Melvin Gregg

Last updated
Melvin Gregg
Born
Occupation
  • Actor
Years active2011–present
PartnerBobbie Leigh Nelson
Children2

Melvin Gregg is an American actor known for his roles as DeMarcus Tillman in Netflix's mockumentary series American Vandal , Erick Scott in Steven Soderbergh's sports drama film High Flying Bird , Drew 'Manboy' Miller on FX's crime drama Snowfall , and Ben Chandler in the Hulu miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers .

Contents

Life and career

Gregg was born in Portsmouth, Virginia to parents Constance Gregg and Melvin Vaughan. He has six sisters. [1] After graduating from I.C. Norcom High School, he studied marketing at Old Dominion University for 2 years before changing his career path and moved to Los Angeles in 2011 to pursue acting. [2] [3]

Gregg came to prominence by creating and sharing comedic content in which he starred, wrote, and produced on Vine. He amassed more than 7 million followers in the course of 3 years, becoming one of the top 100 personalities on the platform. [4] [5]

His first credited role was in the web series Whatever, The Series. In 2011 where he earned union eligibility. [4] Following Vine's decline in 2015, Gregg transitioned into film and TV roles. In 2018, he earned roles in the Netflix mockumentary series American Vandal and in the film High Flying Bird . [6] [7] [8] Gregg's performance as DeMarcus Tillman garnered him praise from outlets such as Film School Rejects and a comparison from Live Mint to actor Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air . [9] [10] [11] [12] Entertainment Weekly and Vulture have described the role as a breakout one for Gregg. [13] [14]

Gregg joined the cast in the third (2019) season of the FX television series Snowfall in the main role of Drew 'Manboy' Miller, and portrayed the character of Marcus Parrish in the sports drama The Way Back in 2020. [15] [16] He also filmed a video examining BET's support of Black culture during the early 2000s alongside Sam Jay. [17] [18] During 2020 Gregg also announced that he would be creating a movie for the newly launched interactive fiction app Whatifi, entitled This Call Will Be Recorded. Viewers would be able to select choices that would enable them to view one of sixteen different endings. [19] In 2021, he played Joe Guy in The United States vs. Billie Holiday , [20] [21] and had a series regular role in the Hulu limited series Nine Perfect Strangers .

Personal life

Gregg and partner Bobbie Leigh Nelson have one son, Marley Amel Gregg, born on May 15, 2020. [22]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2012The Fallen ProdigyThug 1
Pushing EternityNateShort
2013 Coldwater Inmate
Cleaver Family ReunionWilliam Cleaver
CanCrazy Lou
Loss of LifeDerrick
Benny PicassoBennyShort
2014The SystemHoodie Teen
Alpha HouseKyleVideo
The Land of MisfitsPatty CakeShort
Asteroid vs EarthSonar Lead Petty OfficerTV movie
SuperZeroLeon DeleonShort
2015 Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! ChadTV movie
West of the 405TyTV movie
A House Is Not a Home Alex Williams
Eddie and the AviatorTeen #3Short
ClassJolleyTV movie
2016 The Land Brent
FamousTraeShort
Hogwarts High SchoolRonShort
2017ImmortalsPeckShort
The FixYoung Thug #2
2019 High Flying Bird Erick Scott [23] [24]
Same DifferenceSebastian
2020 The Way Back Marcus Parrish
2021 The United States vs. Billie Holiday Joe Guy
Boxing Day Ian Gorgeous
2022 The Blackening King
2023 House Party Larry
Story Ave Skemes
Share? 00000014

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2011–2012Whatever, the SeriesDerekRecurring cast
2012 The Beauty Inside Alex #30TV mini series
2013 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Basketball PlayerEpisode: "Game Night 1"
2014–2018King Bachelor's PadAstronautRecurring cast
2015SexlessJamalRecurring cast: season 1
ClassJolleyMain cast
1 Minute HorrorReshawnEpisode: "The VISITors"
2015–2016Sadie and EmmieCoach/AlexEpisode: "Slapshot/Haunting in a Store" & "Strangers"
2016–2017 Freakish LaShawn DevereuxMain cast [25] [26]
2017Caught the SeriesLatin Gang MemberRecurring cast
2018Love DailyColby BiskinEpisode: "Still Life"
UnREAL Zach TaylorRecurring cast: season 1
American Vandal DeMarcus TillmanRecurring cast: season 2 [27] [28] [29]
2019–2021 Snowfall Drew 'Manboy' MillerRecurring cast: seasons 3–4
2020 #BlackAF Cousin HaroldEpisode: "yo, between you and me... this is because of slavery" [30]
2020 Dave RaheemEpisode: "Jail"
2021 Nine Perfect Strangers Ben ChandlerMain cast
2022ZayaDetective TuckerEpisode: "Trust No One"
2024 Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist AndreMiniseries
TBA The Paper TBAUpcoming TV series

Awards

YearAward ShowCategoryResultRef.
2018 Streamy Awards Performance, Acting in a Comedy: God's SonNominated [31]

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