Mykelti Williamson | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Williamson in 2016 | |
| Born | Michael T. Williamson (1957-03-04)March 4, 1957 (age 68) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Other names | Mykel T. Williamson |
| Alma mater | Los Angeles City College |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, director, writer |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3 |
Mykelti Williamson (/ˈmaɪkəlti/; bornMichael T. Williamson; March 4, 1957) is an American actor and director best known for his roles in the filmsForrest Gump,12 Angry Men (1997),Con Air, andAli, and the television showsBoomtown,24, andJustified. In 2016, he portrayed Gabriel Maxson inDenzel Washington's acclaimedfilm adaptation ofAugust Wilson's playFences, reprising his role from the 2010 Broadway revival.
Williamson's other notable roles includeFree Willy,Heat,Lucky Number Slevin,Three Kings,Black Dynamite,The Final Destination,ATL,Species II, andThe Purge: Election Year.
Mykelti Williamson was born inSt. Louis, Missouri. He is the son of Elaine, a certified public accountant, and a father who was anAir Force Non-Commissioned Officer.[1] He is ofAfrican American descent and has stated he hasBlackfoot ancestry.[2]
Williamson began performing at the age of nine. Along with acting, he also danced as an alternate member ofThe Lockers troupe onSoul Train along withFred Berry (star of TV sitcomWhat's Happening!!). At age nine, Williamson relocated toLos Angeles with his family. He studied television and film atLos Angeles City College. He audited acting classes atUSC under the tutelage of Dr. Frank X. Ford Williamson, and later transferred to Gene Evans Motion Picture School inSan Jose, earning his certificate in Cinematography/Film Production.[citation needed]
Williamson began acting professionally as a child. His first TV appearances includeStarsky & Hutch,Father Murphy,Hill Street Blues,Miami Vice,China Beach, andMidnight Caller. Perhaps his best-known television role was as program director Donovan Aderhold in the syndicated seriesThe New WKRP in Cincinnati. Williamson also starred inPBS's TV seriesThe Righteous Apples. The show focuses on the activities of The Righteous Apples, fiveBoston-area high school musicians, who in a troubled world, seek to help people in distress. Williamson played Charles "Big Neck" McMorris, the lead singer of the group in the show in which he was just a teenager at that time.
One of Williamson's first film appearances was inStreets of Fire (1984). His credits includeWildcats (1986) withGoldie Hawn,Miracle Mile (1989),The First Power (1990) withLou Diamond Phillips,Free Willy (1993),Forrest Gump (1994) withTom Hanks,Waiting to Exhale (1995),Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)Heat (1995),Soul of the Game (1996) withDelroy Lindo,Con Air (1997),Truth or Consequences, N.M. (1997),William Friedkin's TV version of12 Angry Men (1997),Three Kings (1999),Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years (1999),Holiday Heart (2000),Black Dynamite (2009),The Final Destination (2009), andThe Purge: Election Year (2016). Williamson is best known as Private Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blue in theAcademy Award–winning 1994 filmForrest Gump. He would also more than once play the role of social worker Dwight Mercer in theFree Willy franchise. He also received favorable reviews when he playedNegro league baseball playerJosh Gibson in theHBO filmSoul of the Game (1996).
Williamson has made many guest appearances in TV and film. His most recent film appearances have includedAli (2001),The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004),Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005),ATL (2006),Lucky Number Slevin (2006),August Rush (2007),High School (2010),Convergence (2015), andFences (2016). He was Juror #10 in the 1997 TV movie remake of12 Angry Men (picking up theEd Begley role from the1957 film). He also appeared in a short-lived TV series remakeThe Fugitive (CBS, 2000–2001). CBS cancelled the series after one season with a total of 22 episodes.
In 2002, Williamson co-starred as Detective Bobby "Fearless" Smith in the critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful crime dramaBoomtown. Between 2007 and 2009, he appeared in seven episodes ofCSI: NY as Chief Brigham Sinclair, reuniting him with hisForrest Gump co-starGary Sinise. He was a main character inseason 8 of24 starring as Brian Hastings, the special agent in charge of the New York CTU.[3] He had a recurring role as Ellstin Limehouse on theFX dramaJustified. He was also cast as a homeless man named Terry George in thethird season of theABC dramaNashville. Since October 2016, Williamson has had a recurring role as Admiral Chernow inDesignated Survivor. In 2017, he began appearing onChicago P.D..[4]
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Williamson was married toMiami Vice starOlivia Brown from July 2, 1983 until they divorced in 1985. He later married Cheryl Chisholm in 1989 with whom he had his first child, Phoenix.
Williamson has been married to Sondra Spriggs since April 26, 1997; together they have two daughters, Nicole and Maya. The two were married during the filming ofTNT's production ofBuffalo Soldiers.
Williamson was charged with attempted murder in 1998 after he allegedly stabbed his ex-wife Cheryl Chisholm's boyfriend. The court reduced the charge to attempted manslaughter and he was found not guilty by jury.[5]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Sunnyside | Hot Dog | |
| 1984 | Streets of Fire | B.J. | as Mykel T. Williamson |
| 1986 | Wildcats | Levander 'Bird' Williams | as Mykel T. Williamson |
| The Delta Force | Delta Force Member | Uncredited extra | |
| 1987 | Number One with a Bullet | Casey | |
| You Talkin' to Me? | Thatcher Marks | ||
| 1988 | Miracle Mile | Wilson | as Mykel T. Williamson |
| 1990 | The First Power | Detective Oliver Franklin | as Mykel T. Williamson |
| 1993 | Free Willy | Dwight Mercer | |
| 1994 | Forrest Gump | Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blue | |
| 1995 | Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home | Dwight Mercer | |
| How to Make an American Quilt | Winston | ||
| Heat | Sergeant Drucker | ||
| Waiting to Exhale | Troy | ||
| 1997 | Truth or Consequences, N.M. | Marcus Weans | |
| Con Air | Baby-O | ||
| Double Tap | Agent Hamilton | ||
| 1998 | Primary Colors | Dewayne Smith | |
| Species II | Dennis Gamble | ||
| Gideon | Coleman Walker | ||
| 1999 | Three Kings | Colonel Horn | |
| 2001 | Ali | Don King | |
| 2004 | The Assassination of Richard Nixon | Harold Mann | |
| After the Sunset | Agent Stafford | ||
| 2005 | Get Rich or Die Tryin' | Charlene's Stepfather | |
| 2006 | Lucky Number Slevin | Sloe | |
| Fatwa | Grady Frank | ||
| ATL | Uncle George Swann | ||
| 2007 | Spinning into Butter | Aaron Carmichael | |
| August Rush | Reverend James | ||
| 2008 | Ball Don't Lie | Dallas | |
| Vice | Sampson | ||
| 2009 | Black Dynamite | Chicago Wind | |
| My Summer Friend | Romell | Short | |
| The Final Destination | George Lanter | ||
| 2010 | High School | Paranoid | |
| 2014 | Hollows Grove | F.B.I. Agent Jones | |
| 2015 | Convergence | Captain Miller | |
| You Bury Your Own | Detective Goodman | ||
| 2016 | The Purge: Election Year | Joe Dixon | |
| Fences | Gabriel Maxson | [6] | |
| 2018 | Run the Race | Coach Hailey | |
| Canal Street | Jackie Styles | ||
| Saint Judy | Dikembe Mustafa | ||
| Thriller | Detective Raymond Johnson | ||
| 2019 | Don't Let Go | Bobby Owens | |
| 2020 | Butter | Professor Dunn[7] | |
| Emperor | Truesdale | ||
| The 24th | 1st Sgt. Hayes | ||
| 2021 | Clean | Travis | |
| 2022 | North of the 10 | Cole Pruit | |
| 2024 | Unstoppable | Eddie | |
| 2025 | The Last Rodeo | Charlie Williams | [8] |
| 2026 | Is God Is | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Starsky & Hutch | Bruce | Episode: "Black and Blue" (as Michael T. Williamson[9]) |
| Salvage 1 | Eddie | Episode: "Golden Orbit: Part 1" (as Michael T. Williamson) | |
| 1979–1981 | The White Shadow | Malcolm Gruner/Fred | 2 episodes |
| 1980–1981 | The Righteous Apples | Charles "Big Neck" McMorris | Main cast (12 episodes) |
| 1981 | Freebie and the Bean | Lemar Washington | Episode: "Highway Robbery" |
| Father Murphy | Lijah | Episode: "Establish Thou the Works of Our Hands" | |
| 1982 | Desperate Lives | Jack | TV movie |
| 1983 | Alice | Player #1 | Episode: "Carrie on the Rebound" |
| Hill Street Blues | Raymond Hawkins Jr. | Episode: "Moon Over Uranus: The Final Legacy" | |
| 1983–1984 | Bay City Blues | Deejay Cunningham | Main cast (8 episodes) |
| 1984 | Gimme a Break! | Waiter | Episode: "Nell's Birthday" |
| 1984–1985 | Cover Up | Rick | 20 episodes |
| Miami Vice | Leon Jefferson/Sylvio Romulus | 2 episodes | |
| 1984–1986 | Hill Street Blues | Officer Ron Garfield | 9 episodes |
| 1986 | The Love Boat | James Russell | 2 episodes |
| 1987 | J.J. Starbuck | Calvin | Episode: "First You've Got to Go to the Picnic" |
| 1987–1988 | The Bronx Zoo | Gus Butterfield | Main cast (21 episodes) |
| 1988 | Police Story: Monster Manor | Officer Don Luntner | TV movie |
| 1988–1991 | Midnight Caller | Deacon Bridges | Main cast (47 episodes) |
| 1989 | China Beach | Jean Jacques Rousseau | Episode: "Psywars" & "Promised Land" |
| 1990 | A Killer Among Us | Greg Hopkins | TV movie |
| 1991–1993 | The New WKRP in Cincinnati | Donovan Aderhold | Main cast (46 episodes) |
| 1993 | Other Women's Children | Leonard | TV movie |
| 1994 | Time Trax | Luther Bell | Episode: "Cool Hand Darien" |
| 1995 | The Outer Limits | Dr. Michael Alders | Episode: "The Second Soul" |
| 1996 | Soul of the Game | Josh Gibson | TV movie |
| 1997 | 12 Angry Men | Juror #10 | TV movie |
| Buffalo Soldiers | Cpl. William Christy | TV movie | |
| 1999 | Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years | Henry Beard Delany | TV movie |
| 1999–2000 | The Hoop Life | Marvin Buxton | Main cast (22 episodes) |
| 2000 | Holiday Heart | Silas | TV movie |
| 2000–2001 | The Fugitive | Lt. Philip Gerard | Main cast (23 episodes) |
| 2002 | Our America | Graham Ellis | TV movie |
| Touched by an Angel | Tevis Lockwood | Episode: "Ship-in-a-Bottle" | |
| 2002–2003 | Boomtown | Detective Bobby "Fearless" Smith | Main cast (24 episodes) |
| 2004 | The Secret Service | Mike Bradford | TV movie |
| Monk | Captain Walter Cage | Episode: "Mr. Monk Takes Manhattan" | |
| 2005 | Third Watch | Detective Dante Rice | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Justice | Joshua Mortin | Episode: "Prior Convictions" |
| 2006–2007 | Kidnapped | Virgil Hayes | Main cast (13 episodes) |
| 2007 | Raines | Detective Bobby "Fearless" Smith | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2007–2009 | CSI: NY | Chief Brigham Sinclair | 7 episodes |
| 2008 | One Hogan Place | Lt. Dardin | TV short |
| 2009 | Psych | Coach Sammy Winslow | Episode: "Any Given Friday Night at 10PM, 9PM Central" |
| 2010 | 24 | Brian Hastings | Main cast (17 episodes) |
| The Good Wife | Mathew Wade[10] | Episode: "On Tap" | |
| 2011 | Have a Little Faith | Donnie | TV movie |
| Rizzoli & Isles | U.S. Marshal Whitmore | Episode: "Don't Stop Dancing, Girl" | |
| 2012 | Single Ladies | Pierce | Episode: "All or Nothing" |
| 2012–2015 | Justified | Ellstin Limehouse | 18 episodes |
| 2013 | Twist of Faith | Uncle Moe | TV movie |
| Touch | Detective Lang | 4 episodes | |
| Lauren | Prince | Episode: "Episode #2.12" | |
| 2014 | Scorpion | General Ned Walker | Episode: "Plutonium Is Forever" |
| Nashville | Terry George | 4 episodes | |
| Wild Blue | Master Chief Donald Bowman | TV movie | |
| Clementine | Ray | TV movie | |
| 2015–2016 | Hawaii Five-0 | Clay Maxwell | Episode: "Ike Hanau" & "Umia Ka Hanu" |
| 2016 | Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders | Brigadier General Yazee Zwane | Episode: "Iqiniso" |
| Underground | Moses | 6 episodes | |
| 2016–2017 | Designated Survivor | Admiral Chernow | 3 episodes |
| 2017 | Rebel | Rene Knight | Main cast (5 episodes) |
| 2017–2018 | Chicago P.D. | Lieutenant Denny Woods | 14 episodes |
| 2018 | Insecure | Preacher | Episode: "Obsessed-Like" |
| 2018–2019 | Lethal Weapon | Tom Barnes | 4 episodes |
| 2020 | Two Degrees | T | Episode: "Cigar Cave" |
| 2021–2022 | Law & Order: Organized Crime | Preston Webb | 9 episodes[11] |
| 2022 | The Holiday Stocking | Robert | TV movie |
| 2024 | Fallout | Honcho | Episode: "The End" |
| 2025 | Government Cheese | Gus | Episode: "The Gospel of Kenny Sharp" |
