Bokeem Woodbine

Early life and education

Woodbine was born on April 13, 1973, in Harlem, New York City. He attended the Dalton School on Manhattan's Upper East Side, before transferring to the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in the city.

Career

Woodbine made his TV acting debut in the CBS Schoolbreak Special titled "Love Off Limits." His appearance was noticed by casting director Jaki Brown-Karman, who later recommended him to Forest Whitaker for the latter's directorial effort, the HBO television movie Strapped (1993). Since then, he has worked with other major African-American filmmakers such as Spike Lee in Crooklyn (1994), Mario Van Peebles in Panther (1995) and the Hughes Brothers in the film, Dead Presidents (1995).

In 1996, Woodbine appeared in Tupac Shakur's music video for "I Ain't Mad at Cha" and formed a friendship with the rapper. They subsequently reunited in Vondie Curtis-Hall's directorial debut, Gridlock'd, which was released four months after Shakur's death. In 1999, Woodbine appeared in an episode of HBO's The Sopranos as New Jersey gangster rapper Massive Genius.

Woodbine was featured as a regular on the NBC midseason sitcom Battery Park and played Dr. Damon Bradley, who later turned out to be a serial rapist, in the short-lived CBS medical drama City of Angels, the latter of which earned him a nomination for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Additionally, he appeared in the Wu-Tang Clan's music videos for their songs "Protect Ya Neck II (The Jump Off)," "Gravel Pit," and "Careful (Click, Click)." Woodbine went to portray saxophonist David "Fathead" Newman in the Oscar-winning Ray Charles biopic Ray.

Over the next few years, Woodbine made minor appearances in both film and television. On the small screen, he could be seen in an episode of Fox's crime drama Bones and ABC's short-lived cop drama The Evidence, as well as two episodes of Spike TV's Blade: The Series, based on Marvel Comics' character and popular film series. The next year, Woodbine appeared with his Blade: The Series co-star Sticky Fingaz in his musical drama film A Day in the Life, starring Omar Epps and Mekhi Phifer, and two films by Jesse V. Johnson: the low-budget sci-fi/action movie The Last Sentinel (alongside Don "The Dragon" Wilson and Katee Sackhoff), and the action film The Butcher, opposite Eric Roberts. He also became a series regular, as Leon Cooley, an inmate on death row, in the TNT crime/drama series Saving Grace alongside Holly Hunter.

In 2009, Woodbine appeared in the blaxploitation film Black Dynamite and followed it up the next year with the M. Night Shyamalan-produced supernatural thriller Devil. He has also appeared as a police officer on the critically acclaimed series Southland (2011). He next appeared in the 2012 remake of Total Recall and then Riddick the next year.

In December 2015, Woodbine received a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his role as Mike Milligan in Fargo.

In 2017, Woodbine appeared in the Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios film Spider-Man: Homecoming, as Shocker, one of four villains, alongside Michael Keaton, Logan Marshall-Green and Michael Chernus. In 2018, Woodbine starred in the series Unsolved. He played Daryn Dupree, who was part of a police task force that investigated the murders of rappers Notorious BIG and Tupac Shakur. In 2021, Woodbine played Sheriff Domingo in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Video games

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. "Bokeem Woodbine Profile - Metacritic". [[Metacritic]].
2. Berkshire, Geoff. (June 9, 2016). "Scene Stealer Bokeem Woodbine on Life he was also in Jason's Lyric. Before and After 'Fargo'".
3. (September 14, 2011). "Tupac Month: Bokeem Woodbine Remembers Working With 'Pac".
4. (2003). "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present". Ballantine Books.
5. Michael, Brett. (February 25, 2016). "Bokeem Woodbine On Life After 'Fargo,' His Mysterious 'Sopranos' Character, And His Hazy Wu-Tang Memories".
6. Rowles, Dustin. (November 16, 2015). "8 Times You've Seen Fargo's Bokeem Woodbine And Didn't Know It".
7. (July 10, 2010). "Bokeem Woodbine Rides with the "DEVIL"".
8. Gallagher, Brian. (May 3, 2011). "Total Recall Wants Bokeem Woodbine".
9. Gallagher, Brian. (November 3, 2011). "Riddick Wants Katee Sackhoff and Bokeem Woodbine".
10. Gray, Tim. (December 14, 2015). "Critics' Choice Award Nominations: Complete List". [[Penske Media Corporation]].
11. [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/bokeem-woodbine-his-perfect-fargo-848551/ Bokeem Woodbine on His Perfect ‘Fargo’ Role: “It Was Like I’d Written It for Myself”]
12. Carpenter, Nicole. (June 23, 2016). "Spider-Man: Homecoming Casts Third Villain in Fargo's Bokeem Woodbine". [[j2 Global]].
13. [https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/ghostbusters-afterlife-cast/ Ghostbusters: Afterlife Cast]
14. Otterson, Joe. (2024-04-16). "David Oyelowo Apple Series 'Government Cheese' Rounds Out Cast With Four Additions (EXCLUSIVE)".
15. BustaRhymesVEVO. (2014-11-25). "Busta Rhymes - Light Your Ass On Fire (Official Video) ft. Pharrell".