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Larenz Tate

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Larenz Tate
Born (1975-09-08) September 8, 1975 (age 49)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1985–present
Known forO-Dog in Menace II Society
Councilman Tate in Power

Larenz Tate (born September 8, 1975[1][2]) is an American film and television actor. Tate is best known for his roles as O-Dog in Menace II Society and as Councilman Tate in Power. Tate's other films and television series include the films Dead Presidents, Love Jones, A Man Apart, Crash, Waist Deep, Ray and the television series Rush and Game of Silence.

Early life

Larenz Tate was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Peggy and Larry Tate.[3] Tate is the youngest of three siblings (his two brothers, Larron and Lahmard, are also actors) whose family moved to California when he was 4 years old. Convinced by their parents to enter a drama program at the Inner City Cultural Center, the trio did not take the lessons seriously until classmate Malcolm-Jamal Warner's ascent to fame after being cast on the sitcom The Cosby Show. Subsequently, realizing that they could parlay their efforts into a tangible form of success, the siblings began to receive small roles and in 1985, Tate made his small-screen debut in an episode of The New Twilight Zone.[citation needed] Tate attended Palmdale High School, graduating in 1993.[4]

Career

Following appearances in such television series as 21 Jump Street and The Wonder Years, Tate was cast in the television movie The Women of Brewster Place before receiving the recurring role of Steve Urkel's nemesis, Willie Fuffner, in the family comedy series Family Matters. He was also a cast member on the CBS series The Royal Family, starring Redd Foxx and Della Reese, which ended prematurely after Redd Foxx died. In the video game 187 Ride or Die, Tate voices the main character, Buck.

Following numerous small-screen roles, offers began pouring in for Tate, and in late 1992, collaborative filmmaking siblings Albert and Allen Hughes approached him to star in their debut feature Menace II Society.[citation needed] The film found Tate channeling his substantial energy into creating "O-Dog", a trigger-happy teenager. Following up with the little-seen but often-praised television series South Central, Tate would later appear in the family comedy-drama The Inkwell (1994) before re-teaming with the Hughes brothers for Dead Presidents (1995) and taking on the role of a love-stricken young poet in the romantic drama Love Jones (1997). Larenz Tate also played the role of Kenny in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the episode "That's No Lady, That's My Cousin".[5]

There followed roles in The Postman (as the automotively monikered Ford Lincoln Mercury), the Frankie Lymon biopic Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998, with Tate as Lymon), and 2000's Love Come Down. Though a big theatrical release had eluded Tate for the first few years of the millennial turnover, Tate would soon turn up opposite Laurence Fishburne in the high-octane but critically derided Biker Boyz (2003)[6] A Man Apart (2003), Crash (2004), as music legend Quincy Jones in Ray (2004), and Waist Deep (2006). Larenz was also featured in R&B singer Ashanti's 2003 released music video Rain on Me, where he played the jealous, abusive spouse of Ashanti. The video touched on the subject of domestic abuse. He also starred as part of the main cast in season's 4-7 of FX's Rescue Me as Bart "Black Shawn" Johnston.[citation needed]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1993 Menace II Society O-Dog Supporting role
1994 The Inkwell Drew Tate Lead role
1995 Dead Presidents Anthony Curtis Lead role
1997 Love Jones Darius Lovehall Lead role
1997 The Postman Ford Lincoln Mercury Main role
1998 Why Do Fools Fall in Love Frankie Lymon Main role
2000 Love Come Down Neville Carter Lead role
2003 Biker Boyz Wood Supporting role
2003 A Man Apart Demetrius Hicks Main role
2004 Crash Peter Waters Supporting role
2004 Ray Quincy Jones Supporting role
2006 Waist Deep Lucky Main role
2011 Gun Hill Bird Stevens
Train Stevens		 Television film
2015 White Water Terrance Television film
2015 Beta Test Max
2017 Girls Trip Julian Supporting role
2017 Deuces Deuces Main role

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1985 The Twilight Zone Older brother Episode: "Night of the Meek"
1987 Hunter Sporty's nephew Episode: "Crossfire"
1988 Amen LeShawn Episode: "Get Em Up, Scout"
1989 21 Jump Street Adam Fuller (young) Episode: "Wolly Bullies"
1989 The Wonder Years Basketball Team Captain Episode: "Loosiers"
1989 The Women of Brewster Place Sammy Television miniseries
1989 Matlock Street kid #3 Episode: "The Scrooge"
1990 New Attitude Chilly D 4 Episodes
1990 Family Matters Willie Fuffner 2 episodes
1991 The Royal Family Curtis Royal 15 episodes
1992 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Kenny, Groom 2 Episodes: "That's No Lady, That's My Cousin" Mama's Baby, Carlton's Maybe
1994 South Central Andre Mosely 10 episodes
2006 Waterfront Marcus 6 episodes
2006 Love Monkey Shooter Cooper 8 episodes
2007–2011 Rescue Me Black Shawn Series regular
2011 Justified Clinton Moss Episode: "For Blood or Money"
2013 House of Lies Malcolm Kaan 10 episodes
2014 Rush Alex Burke Main role
2016 Game of Silence Shawn Cook Series regular
2017–2020 Power Councilman Tate Recurring role (season 4): Main role (seasons 5–6)
2020 Power Book IV: Influences Councilman Tate Spin-Off Series

References

  1. ^ Willis, John; Monush, Barry (1 April 2006). "Screen World: 2005 Film Annual". Hal Leonard Corporation. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Berry, S. Torriano; Berry, Venise T. (2 September 2009). "The A to Z of African American Cinema". Scarecrow Press. Retrieved 4 October 2018 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "Larenz Tate profile". Filmreference.com. 1975-09-08. Retrieved 2010-10-06.
  4. ^ "Hall of Fame - Alumni - Palmdale High School". Phsfalcons.org. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  5. ^ "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (TV series): That's No Lady, That's My Cousin". IMDb.com. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
  6. ^ "Biker Boyz". Rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2010-10-06.
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