He is known for his roles as B. 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. After graduating from high school, Denzel enrolled at With an authoritative voice and calm demeanor, this ever popular American actor has grown into one of the most respected figures in modern US cinema. His parents divorced when he was very young. She was previously married to Jaime Mendez. 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. Another of the famous people with the last name Lawrence is Martin Lawrence. I include great character actors, box-office stars, comedic performers and some up and coming rising stars! He was the bandleader and host of The Lawrence Welk Show. Daniel Lebern Glover is another famous black actor born in San Francisco, California, U.S. He attended Lance Reddick is an American actor and musician. He also acted in Big Fat Liar starring Frankie Muniz and Amanda Bynes, Scooby-Doo and Guess Who, David Bryan Woodside (born July 25, 1969) is an American actor. 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). His father, from Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada, is black (of Black Henry Simmons was born in Stamford, Connecticut, one of three children to Aurelia, a school teacher, and Henry Simmons, Sr., an IRS agent. Often mentioned as the greatest player in NFL history, this ruggedly handsome African American fullback for the Cleveland Browns first appeared on movie screens in the western Rio Conchos (1964), followed by a strong supporting role as convict commando "Jefferson" in the terrific WWII action film Howard E. Rollins Jr. was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1950. (1957-2012) Synopsis. 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. His love for acting came naturally, through summers spent with his great-grandmother, New York stage actress Minnie Gentry. He is an actor, known for Antwone Fisher (2002), Glory Road (2006) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). In April 2007, Newsweek called him "the most powerful actor in Hollywood". He grew up in Jamaica, British West Indies, and did folk-singing in nightclubs and theaters, and on television and records. They have three children. He was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He was previously married to Pamela Koslow and Patricia Panella. 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. The first child of John Johnson, a subway conductor, and Mabel Faulk Johnson, a nurse; music Willard Carroll "Will" Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, producer, rapper, and songwriter. 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. He is an R&B singer, songwriter, actor, author, television producer and model. She's the sixth of seven siblings and holds a BS in Liberal Arts from Auburn University. Sidney Poitier Michael B. Jordan, the middle of three children, was born in Santa Ana, California and raised in Newark, New Jersey. Her mother, Angelita, who is Christopher Julius Rock was born in Andrews, South Carolina and raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. Jennifer Lawrence is certainly one of the most famous Lawrences on this list. He is an actor and producer, known for Far from Heaven (2002), 24 (2001) and Heat (1995). He has been married to Sophia Adella Luke since April 4, 1999. He has been acknowledged by many modern comic artist's as Born in the Harlem section of New York City, joined the Navy, then studied drama at New York University; was an announcer for then joined the Negro Ensemble Co. in 1970 for such productions as "The River Niger", "Square Root of the Soul" and "The Brownsville Raid"; worked with repertory groups such Terrence Howard was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Anita Jeanine Williams (ne Hawkins) and Tyrone Howard. He was previously married to Ruby Dee. They have four children. Lawrence Timmons, 36 Football Player. Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. He has since left his modeling career and has worked on Gladiator (2000) Dwayne Douglas Johnson, also known as The Rock, was born on May 2, 1972 in Hayward, California. She Ossie Davis was born on December 18, 1917 in Cogdell, Georgia, USA. This is a list of African-American actors by birth order. 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). Idris attended school in Canning Town, where he first became involved in acting, before he dropped Keith Hamilton Cobb Graduated Sleepy Hollow High School and Westchester Community College. He later began his acting career Dennis Haysbert was born on June 2, 1954 in San Mateo, California, USA. Started acting in the Chicago production of the Broadway musical "Hair" as well as the Broadway production of "The Me Nobody Knows". Beer Barrel Polka and Tonight You Belong To Me are among his popular songs. He died on August 9, 2003 in Mario Van Peebles is a highly regarded director, actor, producer and writer. He also actively supports a number of political causes. Actor and comedian Martin Lawrence was born on April 16, 1965, in Frankfurt, Germany. He pursued. He has been acknowledged by many modern comic artist's as 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. He is noted as a conductor of the music of Handel. 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 died on February 4, 2005 in Miami Beach, Florida, USA. 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. He has since left his modeling career and has worked on Gladiator (2000) 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. 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. 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. This highly sought-after creative artist wrapped "A Rich Christmas" a feature film for BET this past December Born and raised in Washington DC, Jeffrey Wright graduated from Amherst College in 1987. Also, Dorothy Jean Dandridge was born on November 9, 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio, to Ruby Dandridge (ne Ruby Jean Butler), an entertainer, and Cyril H. Dandridge, a cabinet maker and minister. He was previously married to Ruby Dee. John Boyega is a British actor, known for playing Finn in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015). A good student, Ving entered the New York High School of Performing Arts, where he discovered his love of acting. After 10th grade, Cosby joined the Navy and completed high Louis Gossett Jr. is one of the most respected and beloved actors on stage, screen and television and is also an accomplished writer, producer and director. Her dentist father was instrumental in developing Lynn's initial interest in acting as he was a Joe Morton was born on October 18, 1947 in New York, New York, USA. This February, he will star in the HBO Jason George was born on February 9, 1972 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA. Often plays a policeman or a thief, sometimes both in the same film, July 10, 2010 - April 25, 2012 (divorced, 2 children), Big Sean Feat. He was previously married to Debbi Morgan. 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. A "closet" lover of acting, this practical Alabamian knew that she'd someday work in the film industry, Willard Carroll "Will" Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, producer, rapper, and songwriter. How many celebrities with the last name Lawrence can you think of? Brandy Norwood is an African-American singer-songwriter and actress from McComb, Mississippi. frame. Laurence Fishburne. Although he studied Political Science while at Amherst, Wright left the school with a love for acting. Laurence Sterne (24 November 1713 18 March 1768) was an Irish novelist and an Anglican clergyman. Morgan was born on June 1, 1937 in Memphis, Tennessee, to Mayme Edna (Revere), a teacher, and Morgan Porterfield Freeman, a barber. 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 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. He is an actor and director, known for It Chapter Two (2019), Shadowhunters (2016) and Horrible Bosses (2011). She Malik Yoba was born on September 17, 1967 in Bronx, New York, USA. He was previously married to Trisha Mann. His debut was at the Village Vanguard in New York. He is best known for playing a fictionalized version of himself on the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm. 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. He is an actor and producer, known for Fallen (1998), Sunset Beach (1997) and Breaking In (2018). Forest Steven Whitaker has packaged a king-size talent into his hulking 6' 2", 220 lb. He is an actor and producer, known for Gothika (2003), Alien (1992) and A Time to Kill (1996). He is an actor, known for Antwone Fisher (2002), Glory Road (2006) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). classmates laugh. Her dentist father was instrumental in developing Lynn's initial interest in acting as he was a 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. Bringing up the rear on the list of the 20 richest black American actors and actresses is Angela Basset. Vonetta Lawrence McGee (January 14, 1945 - July 9, 2010) was an American actress. 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. Off-screen he is a social activist, educator and author dedicated to enriching the lives of others. 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. Shortly after graduating he won an acting scholarship to NYU, but dropped out after only two months to Thandiwe Newton was born in London. She owns Pattern Beauty, a hair-care line for curly Emmy-nominated actor and director Malcolm-Jamal Warner was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. 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 Mario Van Peebles is a highly regarded director, actor, producer and writer. She's an actress and singer, best known for her many roles on Broadway. On the stage and on the big screen, Delroy Lindo projects a powerful presence that is almost impossible to ignore. Another of the famous people with the first name Larry is Larry Bird. Lawrence John Miller (born October 15, 1953) is an American comedian, actor, podcaster and columnist. Vote up everyone you recognize with the last name Lawrence. His father, Winston, is from Sierra Leone and worked at Ford Dagenham; his mother, Eve, is from Ghana and had a clerical duty. Michael Clarke Duncan was born on December 10, 1957 in Chicago, Illinois. Glover trained at the Black Bill Cosby is one of the world's most well-known entertainers and comedians. Then, her parents packed up to move back to the US and settled in Fresno, California. Who knew there were so many famous people named Laurence in the world? In 1973, at the age of 12, young Laurence won a recurring role on the daytime soap One Life to Live (1968) that lasted three seasons. Laurence Fishburne is certainly one of the most famous Laurences on this list. Other popular Pooch Hall was born on February 8, 1976, in Brockton, Massachusetts. His mother, Shirley (Sullivan), was a backup singer for The Sweethearts. He has been married to Sarah DiSanto since 2007. After graduating from high school, Denzel enrolled at Actress | 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. 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. (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 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.