died on February 4, 2005 in Miami Beach, Florida, USA. She was born in Tucson, Arizona. She was previously married to Jaime Mendez. Here's my top 50 Black Actors of all time. His middle name, Bakari, means "noble promise" in Swahili. Strikingly featured and muscular American actor Ving Rhames was born Irving Rameses Rhames in Harlem, New York, to Reather, a homemaker, and Ernest Rhames, an auto mechanic. After graduating from high English actor, writer and director Chiwetel Ejiofor is renowned for his portrayal of Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave (2013), for which he received Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations, along with the BAFTA Award for Best Actor. Laurence Fishburne is certainly one of the most famous Laurences on this list. A former high school Tell us what you think about this feature. Michael Clarke Duncan was born on December 10, 1957 in Chicago, Illinois. Obba's breadth of work is known worldwide by audiences of all ages, and his face is one of the most recognizable in the entertainment industry. He was previously married to Trisha Mann. He is an actor and producer, known for Far from Heaven (2002), 24 (2001) and Heat (1995). The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Fluent in several languages, including English, Djimon Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, in west Africa, to Albertine and Pierre Hounsou, a cook. He is the fourth African-American male to Harold George Belafonte was born on March 1, 1927 in New York City. !, Nothing to Lose, Life and Blue Ice Cube was born in South Central Los Angeles, to Doris (Benjamin), a custodian and hospital clerk, and Hosea Jackson, a UCLA groundskeeper. She was discovered by a fashion editor at Ebony magazine and LeVar Burton was born on February 16, 1957 in Landstuhl, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He was previously married to Pamela Koslow and Patricia Panella. He has been hailed for his forceful, militant, and authoritative characters in his films. His penchant for successfully finding the dignity and honor in each character Roger Guenveur Smith is an internationally acclaimed actor, writer, and director who has created a prolific body of work on stage and screen.He adapted his Obie Award-winning solo performance of A Huey P. Newton Story into a Peabody Award-winning telefilm, directed by his longtime colleague Spike Born in Georgia, Byrd earned a bachelor of science degree in education from Morris Brown College and later received a master of fine arts degree in dance from California Institute of the Arts. Lawrence's father served in the U.S. military and left the family when Martin was 8 years old. Hurtado Barbecue in Arlington, TX. Off-screen he is a social activist, educator and author dedicated to enriching the lives of others. He attended Lance Reddick is an American actor and musician. Russell Lawrence, is an American actor and Producer, best known for his role as Mike Corbett in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy.