Harry Lennix
Harry Lennix | |
|---|---|
 Lennix at the San Diego Comic-Con International, 2013 | |
| Born | Harry Joseph Lennix III November 16, 1964 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Northwestern University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Spouse |
Djena Graves (m. 2009) |
Harry Joseph Lennix III[1] (born November 16, 1964) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Terrence "Dresser" Williams in the Robert Townsend film The Five Heartbeats (1991) and as Boyd Langton in the Joss Whedon television series Dollhouse. Lennix currently co-stars as Harold Cooper, Assistant Director of the FBI Counterterrorism Division, on the NBC drama The Blacklist. Lennix played Calvin Swanwick in the DC Extended Universe.
Early life
The youngest of four siblings, Lennix was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Lillian C. (née Vines), a laundress, and Harry Lennix, Jr., a machinist.[2][3] His mother was African-American and his father was a Creole from Louisiana.[4] Lennix attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary South and Northwestern University, where he majored in Acting and Direction. In his senior year at Northwestern, he was the coordinator of the African-American student organization, For Members Only.[5]
Career
Lennix starred in the Showtime Networks made-for-cable television film Keep the Faith, Baby (2002) as Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., who was a legendary Harlem Congressman from 1944 to 1972; in the movie Titus (1999), based on Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, as Aaron the Moor; and in the ABC television series Commander in Chief. Lennix currently co-stars as Harold Cooper, Assistant Director of the FBI Counterterrorism Division, on the NBC drama The Blacklist, which debuted September 23, 2013.
In film, Lennix has had supporting roles such as The Five Heartbeats (1991), Comfortably Numb (1995), Get on the Bus (1996), Love & Basketball (2000), The Matrix series (1999–2003), Ray (2004), Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004), Stomp the Yard (2007), and State of Play (2009).
In television, he had a recurring role in Diagnosis: Murder as Agent Ron Wagner as well as a voice-over role in the Legion of Super Heroes animated series. He also had a recurring role in the sixth season of 24 as fictional Muslim civil rights activist Walid Al-Rezani. He appeared on the series House M.D. as a paralyzed jazz trumpet player, and in six episodes of ER as Dr. Greg Fischer.[citation needed] He also appeared in the episode "The Blame Game" of the first season of Ally McBeal. He played the parts of Boyd Langton in Joss Whedon's series Dollhouse[6] and U.S. president Barack Obama in the comedy sketch show Little Britain USA.
In 2007, he was an official festival judge at the first annual Noor Iranian Film Festival.
In July 2014, he formed his own production company Exponent Media Group (EMG) along with long time business partner Steve Harris.[7] EMG had a distribution deal with NEHST studios for three of the company's titles Mr. Sophistication, H4 (a street version of William Shakespeare's Henry IV, in which he also starred in) and Revival![7]
Personal life
In 2009, Lennix married Djena Graves[8] who holds a Masters in Business Administration from the Stern School of Business at New York University, where she was a Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Fellow and a B.S. degree, cum laude, in Chemical Engineering from Florida A&M University; she also studied International Business at HEC Paris.[9]
Lennix is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.[10][better source needed]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | The Package | Field Soldier | |
| 1989 | A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story |
Nero | Television film |
| 1991 | The Case of the Defiant Daughter | Prosecutor Keith Warner | Television film |
| 1991 | The Five Heartbeats | Dresser | |
| 1992 | Mo' Money | Tom Dilton | as Harry J. Lennix |
| 1992 | Bob Roberts | Franklin Dockett | |
| 1992 | In the Best Interest of the Children | Tim Coffey | Television film |
| 1994 | Vanishing Son II | Andre Laine | Television film |
| 1994 | Vanishing Son IV | Andre Laine | Television film |
| 1994 | Guarding Tess | Kenny Young | |
| 1995 | Clockers | Bill Walker | |
| 1995 | Comfortably Numb | Hamlin Day | |
| 1996 | Get on the Bus | Randall | |
| 1997 | Chicago Cab, aka Hellcab | Irate Boyfriend | as Harry J. Lennix |
| 1999 | Titus | Aaron | Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Drama |
| 2000 | Love & Basketball | Nathan Wright | |
| 2002 | Pumpkin | Robert Meary | |
| 2002 | Collateral Damage | Agent Dray | |
| 2002 | Keep the Faith, Baby | Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. | Television film Black Reel Award for Best Actor in a Television Movie/Mini-Series Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film |
| 2003 | The Matrix Reloaded | Commander Lock | |
| 2003 | The Human Stain | Mr. Silk | |
| 2003 | The Matrix Revolutions | Commander Lock | |
| 2004 | Chrystal | Kalid | |
| 2004 | Barbershop 2: Back in Business | Quentin Leroux | |
| 2004 | Suspect Zero | Rich Charleton | |
| 2004 | Ray | Joe Adams | Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
| 2006 | Sharif Don't Like It | Tom | |
| 2007 | Stomp the Yard | Nate | |
| 2007 | Resurrecting the Champ | Bob Satterfield, Jr. | |
| 2007 | Across the Universe | Army Sergeant | |
| 2009 | State of Play | Det. Donald Bell | |
| 2010 | Mr. Sophistication | Ron Waters | |
| 2012 | A Beautiful Soul | Jeff Freeze | |
| 2013 | H4 | King Henry IV | |
| 2013 | Man of Steel | General Swanwick | |
| 2014 | Cru (C.R.U.) | Diego Glass | |
| 2015 | Justice League: Throne of Atlantis | David Hyde / Black Manta | Voice role |
| 2015 | Chi-Raq | Commissioner Blades | |
| 2016 | Timeless | Johnson | |
| 2016 | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | United States Secretary of Defense Swanwick |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–1996 | The Client | Daniel Holbrook | 3 episodes |
| 1997 | ER | Dr. Greg Fischer | 6 episodes |
| 1997–1998 | Diagnosis: Murder | Agent Ron Wagner | 6 episodes |
| 1997 | Living Single | Clayton Simmons | Episode: "The Best Laid Plans" |
| 1998 | Ally McBeal | Ballard | Episode: "The Blame Game" |
| 1998 | The Practice | Dr. Cloves's attorney | Episode: "The Pursuit of Dignity" |
| 1999 | Judging Amy | Mr. Newman | Episode: "An Impartial Bias" |
| 1999 | JAG | Agent John Nichols | Episode: "Contemptuous Words" |
| 2003 | The Practice | Asst. Attorney General Parker | Episode: "Final Judgment" |
| 2005 | House M.D. | John Henry Giles | Episode: "DNR" |
| 2005–2006 | Commander in Chief | Jim Gardner | 19 episodes Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series |
| 2007 | 24 | Walid Al-Rezani | 5 episodes |
| 2008 | Little Britain USA | President of the United States | 4 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | Dollhouse | Boyd Langton | 25 episodes |
| 2011 | Law & Order: LA | Agent Bossy | Episode: "Plummer Park" |
| 2012–2013 | Emily Owens, M.D. | Tim Dupre | 6 episodes |
| 2013–present | The Blacklist | Harold Cooper | 65 episodes |
| 2013 | Quick Draw | Sheriff Nat Love | Episode: "Nicodemus" |
| 2017 | The Blacklist: Redemption | Harold Cooper | 1 episode |
| 2017 | Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 TV series) | Cyclonus | 2 episodes |
References
- ^ "Djena Graves and Harry Lennix III". The New York Times. June 28, 2009.
- ^ Herguth, Bob (April 16, 1991). "Harry J. Lennix". Chicago Sun-Times.
- ^ Harry J. Lennix Biography (1965?-)
- ^ Harrison, Eric (January 14, 2000). "In Titus, He's the Face of Pure Evil; Movies * Harry J. Lennix's role in Julie Taymor's film should bring him more opportunities—and recognition". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Harry Lennix". SpeakingOfStories.org.
- ^ Dos Santos, Kristin; Jennifer Godwin (April 15, 2008). "Exclusive Pilot Details: Welcome to the Dollhouse!". E! Online. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
- ^ a b "Harry Lennix – Andrew E. Freedman Public Relations". www.aefpr.com. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
- ^ "Djena Graves and Harry Lennix III". The New York Times. 2009-06-26. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
- ^ "Djena Graves Lennix: Executive Profile & Biography". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
- ^ "Tau Kappa Kappa Chapter (Evanston, Illinois) of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc". sites.google.com/site/tkkoppf. Retrieved 2018-07-02.
External links
- Harry Lennix at IMDb
- Harry Lennix at AllMovie
- Harry Lennix at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Harry Lennix at the Internet Broadway Database
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