Blair Underwood

Blair Erwin Underwood (born August 25, 1964) is an American actor. He made his debut in the 1985 musical film '' Krush Groove'' and from 1987 to 1994 starred as attorney Jonathan Rollins in the NBC legal drama series ''L.A. Law''.

Underwood has appeared in a number of films during his career, including '' Just Cause'' (1995), '' Set It Off'' (1996), '' Deep Impact'' (1998), '' Rules of Engagement'' (2000), '' Something New'' (2006), '' Madea's Family Reunion'' (2006), '' Juanita'' (2019), and '' Longlegs'' (2024). On television, he played a leading role in the 2000 medical drama '' City of Angels'', and also had regular roles in '' High Incident'' (1996–97), '' LAX'' (2004–05), '' Dirty Sexy Money'' (2007–09), ''In Treatment'' (2008), ''The Event'' (2010–11), '' Ironside'' (2013) and '' Quantico'' (2016–18). Underwood has received two Golden Globe Award nominations, one Tony Award nomination, five NAACP Image Awards, one Daytime Emmy Award, and one Grammy Award.

Early life

Underwood was born in Tacoma, Washington, the son of Marilyn Ann Scales, an interior decorator, and Frank Eugene Underwood Sr., a United States Army colonel. Frank Sr. was an Army ranger and paratrooper who was wounded in the Vietnam War. Underwood lived on bases and Army Posts in the United States and Stuttgart, Germany throughout his childhood due to his father's military career. 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 the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

Career

After his film debut, '' Krush Groove'', Underwood's 1985 appearance on ''The Cosby Show'' landed him a short stint for three months on the ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live'' as Bobby Blue. He later co-starred in the short-lived CBS crime drama series ''Downtown'' from 1986 to 1987, and guest-starred on ''Scarecrow and Mrs. King'' and ''21 Jump Street''.

In 1987, Underwood, at the age of 23, was cast as attorney Jonathan Rollins in the NBC legal drama series ''L.A. Law''. He received Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film in 1991. The series ended in 1994. In 1990, he played James Chaney in the NBC television film '' Murder in Mississippi''. In 1993, he co-starred in the western film '' Posse'' starring Mario Van Peebles. After ''L.A. Law'', he starred in a number of movies, In 1995 he appeared in the legal thriller '' Just Cause'', and the following year played Jada Pinkett's love interest in the heist film '' Set It Off''. He also had a supporting role as a geneticist in the science fiction film ''Gattaca'' (1997) and in the disaster film '' Deep Impact'' (1998). In 1996, he was featured in the July issue of erotic magazine ''Playgirl''.

In 1996, Underwood returned to series television with ABC police drama series, '' High Incident''. He co-starred opposite Cicely Tyson in the 1998 miniseries '' Mama Flora's Family''. In 2000, he played the lead role in the short-lived CBS medical drama series '' City of Angels''. Underwood was voted one of ''People'' magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2000, and one of ''TV Guide'' magazine's "Most Influential Faces of the 90s". In 2003, he guest starred in four episodes 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 short-lived drama '' LAX''. In 2006, he appeared in the Tyler Perry's second film, '' Madea's Family Reunion''. He had a recurring role as the sexy grade school teacher in the CBS sitcom '' The New Adventures of Old Christine'' opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus from 2006 to 2008. In 2007, he guest starred in an episode of the NBC series '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''. In 2007, Underwood portrayed Jesus Christ in '' Inspired By... The Bible Experience,'' an 89-hour, celebrity-voiced, fully dramatized audio Bible based on Today's New International Version. Also in 2007, Underwood co-authored the novel ''Casanegra: A Tennyson Hardwick Novel'' with husband-and-wife team Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due.

In 2008, Underwood starred in the first season of the HBO drama series ''In Treatment'', for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film at the 2009 Golden Globes. From 2007 to 2009, he was regular cast member in the ABC prime time soap opera, '' Dirty Sexy Money''.

In 2010–2011, Underwood portrayed United States President Elias Martinez in the NBC drama series ''The Event''. In 2010, Underwood portrayed the role of Saint Mark in ''The Truth & Life Dramatized Audio New Testament Bible'', a 22-hour, celebrity-voiced, fully dramatized audio New Testament, based on the RSV-CE translation. In 2012, he played the lead role of Stanley in the Broadway revival of ''A Streetcar Named Desire''.

In 2013, Underwood played the role of Robert Ironside in the remake of the successful 1960s television series, '' Ironside'', made famous by the late Raymond Burr. The show was cancelled after three episodes. The following year, he appeared in ''The Trip to Bountiful'' opposite Cicely Tyson. From 2015 to 2016, he had a recurring role in the ABC series '' Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' In 2016, Underwood was cast in the ABC thriller series '' Quantico'' for the series regular role of CIA Deputy Director, Owen Hall. The series was canceled after three seasons in 2018.

In 2019, Underwood played attorney Bobby Burns in the Netflix miniseries '' When They See Us''. The following year, he co-starred opposite Octavia Spencer in the Netflix miniseries '' Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker''. Underwood has been a frequent guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional, narrating the event in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2021.

In January 2020, Underwood appeared on stage as Captain Richard Davenport in the Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway revival of Charles Fuller's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama '' A Soldier's Play''.

Personal life

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. In addition, he is involved with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation's Blair Underwood Clinic in Washington, DC.

On June 24, 2023 he married his longtime friend, Josie Hart.

Underwood also appeared in a 2004 public service announcement for The Fulfillment Fund. 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 him. Underwood got to know former President Obama while researching his ''L.A. Law'' role at Harvard Law School, while the would-be President Obama was president of the ''Harvard Law Review''.

Filmography

Film

Television

Documentary

Music videos

Video games

Bibliography

* ''Before I Got Here: The Wondrous Things We Hear When We Listen to the Souls of Our Children'' (2005; editor, with Donyell Kennedy-McCullough (photographer))
* The Tennyson Hardwick Novels:
** '' Casanegra''Casanegra
. Bookvideos.tv. August 2007. (2007; with Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes)
** ''In the Night of the Heat'' (2008; with Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes)
** ''From Cape Town with Love'' (2010; with Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes)
** ''South by Southeast'' (scheduled for September 2012; with Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes)

Awards and nominations

See also

* African-American Tony nominees and winners

References

External links

*
Official WebsiteANSA: Artists For A New South Africa

{{DEFAULTSORT:Underwood, Blair
1964 births
African-American writers
American writers
American male film actors
American male soap opera actors
American people of Igbo descent
American people of Cameroonian descent
Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts alumni
Living people
People from Petersburg, Virginia
Male actors from Tacoma, Washington
Male actors from Virginia
American male voice actors
American male television actors
20th-century African-American male actors
20th-century American male actors
21st-century African-American male actors
21st-century American male actors
Grammy Award winners