Blair Underwood
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Blair Underwood | |
| Born | August 25, 1964 (age 42) Tacoma, Washington, USA |
| Years active | 1985- |
| Spouse(s) | Desiree DaCosta |
| Official site | http://www.blairunderwood.com/ |
| Notable roles | Russell Walker in Krush Groove Jonathan Rollins in L.A. Law James Chaney in Murder in Mississippi Bobby Earl in Just Cause Dr. Ben Turner in City of Angels (TV series) |
Blair Underwood (born August 25, 1964, in Tacoma, Washington) is an American television and film actor.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Underwood was born in Tacoma, Washington to Frank and Marilyn Underwood. His father was a United States Army colonel, and as such during Blair's childhood they lived on bases in the United States and Germany.[1] Blair attended Petersburg High School in Petersburg, Virginia. He went on to attend the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.
[edit] Career
Underwood's 1987 appearance on The Cosby Show landed him a short stint on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, which eventually led to his Golden Globe-nominated performance on the TV series L.A. Law. Underwood broke into film with roles in Krush Groove, Just Cause, and Deep Impact. He also had a supporting role as a geneticist in Gattaca. In 2000, he played the lead role in the short-lived television series City of Angels. In 2003, he guest starred in four episodes[1] on the popular HBO series Sex and the City playing Cynthia Nixon's love interest. In 2004, he played the role of Roger De Souza opposite Heather Locklear in NBC's LAX.[2] He also has appeared in a guest role as a grade-school teacher on the CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine. In 2007, he guest starred in an episode of the NBC series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.[3]
Underwood has received four NAACP Image Awards[3] for such roles as in the docudramas Murder in Mississippi and Heat Wave.
Underwood was voted one of People's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2000, and one of TV Guide's "Most Influential Faces of the 90s".[4]
[edit] Personal life
In 1989, Underwood co-founded Artists for a New South Africa, a non-profit organization dedicated to democracy and equality in South Africa.
Underwood is a part of several charitable organizations. He won the 1993 Humanitarian Award for his work with the Los Angeles chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In 2003, along with Ashley Judd, he served as the spokesperson for YouthAIDS. Underwood also appeared in a 2004 public service announcement for The Fulfillment Fund.[5]
On September 17, 1994, he married Desiree DaCosta, with whom he has three children: sons Paris and Blake, and daughter Brielle.[4]
[edit] Filmography
[edit] Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Krush Groove | Russell Walker | |
| 1992 | The Second Coming | Jesus | Also director |
| 1993 | Posse | Carver | |
| 1995 | Just Cause | Bobby Earl | |
| 1996 | Mistrial | Lieutenant C. Hodges | |
| Set It Off | Keith Weston | ||
| 1997 | Gattaca | Geneticist | |
| 1998 | Asunder | Chance Williams | |
| Deep Impact | Mark Simon | ||
| 1999 | The Wishing Tree | Magic Man | |
| 2000 | Rules of Engagement | Capt. Lee | |
| 2002 | Truth Be Told | Det. Harris | |
| G | Chip Hightower | ||
| Full Frontal | Nicholas/Calvin | ||
| 2003 | Malibu's Most Wanted | Tom Gibbons | |
| 2004 | Fronterz | (unknown role) | |
| Do Geese See God? | Man | ||
| 2005[6] | Straight Out of Compton 2 | Hen | Also producer |
| The Golden Blaze | Gregory Fletcher/The Golden Blaze | Animated | |
| 2006 | Something New | Mark Harper | |
| Madea's Family Reunion | Carlos |
[edit] Television
[edit] External links
- Blair Underwood at the Internet Movie Database
- Official Website
- ANSA: Artists For A New South Africa
[edit] References
- ^ a b NPR. A Conversation with Blair Underwood. Retrieved on January 7, 2007.
- ^ Yahoo Movies. Blair Underwood Biography. Retrieved on January 7, 2007.
- ^ a b MovieWeb. NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit January Guest Star Appearances. Retrieved on January 7, 2007.
- ^ a b imdb.com. Biography for Blair Underwood. Retrieved on January 7, 2007.
- ^ blairunderwood.com. Difference. Retrieved on January 7, 2007.
- ^ imdb.com. The Golden Blaze (2005) (V). Retrieved on January 20, 2007.
- ^ imdb.com. Blair Underwood. Retrieved on January 7, 2007.
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Underwood, Blair |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 25, 1964 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Tacoma, Washington, USA |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
