He is known for his roles in the Bad Boys trilogy, Martin, Def Comedy Jam, Big Momma's House, Open Season, House Party, Boomerang, Wild Hogs, What's Happening Now! Fluent in several languages, including English, Djimon Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, in west Africa, to Albertine and Pierre Hounsou, a cook. Whoopi's recent ancestors were from Georgia, Florida, and Virginia. More at IMDbPro He attended Circle in the Square Theatre School and Playwrights Horizons Theater School. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Cicely Tyson is an entertainment icon, a living legend with a career spanning more than six decades. Regarded as one of hip-hop's most introspective and insightful artists, Mos Def has shaped a career that transcends music genres and artistic medium. She is the daughter of Zimbabwean mother Nyasha, a health-care worker from the Shona tribe, and British father Nick Newton, who worked as a lab technician. Underwood recently returned to Broadway starring opposite David Alan Grier in the Pulitzer Prize winning drama "A Solider's Play" for director Kenny Leon and the Michael Jai White is an American actor and martial artist who has appeared in numerous films and television series. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. She's the sixth of seven siblings and holds a BS in Liberal Arts from Auburn University. She lived in Zambia until political unrest caused her family to move back to the UK, where she lived in Alfre Woodard was born on November 8, 1952 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the youngest of three children of Constance, a homemaker, and Marion H. Woodard, an interior designer. Hounsou has graced the catwalks of Paris and London as a popular male model. He is an actor, known for Antwone Fisher (2002), Glory Road (2006) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). Angela Basset - $20 Million. He attended Lance Reddick is an American actor and musician. She was previously married to Maurice Oldham. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor, BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy, for his work in the biographical film Ray (2004). His mother then moved his family to Buffalo, New York. He was born on April 16, 1965 in Hesse, Germany. He moved to Lyon, France, when he was thirteen. She Ossie Davis was born on December 18, 1917 in Cogdell, Georgia, USA. 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), . He has been married to Stephanie Cozart Burton since October 3, 1992. Distinguished black thespians have portrayed one of Shakespeare's most famed and widely depicted characters for years. In April 2007, Newsweek called him "the most powerful actor in Hollywood". He is an actor and producer, known for Burn Notice (2007), Third Watch (1999) and The Gifted (2017). She is best known for originating the role of "Ruth Younger" in the stage and film versions of A Raisin in the Sun (1961).She also starred in The Jackie Robinson Story (1950), Cat People (1982), Cicely Tyson was born in Harlem, New York City, where she was raised by her devoutly religious parents, from the Caribbean island of Nevis. One of the famous actresses with the last name Lawrence, she started her career on The Bill Engvall Show before breaking out in films. Smith has been nominated for five Golden 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. She was named by her godmother, who claimed she saw a vision of Alfre's name written out in gold letters. .more Morgan was born on June 1, 1937 in Memphis, Tennessee, to Mayme Edna (Revere), a teacher, and Morgan Porterfield Freeman, a barber. 48. Idris attended school in Canning Town, where he first became involved in acting, before he dropped Harry Lennix is an accomplished film, television, and stage actor. In 1978, she moved to New York City to apply her craft on stage. He is the middle of three children of a beautician mother, Lennis, from Georgia, and a Pentecostal minister father, Denzel Washington, Sr., from Virginia. His recent credits include Warner Bros.' "Man of Steel", The CW's "Emily Owens, M.D. 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. Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. was born on December 28, 1954 in Mount Vernon, New York. He was previously married to Ruby Dee. His brothers are actors Larron Tate and Lahmard J. Tate. Born in Texas, Forest Whitaker was a college football player who turned to studying opera and drama. Smith has been nominated for five Golden Cuba Gooding Jr. was born on January 2, 1968, in The Bronx, New York. Her mother, Theodosia, was a domestic, and her father, William Tyson, was a carpenter and painter. Actor and comedian Martin Lawrence was born on April 16, 1965, in Frankfurt, Germany. He made his feature debut as Sgt. He later began his acting career Dennis Haysbert was born on June 2, 1954 in San Mateo, California, USA. He grew up on the streets of the South Bronx in New York City, where he very early decided that dance and the theatre were to be his career. 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. Pam has been a major African-American star from the early 1970s. frame. 02 Mar 2023 18:29:40 He is an actor and director, known for Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002). Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to an Italian carpenter/stagehand father from Naples, Italy, and an African-American opera singer mother from Alabama. He is known for his roles as B. Top 50 Most Popular Young Actors In 2023. At an early age, he started to take dramatic lessons to calm himself down. To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article and/or references showing the person is African American and a notable actor. He subsequently made his film debut in the ghetto-themed Cornbread, Earl and Me (1975). 28. He wrote the novels The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman and A Sentimental Journey, The Greatest Actors Who Have Never Won An Oscar (For Acting). His debut was at the Village Vanguard in New York. 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. His father, Jesse Reed Watkins, was a truck driver. His Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, to an Italian carpenter/stagehand father from Naples, Italy, and an African-American opera singer mother from Alabama. Chosen as one of Variety's "Top Ten Actors to Watch" and part of the new breed of leading men in Hollywood, Laz Alonso is starring in Amazon Prime's series THE BOYS. Laurence Sterne (24 November 1713 18 March 1768) was an Irish novelist and an Anglican clergyman. Michael Clarke Duncan was born on December 10, 1957 in Chicago, Illinois. His directorial skills can be seen in the retelling of the epic mini-series "Roots" starring Forest Whitaker and Matthew Goode. 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). The famous Lawrences below have many different professions, including notable actors with the last name Lawrence, famous musicians named Lawrence, and even athletes named Lawrence. She was discovered by a fashion editor at Ebony magazine and LeVar Burton was born on February 16, 1957 in Landstuhl, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. She is known as "The Vocal Bible". He was born in 1939 in Dallas, Texas, where he lived in his early years before moving with his family to Los Wesley Trent Snipes was born in Orlando, Florida, to Marian (Long), a teacher's assistant, and SMSGT Wesley Rudolph Snipes, an aircraft engineer. His hobbies are writing, photography & renovating home. 27. 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 received a BFA degree in musical theater Born and raised in London, England, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje began his career as a model in Milan. ", 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 LeVar Burton was born on February 16, 1957 in Landstuhl, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He is the first African American to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture, having starred as Al Simmons, the protagonist in the 1997 film Spawn. He is known for his roles in the Bad Boys trilogy, Martin, Def Comedy Jam, Big Momma's House, Open Season, House Party, Boomerang, Wild Hogs, What's Happening Now! A good student, Ving entered the New York High School of Performing Arts, where he discovered his love of acting. She went to prayer-school there. Her mother, Emma (Harris), was a teacher and a nurse, and her father, Robert James Johnson, Jr., was a clergyman. Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an African-American comedian, producer, writer, director and actor. Anthony has been featured in feature films, television series and Broadway and Off-Broadway plays, including Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Ice Cube was born in South Central Los Angeles, to Doris (Benjamin), a custodian and hospital clerk, and Hosea Jackson, a UCLA groundskeeper. He died on August 9, 2003 in Djimon Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, in west Africa, to Albertine and Pierre Hounsou, a cook. She was raised in Queens, New York. He has been married to Sophia Adella Luke since April 4, 1999. (1957-2012) Synopsis. Boyz n the Hood, Apocalypse Now, and What's Love Got To Do With It are among his notable projects. His love for acting came naturally, through summers spent with his great-grandmother, New York stage actress Minnie Gentry. 64 1 4. coming-of-age romantic drama Call Me by Your Name, . 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. 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. 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.Born in Augusta, Georgia on July 30, 1961, to Hattie Sammy Davis Jr. was often billed as the "greatest living entertainer in the world".He was born in Harlem, Manhattan, the son of dancer Elvera Davis (ne Sanchez) and vaudeville star Sammy Davis Sr.. His father was African-American and his mother was of Cuban and African-American ancestry. He is the son of Donna (Davis), a high school counselor, and Michael A. Jordan. We even witnessed a crop of new restaurants open their doors for the first time. He is an actor and producer, known for the films Ray, Selma Lord Selma, Dead Presidents, and Menace 2 Society, and the TV series The Family Business, Sacrifice, and Saints & Sinners. She is the daughter of Rita (Bray), a teacher, and Lancelot Owens Sr. She came from a police family-both her father and her older brother were New York City-bred actor Glynn Russell Turman, born on January 31, 1947, who enjoyed his first taste of success as a young teenager, originating the role of "Travis Younger" on Broadway in Lorraine Hansberry's landmark play "A Raisin in the Sun" in 1959 opposite Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Claudia Best known as the the lead singer of the popular 1960s singing group The Supremes, Diana Ernestine Earle Ross was born on March 26, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan, the second of six children of African-American parents Ernestine Lillian (Moten), a schoolteacher, and Fred Earl Ross, who served in the Jamie Foxx is an American actor, singer and comedian. !, Nothing to Lose, Life and Blue Streak. Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. 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. William Henry Cosby, Jr. was born on July 12, 1937, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Anna Pearl (Hite), a maid and William Henry Cosby, Sr., a U.S. Navy sailor. They Viola Davis is a critically revered actress of film, television, and theater and has won rave reviews for her multitude of substantial and intriguingly diverse roles. He is a three-time NBA MVP and 12-time NBA all-star. Hounsou has graced the catwalks of Paris and London as a popular male model. Whether impersonating relatives, dancing or just making people laugh, everyone sensed something special about the boy. He can also be seen playing opposite Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba in their new series LA'S FINEST. He is an actor, known for Antwone Fisher (2002), Glory Road (2006) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). Tell us what you think about this feature. He has been married to Stephanie Cozart Burton since October 3, 1992. 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.