Mo McRae

Last updated
Mo McRae
OccupationActor
Years active2001–present
Spouse
(m. 2019)
Children3

Mo McRae is an American director, producer and actor, best known for his recurring role as Tyler in the FX series Sons of Anarchy as well as Leon Hayes in the 2006 film Gridiron Gang . He starred in Fox's Pitch . In 2022, McRae directed his first film, A Lot of Nothing .

Contents

Raised in South Los Angeles, McRae turned to acting for solace. After enrolling in a drama class at Washington Preparatory High School, McRae opted to forgo his spot on the basketball team when he landed the lead in the school play.

Career

After high school, McRae pursued his new-found dream as an artist in the entertainment industry. After being signed by an agent, he quickly began to book national television spots for major corporations such as Visa, Nike and Reebok, among many others. These spots opened the doors to some early primetime guest appearances on shows such as NYPD Blue , Becker and Boston Public . Other television work soon followed with appearances on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation , ER and The Shield .

In 2006, McRae was introduced to a much wider audience. He played one of the lead roles in the hit film Gridiron Gang opposite Dwayne Johnson, inhabiting the role of the troubled quarterback "Leon Hayes". The Neal H. Moritz–produced film grossed more than $40 million worldwide.

As McRae became more successful as an actor, he began to build an interest behind the camera. He produced and starred in The Fall which competed at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008. Additionally, he wrote a screenplay No Return with acclaimed movie and television writer Harry Winer. The film is currently set-up at Smash Media. He had a recurring major guest role in the FX drama Sons of Anarchy . In Season 2 of HBO's Big Little Lies he played second grade teacher Michael Perkins.

In 2010, McRae appeared in Carmen Madden's film Everyday Black Man . [1] Also that year, McRae recurred on the ABC drama Detroit 1-8-7 as Pooch [2] and also filmed a lead role in the indie film The Deadliest Lesson opposite Penelope Ann Miller and Yancey Arias.

McRae is the supervising producer of the 2022 CBS police procedural television series East New York .

In total, McRae has appeared in over 30 film and television projects over the past decade. He currently resides in Los Angeles.

Personal life

Mo McRae married Lex Scott Davis on July 21, 2019, after less than a year of being engaged. They had an "unplugged" wedding to ensure that all of their guests were "present in the moment" as they shared personalized vows. The couple met on the set of The First Purge . They have two children, born in 2020 [3] and 2022. [4]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2001 The Blue Diner Vango
2003 Thirteen Rapper #2
Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood Shirtless HomeyVideo
2004 Woman Thou Art Loosed Scootie
2005 Dirty Tiptoes
2006 Gridiron Gang Leon Hayes
2008 The Onion Movie Second Bank Gunman
The Deadliest LessonJason GretchTV movie
The FallDavidShort
2009 Dough Boys Black
Just Another DayRobo
Operating InstructionsJames "J-40" MannersTV movie
2010 Detention Jason Gretch
Everyday Black Man Yousef
2011CarJackCharlieShort
The Truth About AngelsChristopher Atwell
2012Prodigy BullyDonnieTV movie
Acting Like AdultsMike
2013Kings and BeggarsSimonShort
The Butler Eldridge Huggins
2014 Wild Jimmy Carter
2015November RuleSteve
2016 All the Way Stokely Carmichael TV movie
DestinedTay/Dontay
Hustle vs. HeartachePharoah
2017 Aftermath Saab
2018 Den of Thieves Gus Henderson
The First Purge 7 & 7
2019 Adopt a Highway Wilson
Gully Otis
American Skin -
2020 The 24th Walker
2022Rock a Bye BabyRoshaunShort
MVPWill Phillips
2024 Red Right Hand Deputy Duke Parks

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002 NYPD Blue LarryEpisode: "Meat Me in the Park"
Boston Public Kenny HamiltonEpisode: "Chapter Fifty"
2003 Becker GuyEpisode: "Once Upon a Time"
The District FlickEpisode: "Back in the Saddle"
Fastlane P-NutEpisode: "Overkill"
I'm with Her Neighbor #1Episode: "The Weekend Away"
Cold Case Burke KelvinEpisode: "Look Again"
2004 The Guardian KevinEpisode: "Blood In, Blood Out"
The Shield DerwinEpisode: "Fire in the Hole"
The Division CaponeEpisode: "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here"
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Leo PlummerEpisode: "No Humans Involved"
2005 ER Kevin HightowerEpisode: "Alone in a Crowd"
Cold Case Theodore "Cartier" ClausenEpisode: "Saving Patrick Bubley"
2008 Chocolate News MoEpisode: "Episode #1.2"
2010 Southland SisqoEpisode: "The Runner"
Detroit 1-8-7 PoochRecurring Cast
The Defenders RapperEpisode: "Nevada v. Killa Diz"
2012 CSI: NY Willis FrazierEpisode: "Unwrapped"
2012-14 Sons of Anarchy Tyler YostGuest: Season 5-6, Recurring Cast: Season 7
2013-14 Ray Donovan Deonte FrasierRecurring Cast: Season 1-2
2014 Survivor's Remorse Marcus PierceEpisode: "In the Offing"
2015 Battle Creek DarnellEpisode: "Man's Best Friend"
Murder in the First Anthony "Suger" CascadeRecurring Cast: Season 2
2015-18 Empire J PoppaRecurring Cast: Season 2 & 4, Guest: Season 3
2016 Pitch Blip SandersMain Cast
2018 This Is Us Don RobinsonEpisode: "Nine Bucks" & "Vietnam"
2019 Tales DavisEpisode: "My Mind Playing Tricks On Me"
Big Little Lies Michael PerkinsRecurring Cast: Season 2
2019-20 Almost Family Tim MooreMain Cast
2020 All Rise Kurt BetoEpisode: "Dancing at Los Angeles"
2021 Rebel AmirRecurring Cast
2022 The Flight Attendant Benjamin BerryMain Cast: Season 2

References

  1. Rotten Tomatoes - Everyday Black Man (2010), Cast
  2. Oosting, Jonathan (10 December 2010). "Detroit 1-8-7 Star Mo McRae Apologizes for Soda Slip-up". Booth Newspapers . Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  3. "Lex Scott Davis on Instagram: "Guys, my son is ONE today!"". Instagram. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  4. "Lex Scott Davis on Instagram: "She's here.🤍"". Instagram. Retrieved 2023-09-28.