Brandon Hammond

Last updated
Brandon Hammond
Born
Brandon La Ron Hammond

(1984-02-06) February 6, 1984 (age 39)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
OccupationActor
Years active1991–2002

Brandon La Ron Hammond (born February 6, 1984) is an American former child actor who appeared in several movie and television roles mainly during the 1990s. He appeared in the feature films Waiting to Exhale (1995), Mars Attacks! (1996) and Soul Food (1997). He won an NAACP Image Award for his work in the latter.

Contents

On television, Hammond recurred on Western series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1996−98) and sitcom The Gregory Hines Show (1997−98). He earned a Young Artist Award nomination after performing in Gregory Hines. He also played the ten year old Michael Jordan in the 1996 family film Space Jam .

Hammond's latest performance was in the television film Our America (2002). In adulthood, Hammond is a filmmaker who writes and directs short films.

Early life

Hammond was born as Brandon La Ron Hammond [1] on February 6, 1984 [2] in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, [3] the son of Alfreda Williams, [4] who managed her son's acting career. [5]

Career

He made his acting debut at the age of 6, appearing in commercials for Chevrolet and public service announcements. [3] [4] Hammond's first film role was in Menace II Society (1993) where he played the younger version of the main character Caine. [6] He followed this up with roles in Strange Days [7] and Waiting to Exhale , both released in 1995. Hammond appeared in the horror anthology Tales from the Hood (1995) as Walter, [8] a young boy who is scared of his abusive stepfather. [9] Hammond performed as Marcus Jr. in 1996 television film The Road to Galveston. [10]

In 1996, Hammond appeared in three feature films. Hammond portrayed Sean Rayburn in The Fan , [11] the son of Wesley Snipes' character who is kidnapped by Gil (Robert DeNiro). [12] He played Neville Williams in Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! [13] and was a young Michael Jordan in Space Jam . [14]

Hammond portrayed the character of Ahmad in Soul Food (1997). [15] His performance in this film was well received, with critics describing Hammond as the film's standout actor, [16] a natural [17] and having talent that "far surpasses his age." [18] He was awarded the NAACP Image Award in 1998 for Outstanding Youth Actor as Ahmad. [19]

He had a recurring role on the television series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman during its final two seasons, playing the character of Anthony, an adopted son of Grace and Robert E. [20] Hammond continued playing the role until Anthony was killed off. [21] Hammond was Hines' son, Matty Stevenson, in short-lived sitcom The Gregory Hines Show (1997−98). [22] A reviewer for The New York Times opined Hines and Hammond had good chemistry. [23] In 1998, Hammond received two nominations for an Young Artist Award and YoungStar Award in recognition of his acting on Gregory Hines.

Hammond guest starred on various series during the 1990s and early 2000s, including Coach , Hangin' with Mr. Cooper , Dave's World , Early Edition [24] and The West Wing . He appeared in crime drama Blue Hill Avenue (2001). [25] Hammond's last role to date was Lloyd Newman in the 2002 Showtime film Our America . [26] He received his third Young Artist Award nomination for acting in Our America.

Following the end of his acting career, Hammond attended Saddleback College, where he submitted a student film titled Summer Blame (2006). His film was nominated at the Newport Beach Film Festival. [27] Hammond wrote the short film Amaru, which received the award for best screenwriting at the John Singleton Short Film Competition in 2020. [28] [29]

Filmography

Film

Television

Home video

Awards and nominations

Awards
YearResultAwardCategoryNominated Work
1998Won NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Youth Actor [19] Soul Food
1998Nominated Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a Feature Film: Leading Young Actor [30]
1998NominatedBest Performance in a TV Comedy Series: Supporting Young Actor [30] The Gregory Hines Show
1998Nominated YoungStar Awards Best Young Actor in a Comedy TV Series [31]
1998NominatedBest Young Actor in a Drama Film [31] Soul Food
2003NominatedYoung Artist AwardsBest Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries or Special - Supporting Young Actor Our America [32]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregory Hines</span> American dancer, actor, and singer (1946–2003)

Gregory Oliver Hines was an American dancer, actor, choreographer, and singer. He is one of the most celebrated tap dancers of all time. As an actor, he is best known for Wolfen (1981), The Cotton Club (1984), White Nights (1985), Running Scared (1986), The Gregory Hines Show (1997–1998), playing Ben on Will & Grace (1999–2000), and for voicing Big Bill on the Nick Jr. Channel animated children's television program Little Bill (1999–2004).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savion Glover</span> American dancer, actor, and choreographer

Savion Glover is an American tap dancer, actor, and choreographer.

<i>Waiting to Exhale</i> 1995 film by Forest Whitaker

Waiting to Exhale is a 1995 American romance film directed by Forest Whitaker and starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett. The film was adapted from the 1992 novel of the same name by Terry McMillan. Lela Rochon, Loretta Devine, Dennis Haysbert, Michael Beach, Gregory Hines, Donald Faison, and Mykelti Williamson rounded out the rest of the cast. The original music score was composed by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. The story centers on four women living in the Phoenix metropolitan area and their relationships with men and one another. All of them are "holding their breath" until the day they can feel comfortable in a committed relationship with themselves.

<i>Soul Food</i> (film) 1997 American comedy-drama film by George Tillman Jr

Soul Food is a 1997 American comedy-drama film written and directed by George Tillman Jr. in his major studio debut. Featuring an ensemble cast, the film stars Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long, Michael Beach, Mekhi Phifer, Jeffrey D. Sams, Irma P. Hall, Gina Ravera and Brandon Hammond. The story centers on the trials of an extended Black-American family, held together by longstanding family traditions which begin to fade as serious problems take center stage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loretta Devine</span> American actress

Loretta Devine is an American actress and singer. She is known for numerous roles across stage and screen. Her most high profile roles include Lorrell Robinson in the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls, the long-suffering Gloria Matthews in the film Waiting to Exhale, and her recurring role as Adele Webber on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicole Ari Parker</span> American actress

Nicole Ari Parker Kodjoe is an American actress and model. She made her screen debut with a leading role in the critically acclaimed independent film The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995) and went on to appear in Boogie Nights (1997), directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exhale (Shoop Shoop)</span> 1995 single by Whitney Houston

"Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" is a song by American recording artist and actress Whitney Houston, featured on the soundtrack for the film Waiting to Exhale. It was released as the lead single from the soundtrack on November 6, 1995, by Arista Records. The song was written and produced by Babyface. A mid-tempo R&B and soul ballad, composed in the key of D-flat major, the song's lyrics speak about growing up and learning to let go. The song garnered mostly positive reviews from critics, many of whom noted Houston's vocal maturity in the song.

Sounds of Blackness is a vocal and instrumental ensemble from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota who perform music from several genres music including gospel, R&B, soul, and jazz. The group scored several hits on the Billboard R&B and Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts in the 1990s. Cynthia Johnson of Lipps Inc. and Ann Nesby are the group's most prominent alumni.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kimberly Elise</span> American actress (born 1967)

Kimberly Elise Trammel is an American actress. She made her feature-film debut in Set It Off (1996), and later received critical acclaim for her performance in Beloved (1998).

Camille Simoine Winbush is an American actress and singer, best known for her roles as Emma Aimes on short-lived sitcom Minor Adjustments, Vanessa Thomkins on The Bernie Mac Show and as Lauren Treacy on the popular teen drama The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Her work in television has earned her three Image Awards and a Young Artist Award.

<i>Waiting to Exhale</i> (soundtrack) 1995 soundtrack album by Various artists

Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album is a soundtrack for the film of the same name, released on November 14, 1995, by Arista Records. Written and produced by Babyface, the soundtrack features appearances by several prominent R&B artists, including Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, TLC, Brandy, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Faith Evans, Patti LaBelle, SWV and Mary J. Blige. The album remained at number one on the US Billboard 200 album chart for five weeks and Top R&B Albums chart for ten weeks, going 7× platinum, on September 4, 1996. It spawned two number-one hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart; "Exhale " and "Let It Flow", and three top-ten hits, "Sittin' Up in My Room", "Not Gon' Cry" and "Count on Me". "Exhale ", "Let It Flow" and "Not Gon' Cry" also topped the R&B hits chart. All songs were written and produced by Babyface, except for "My Funny Valentine". The album also includes songs by lesser-known artists like Shanna and Sonja Marie.

George Owen Gore II is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for portraying Gregory "G" Williams on the FOX series New York Undercover from 1994 to 1998 and Michael Kyle, Jr. on the ABC sitcom My Wife and Kids from 2001 to 2005. He was also one of the main characters in the cast of the comedy Second Generation Wayans. Throughout his career, Gore has received four NAACP Image Award nominations.

Jeremy Suarez is an American actor, best known for his role as Jordan Thomkins on The Bernie Mac Show (2001–2006), and as the voice of Koda in Brother Bear (2003) and Brother Bear 2 (2006).

Irma Dolores Player Hall is an American actress who has appeared in films and television shows since the early 1970s. Hall often played matriarchal figures in films including A Family Thing, The Ladykillers and Soul Food, in which she portrayed Josephine "Big Mama Joe" Joseph, a role she reprised in the television series of the same name. Hall earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for portraying the character in the film version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malinda Williams</span> American actress and producer

Malinda Williams is an American actress and producer. She began her career on television, before appearing in films A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996), High School High (1996), and The Wood (1999).

Tyra Ferrell is an American actress. She is known for her roles in films Boyz n the Hood (1991), Jungle Fever (1991), White Men Can't Jump (1992), and Poetic Justice (1993).

Aaron Joseph Meeks is an American former actor. He is best known for his role as Ahmad Chadway on the Showtime family drama series Soul Food (2000−04). During his career, Meeks was awarded two NAACP Image Awards and received three Young Artist Award nominations.

The 19th Youth in Film Awards ceremony, presented by the Youth in Film Association, honored outstanding youth performers under the age of 21 in the fields of film, television and theatre for the 1996-1997 season, and took place on March 14, 1998, in Hollywood, California.

References

  1. ↑ "Hammond, Brandon 1984–". Encyclopedia.com . Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Today's Birthdays". Warsaw Times-Union . February 6, 2006. p. 7A.
  3. 1 2 Marks, Peter (September 21, 1997). "COVER STORY; Father, Sure. But Dancer? In His Dreams". The New York Times . Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Perkins, Ken Parish (January 14, 1998). "Child Actor's Mom Worries About Hollywood's Toll". Lakeland Ledger . p. D4.
  5. ↑ Loggia, Cynthia (April 19, 2000). "Players". Variety . Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  6. ↑ Magill, Frank N. (October 1994). Magill's Cinema Annual 1994. Cengage. p. 229. ISBN   9780893564131.
  7. ↑ Willis, John; Monush, Barry (January 1, 1997). Screen World 1996. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 111. ISBN   9781557832528.
  8. ↑ Koven, Mikel J.; Sherman, Sharon R. (September 30, 2007). Folklore/Cinema: Popular Film as Vernacular Culture. Utah State University Press. p. 168. ISBN   9780874216738.
  9. ↑ Gaul, Lou (May 28, 1995). "'Tales From Hood' more preachy than scary". Beaver County Times . p. C11.
  10. ↑ Marill, Alvin H. (2005). Movies Made for Television, 1964-2004: 1990-1999. Scarecrow Press. p. 433.
  11. ↑ Erickson, Hal (March 23, 2016). The Baseball Filmography, 1915 Through 2001 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Company. p. 168. ISBN   9781476607856.
  12. ↑ Horwitz, Jane (August 23, 1996). "'House' not an arresting effort". The Daily News . p. 2-B.
  13. ↑ DuVal, Gary (July 29, 2002). The Nevada Filmography: Nearly 600 Works Made in the State, 1897 Through 2000. McFarland & Company. p. 117. ISBN   9780786412716.
  14. ↑ Marsh, Calum (July 20, 2021). "'Space Jam,' My Dad and Me". The New York Times . Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Hottest Child Stars on TV and in the Movies". Jet . Vol. 93, no. 4. Johnson Publishing Company. 15 December 1997. pp. 60–64. ISSN   0021-5996 . Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  16. ↑ Philpot, Robert (September 25, 1997). "'Soul Food' leaves big soapy aftertaste". The Daily News . p. 4-B.
  17. ↑ Pendleton, Tonya (September 26, 1997). "This film is food for the soul". Boca Raton News . p. 18C.
  18. ↑ Lane, Katherine (September 29, 1997). "Soul Food cooks up a universal tale of family". The Heights . p. 27.
  19. 1 2 "'Soul Food' awarded 5 NAACP Image Awards". The Telegraph-Herald . February 17, 1998. p. 9B.
  20. ↑ "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman". Lakeland Ledger . November 1, 1997. p. D6.
  21. ↑ Leonard, David J.; Troutman Robbins, Stephanie (January 26, 2021). Race in American Television: Voices and Visions that Shaped a Nation. ABC-CLIO. p. 187. ISBN   9781440843068.
  22. ↑ Huff, Richard (January 16, 1998). "Son is shining on 'The Gregory Hines Show'". Rome News-Tribune .
  23. ↑ Joyner, Will (September 15, 1997). "NEW TV SEASON IN REVIEW". The New York Times . Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  24. ↑ Lentz, Harris M. (2001). Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits: Television shows. McFarland & Company. p. 1815.
  25. ↑ Berry, S. Torriano; Berry, Venise T. (May 7, 2015). Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema (2nd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. p. 66. ISBN   9781442247024.
  26. ↑ Crook, John (July 27, 2002). "Sundance hit chronicles an inspirational NPR experiment". Ocala Star-Banner . p. 8D.
  27. ↑ Sollberger, Nicole (April 11, 2006). "Student film focuses on teens in trouble". The Lariat. p. 8.
  28. ↑ "John Singleton Short Film Competition Winners". Los Angeles Sentinel . March 5, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  29. ↑ Jones, Okla (September 27, 2022). "'Soul Food' Turns 25: See The Film's Cast Then And Now". Essence . Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  30. 1 2 "Nineteenth Annual Youth in Film Awards". Young Artist Awards . Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  31. 1 2 "Nominations for the 3rd Annual Hollywood Reporter YoungStar Awards". The Free Library . September 17, 1998. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Twenty-Fourth Annual Young Artist Awards". Young Artist Awards . Archived from the original on December 4, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.