Blair Underwood
| Blair Underwood | |
|---|---|
 Underwood at the premiere for Earth in April 2009 |
|
| Born | August 25, 1964 Tacoma, Washington, US |
| Years active | 1985 – present |
| Spouse | Desiree DaCosta (1994-present; 3 children) |
| Website | |
| http://www.blairunderwood.com/ | |
Blair Underwood (born August 25, 1964) is an American television and film actor. He is perhaps best known as headstrong attorney Jonathan Rollins from the NBC legal drama L.A. Law, a role he portrayed for seven years. He has gained critical acclaim throughout his career, receiving numerous Golden Globe Award nominations, three NAACP Image Awards and 1 Grammy Award. In recent years, he has appeared on The New Adventures of Old Christine, Dirty Sexy Money and In Treatment and was in NBC's The Event.[1]
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[edit] Early life
Underwood was born in Tacoma, Washington, the son of Marilyn Ann (née Scales), an interior decorator, and Frank E. Underwood, Sr., a United States Army colonel.[2][3][4] As a result of his father's military career, Underwood lived on bases in the United States and Stuttgart, Germany, during his childhood.[5] Blair attended Petersburg High School in Petersburg, Virginia. He went on to attend the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is an honorary member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.
[edit] Career
Underwood's feature film debut was the 1985 movie Krush Groove. His 1985 appearance on The Cosby Show landed him a short stint on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live as Bobby Blue, which eventually led to his performance on the TV series L.A. Law, where he appeared from 1987 to 1994. In 1996 Underwood was featured in the July issue of Playgirl.
Underwood broke into film with roles in Just Cause (1995), Set It Off (1996) and Deep Impact (1998). 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[5] on the 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.[6] He gained acclaim as the sexy grade school teacher in the CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus for two years. In 2007, he guest starred in an episode of the NBC series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.[7] His latest role is as the recurring character Alex in the HBO series In Treatment.
Underwood has received three NAACP Image Awards, for his film work in Rules of Engagement, and his television work in L.A. Law, City of Angels, Murder in Mississippi and Mama Flora's Family.
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".[8]
In 2007, Underwood co-authored the novel Casanegra: A Tennyson Hardwick Novel with husband-and-wife team Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due.
In 2010–2011, Underwood portrayed United States President Elias Martinez in the NBC drama series The Event, which premiered in Fall 2010.[9][10]
Underwood portrays the role of "Mark" in "The Truth & Life Dramatized audio New Testament Bible," a 22-hour, celebrity-voiced, fully dramatized audio New Testament which uses the RSV-CE translation.
[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.[11] He is a Trustee for the Robey Theatre Company in Los Angeles, a non-profit theatre group founded by Danny Glover, focusing on plays about the Black experience.
He supported President Barack Obama's candidacy and spoke at campaign rallies for Obama. Underwood got to know Obama while researching his L.A. Law role at Harvard Law School, while Obama was president of the Harvard Law Review.[12]
Underwood's DNA test showed that he is a descendant of the Babungo people of Cameroon.[13] Additional DNA testing and genealogical research revealed that his African ancestry comes from the Bamoun, Brong, Yoruba, and lgbo tribes of Western Africa.[14] The DNA test also connected Blair to a distant cousin in Babungo, Cameroon.[14] The test also revealed that he is of 26% European and 74% Sub-Saharan African ancestry.
On September 17, 1994, he married Desiree DaCosta, with whom he has three children, Paris, Brielle, and Blake.[8]
[edit] Filmography
[edit] Films
| Year | Film | 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 | |
| 1996 | Set It Off | Keith Weston | |
| 1997 | Gattaca | Geneticist | |
| 1998 | Asunder | Chance Williams | |
| 1998 | Deep Impact | Mark Simon | |
| 1999 | The Wishing Tree | Magic Man | |
| 2000 | Rules of Engagement | Capt. Lee | |
| 2002 | Truth Be Told | Det. Harris | |
| 2002 | G | Chip Hightower | |
| 2002 | Full Frontal | Nicholas/Calvin | |
| 2003 | Malibu's Most Wanted | Tom Gibbons | |
| 2004 | Fronterz | (unknown role) | |
| 2004 | Do Geese See God? | Man | |
| 2005 | Straight Out of Compton 2 | Hen | Also producer |
| 2005 | The Golden Blaze | Gregory Fletcher/The Golden Blaze | Animated |
| 2006 | Something New | Mark Harper | |
| 2006 | Madea's Family Reunion | Carlos | |
| 2007 | Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience | Voice role | |
| 2007 | The Hit | Hen | |
| 2011 | The Art of Getting By | Principal Bill Martinson | |
| 2011 | I Will Follow | Unknown | |
| 2011 | Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day | David Ames | Post-Production |
| 2012 | Macbett (The Caribbean Macbeth) | Banquo | In Production |
| 2012 | The True Friendship Or Not?.. | Principal Bramble | Soon Releasing |
[edit] Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Knight Rider | Potts | |
| 1985 | The Cosby Show | Robert (Denise's Friend) | Uncredited |
| 1985 | The Cosby Show | Mark | |
| 1985–86 | One Life to Live | Bobby Blue | |
| 1987 | Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Stillman | |
| 1987 | 21 Jump Street | Reginald Brooks | |
| 1987–94 | L.A. Law | Jonathan Rollins | |
| 1988 | Mickey's 60th Birthday | Jonathan Rollins | Television special |
| 1989 | The Cover Girl and the Cop | Horace Bouchet | Television film |
| 1990 | Murder in Mississippi | James Chaney | Television film |
| 1990 | Heat Wave | Robert Richardson | Television film |
| 1991 | A Different World | Zelmer Collier | |
| 1993 | Story of a People | Host | Miniseries |
| 1993 | Father & Son: Dangerous Relations | Jared Williams | Television film; also associate producer |
| 1996 | Soul of the Game | Jackie Robinson | Television film |
| 1996–97 | High Incident | Michael Rhoades | |
| 1998 | Mama Flora's Family | Willie | Miniseries |
| 2000 | City of Angels | Dr. Ben Turner | |
| 2003–04 | Sex and the City | Dr. Robert Leeds | |
| 2004–05 | Fatherhood | Dr. Arthur Bindlebeep | Animated |
| 2004–05 | LAX | Roger De Souza | |
| 2006 | Covert One: The Hades Factor | Palmer Addison | Miniseries |
| 2006–08 | The New Adventures of Old Christine | Mr. Harris | |
| 2007 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Miles Sennett | |
| 2007 | Dirty Sexy Money | Simon Elder | |
| 2008 | In Treatment | Alex | HBO series |
| 2010–11 | The Event | President Elias Martinez | Main cast |
[edit] Video games
He voiced Hunter in The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon.
[edit] Awards/nominations
- Golden Globes
- 2009, Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series or Mini-Series or Television Special: "In Treatment" (Nominated)
- 1991, Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series or Mini-Series or Television Special: "L.A. Law" (Nominated)
- Grammy Awards
- 2009, Best Spoken Word Album: "An Inconvenient Truth" (Winner)
- Image Awards
- 2011, Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series: "The Event" (Nominated)
- 2009, Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series: "In Treatment" (Nominated)
- 2009, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: "Dirty, Sexy, Money" (Nominated)
- 2009, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (Nominated)
- 2008, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: "Dirty, Sexy, Money" (Nominated)
- 2008, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (Nominated)
- 2005, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: "Sex & the City" (Nominated)
- 2004, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: "Sex & the City" (Nominated)
- 2001, Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series: "City of Angels" (Winner)
- 2001, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Rules of Engagement (Winner)
- 1999, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Mini-Series or Dramatic Special: Mamma's Flora's Family (Winner)
- 1997, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Mini-Series or Dramatic Special: Soul of the Game" (Nominated)
- 1997, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Set It Off (Nominated)
[edit] References
- ^ "Blair Underwood for President! NBC The Event Series Trailer and Jet Magazine Cover!". UrbLife.com. August 30, 2010. http://www.urblife.com/the-fame/blair-underwood-for-president.
- ^ Blair Underwood Biography (1964–)
- ^ Brennan, Patricia (6 August 1989). "Blair Underwood; 'Common Sense' Career Moves". http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/73891646.html?dids=73891646:73891646&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+06%2C+1989&author=Patricia+Brennan&pub=The+Washington+Post+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Blair+Underwood%3B+%60Common+Sense'+Career+Moves&pqatl=google.
- ^ Stated on Who Do You Think You Are?, February 24, 2012
- ^ a b "NPR". A Conversation with Blair Underwood. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1417849. Retrieved 7 January 2007.
- ^ "Yahoo Movies". Blair Underwood Biography. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800086024/bio. Retrieved 7 January 2007.
- ^ "MovieWeb". NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit January Guest Star Appearances. http://www.movieweb.com/tv/news/91/16591.php. Retrieved 7 January 2007.
- ^ a b "imdb.com". Biography for Blair Underwood. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005516/bio. Retrieved 7 January 2007.
- ^ "NBC Picks Up Three New Series for 2010–11 Season with "The Event", "Outsourced" and "Love Bites"". The Futon Critic. May 7, 2010. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2010/05/07/nbc-picks-up-three-new-series-for-2010-11-season-with-the-event-outsourced-and-love-bites/20100507nbc01. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
- ^ Hibberd, James (May 16, 2010). "NBC's fall schedule, upfront revealed". The Live Feed. The Hollywood Reporter. http://livefeed.hollywoodreporter.com/2010/05/nbc-fall-schedule-2010-11.html. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
- ^ "blairunderwood.com". Difference. http://www.blairunderwood.com/main.html. Retrieved 7 January 2007.
- ^ Kantor, Jodi (28 January 2007). "In Law School, Obama Found Political Voice". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/us/politics/28obama.html?pagewanted=all. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
- ^ Underwood, Blair. "Testimonials". Africanancestry.com. http://www.africanancestry.com/testimonials/index.html. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ a b http://www.nbc.com/who-do-you-think-you-are/video/preview-blair-underwood/1384511
[edit] External links
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