Sean Patrick Thomas is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Derek Reynolds in the 2001 filmSave the Last Dance and as Jimmy James inBarbershop (2002),Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004), andBarbershop: The Next Cut (2016), as well as his television role as Detective Temple Page inThe District and as Professor Macalester inVixen (2015–2016).

Thomas was born in Washington, D.C., the son of emigrants fromGuyana. He was raised inWilmington, Delaware, the son of Cheryl, afinancial analyst forDuPont, and Carlton Thomas, an engineer who also worked for DuPont.^[1][2]

Thomas, who has two younger siblings, graduated fromBrandywine High School inDelaware and attended theUniversity of Virginia. He originally intended to study law, but upon successfully auditioning for a role in the playA Raisin in the Sun, Thomas changed directions and decided to attendNew York University's prestigious Graduate Acting Program at theTisch School of the Arts, graduating in 1995.^[3]

Thomas began appearing in screen roles in the mid-1990s, and had minor roles in several films, includingConspiracy Theory (1997),Can't Hardly Wait (1998), andCruel Intentions (1999). His first leading role was in the teen romanceSave the Last Dance, in which he starred oppositeJulia Stiles. The film opened in January 2001 and became successful among teen audiences, grossing over $90 million domestically. Subsequently, Thomas appeared in supporting roles in the filmsBarbershop andHalloween: Resurrection, both of which were released in 2002. Thomas was a cast member onThe District, a television crime drama that aired onCBS from 2000 to 2004.

Thomas played recurring character Alan Townsend onReaper. He originated the recurring character of Karl Dupree onLie to Me. In 2009, he took to the stage, playing the title role inOthello for theTheatre for a New Audience in New York. This production moved to theIntiman Theatre in Seattle for the summer. In 2012, he worked withIoan Gruffudd andSarah Michelle Gellar inRinger. He was originally cast as Cyborg forJustice League: Throne of Atlantis, replacingShemar Moore fromJustice League: War, who was initially not available to reprise his role. But after Sean Patrick Thomas recorded the role, Shemar Moore was available again so Andrea Romano, for the sake of continuity, recast Thomas with Shemar Moore who lip synced to the earlier performance of Thomas.^[4]

Thomas portrayed Dr. Michael Cayle in the horror filmDeep in the Darkness, based on theMichael Laimonovel with the same name.^[5] InThe Boys spinoffGen V, he portrayed former superhero Polarity.^[6] In 2024, Thomas portrayed Professor Chadwick in a TV adaptation ofCruel Intentions; Thomas portrayed the character of Ronald Clifford in the 1999 filmof the same name.^[7]

Thomas married actress Aonika Laurent in New Orleans on Saturday, April 22, 2006. Their original wedding date had been Saturday, November 5, 2005, but had to be postponed due toHurricane Katrina. The couple met at a party thrown byBarbershop directorTim Story.^[8] The couple have two children.^[9]

• Sean Patrick Thomas atIMDb
• interview, September 16, 2002, Hollywood Insider
• interview, 2001, PopMatters

• Living people
• American male film actors
• American male television actors
• American male voice actors
• Male actors from Delaware
• American people of Guyanese descent
• Male actors from Wilmington, Delaware
• University of Virginia alumni
• 20th-century American male actors
• 21st-century American male actors
• 20th-century African-American male actors
• 21st-century African-American male actors
• Tisch School of the Arts alumni
• Brandywine High School alumni

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