Orlando Jones

Last updated
Orlando Jones
Orlando Jones Outkast Red Carpet (22702203498) (cropped).jpg
Jones in 2015
Born (1968-04-10) April 10, 1968 (age 56)
Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Medium Character actor, sketch comedy
Years active1987–present
Genres Film, television, stand-up
Spouse
Jacqueline Staph
​
(m. 2009)​
Children1
Website http://www.orlandojones.com

Orlando Jones (born April 10, 1968) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He is known for being one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv , for his role as the 7 Up spokesman from 1999 to 2002, and for his role as the African god Anansi on Starz's American Gods. [1]

Contents

Early life

Jones was born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1968.[ citation needed ] His father was a professional baseball player in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. [2] He moved to Mauldin, South Carolina, when he was a teen and graduated from Mauldin High School in 1985. One of his early acting experiences involved playing a werewolf in a haunted house to help raise money for the junior/senior prom. Jones enrolled in the College of Charleston, South Carolina. He left in 1990 without finishing his degree.

To pursue his interest in the entertainment industry, Jones, together with comedian Michael Fechter, formed a production company, Homeboy's Productions and Advertising. Together Jones and Fechter worked on several projects including a McDonald's commercial with basketball superstar Michael Jordan for the McDonald's specialty sandwich the "McJordan".

He scored his first Hollywood job in 1987, writing for the NBC comedy A Different World , on which he had a small guest role in the season five finale. During 1991–92, Jones penned the Fox series Roc and, in 1993, he co-produced The Sinbad Show . He also made a brief appearance on the FOX sitcom Herman's Head in 1992.

Career

MADtv

After hosting Fox's music series Sound FX, in 1994, Jones became one of the original nine cast members of MADtv. Unlike some of his fellow original repertory performers on MADtv, Jones came to the show with limited sketch comedy experience.

Throughout the first two seasons of MADtv, Jones performed as characters like the Cabana Chat band leader Dexter St. Croix and Reverend LaMont Nixon Fatback, the vocal follower of Christopher Walken. He was also noted for his impressions of Thomas Mikal Ford, Temuera Morrison, Warwick Davis, Danny DeVito, Michael Jai White, Eddie Griffin, and Ice Cube.

After two seasons on MADtv, Jones left the show to pursue a movie career. However, Jones returned to MADtv in 2004 to celebrate its 200th episode.

Other television projects

Aside from MADtv, Jones made many other television appearances. Perhaps his most popular and enduring television appearance was in a series of humorous commercials as the spokesperson for 7 Up where he gained wide recognition. Notably, one commercial had him wear a t-shirt that had 7 Up's then-slogan Make 7 Up Yours divided between the front and back with the double entendre on the back that featured the Up Yours part; 7 Up would sell the shirt through specialty retailer Spencer Gifts for many years. [3]

This exposure led to a plethora of opportunities for Jones. First, he hosted an HBO First Look special in 2000 and then, in 2003, was given his own late night talk show on FX called The Orlando Jones Show . Although his talk show was short lived, Jones continued to make additional television appearances. In 2003, he appeared on The Bernie Mac Show and on Girlfriends . In 2006, Jones decided to return to television as one of the lead characters of ABC's crime drama The Evidence , as Cayman Bishop. He has also appeared in two episodes of Everybody Hates Chris , the first in 2007 as Chris's substitute teacher and the second in 2008 as Clint Huckstable, an allusion to the character Cliff Huxtable played by Bill Cosby on The Cosby Show .

In 2008, he appeared as Harold Wilcox, a violent veteran with PTSD, on New Amsterdam . In the first season of the show, Jones also starred on Wild 'N Out . Jones was the first guest star on the show. Jones was the co-host of ABC's Crash Course (which was canceled after 4 episodes). On November 16, 2009, it was announced in TV Guide that Jones had been cast as Marcus Foreman, Eric Foreman's brother on House , [4] appearing in the season six episode "Moving the Chains". In 2013, he was hired as a principal actor in the FOX television series Sleepy Hollow . The freshman drama opened to FOX's highest fall drama premiere numbers since the premiere of 24 in 2001.

From 2016 through 2019, Jones portrayed Mr. Nancy, aka the African god Anansi, in the Starz series American Gods . [5]

Film projects

After leaving MADtv, Jones expanded his cinema resume. He appeared in a bit part in his first big screen film, In Harm's Way (1991), then joined Larry David in the feature Sour Grapes (1998), playing the character of an itinerant man. Subsequently, he appeared in Woo (1998), Mike Judge's Office Space (1999), alongside fellow MADtv alumnus David Herman, and in Barry Levinson's praised drama, Liberty Heights (1999). Since then, Jones has appeared in Magnolia (1999), New Jersey Turnpikes (1999) and in Harold Ramis' Bedazzled (2000).

During the 2000s, Jones' career began to branch out. In addition to his appearances in the 7 Up campaigns, Jones played the role of Clifford Franklin in The Replacements (2000) and the horror film From Dusk till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter (2003). In 2002, Jones landed the lead role of Daryl Chase in the action-dramedy Double Take (2001), alongside Eddie Griffin, and worked with David Duchovny, Seann William Scott and Julianne Moore in Ivan Reitman's sci-fi comedy, Evolution (2001). Jones was also in the 2009 film Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant and he appeared as the computer Vox 114 in The Time Machine (2002). His other more recent films includes Drumline (2002), Biker Boyz (2003), Runaway Jury (2003) and Primeval (2007). Jones appeared in an uncredited cameo and played in Grindhouse Planet Terror (2007).

In 2011 Jones appeared in the documentary film Looking for Lenny, in which he talks about Lenny Bruce and freedom of speech. [6] In 2012, Jones starred in Joe Penna's original interactive thriller series Meridian created in conjunction with Fourth Wall Studios. [7]

Voice acting

Jones has been featured in many voice acting projects over the years. In 1993, he appeared in Yuletide in the 'hood and in 1998, he made a guest appearance in the animated comedy TV series, King of the Hill . He then lent his voice to two more animated TV series, Father of the Pride and Yin Yang Yo! , as well as the video games Halo 2 (where he voiced Marine Sergeant Banks and other black marines) and L.A. Rush . In 2006, he co-created, produced and voice acted for the MTV2 animated series The Adventures of Chico and Guapo .

In early April 2013, it was largely thought that Jones would be taking Tyler Perry's place as Madea. This stemmed from Jones's own report that he would be taking over the role, and a photography of himself impersonating Madea. This led to public outcry from fans. Perry later revealed, however, that this was an elaborate prank played by Jones, stating, "That was an April Fools' joke that HE did. Not true. And not funny. When I'm done with Madea, she is done." [8]

Personal life

Jones married former model Jacqueline Staph in 2009. [9] They have a daughter.

In October 2011, Jones provoked controversy when he joked on Twitter that someone should kill former Governor of Alaska and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. [10] [11] He apologized for the comment several days later. [12]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1993A Cool Like That ChristmasSelf (voice)TV movie
1997In Harm's WayAndreShort
1998 Sour Grapes Digby
Woo Sticky Fingas
1999 Office Space Steve
From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter Ezra TraylorVideo
Liberty Heights Little Melvin
Magnolia Worm
New Jersey Turnpikes-
2000 Waterproof Natty Battle
The Replacements Clifford Franklin
Chain of Fools Miss Cocoa
Bedazzled Various
2001 Double Take Daryl Chase
Say It Isn't So Dig McCaffrey
Evolution Professor Harry Block
UnbakeableElijah PriceVideo Short
2002 The Time Machine Vox 114
Drumline Dr. Lee
2003 Biker Boyz Soul Train
Runaway Jury Russell
2004House of DSuperfly
2006Looking for SundayEinstein Steinberg
2007 Primeval Steve Johnson
I Think I Love My Wife Nelson
2008MisconceptionsTerry Price-Owens
20098DazeaweakendDoctor Feel
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Detective Ben Nickerson
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant Alexander Ribs
2010Tax ManFisherTV movie
2011 Seconds Apart Detective Lampkin
The Chicago 8 Bobby Seale
IdentityAgent WareingTV movie
2012MeridianJeff MeyersShort
2013 Enemies Closer Clay
2015The Adventures of BeatleDr. Vanderark
2016 The Book of Love Cornelius "Dumbass" Thibadeaux
Planting Seeds of Mindfulness Animated MovieWill
202288Harold Roundtree
2023 Til Death Do Us Part Groomsman 4

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1992 Herman's Head CopEpisode: "Guns 'n Neurosis"
A Different World Troy DouglasEpisode: "Save the Best for Last: Part 1 & 2"
1994Sound FXHimselfTV series
1995–97 MADtv Himself/Cast MemberMain cast: Season 1-2
1997Faster Baby, KillThomas WilliamsEpisode: "Pilot"
1998 King of the Hill Kidd Mookie (voice)Episode: "Traffic Jam"
2001 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Himself/Hot Seat ContestantEpisode: "Comedy Edition, Show 1: Seth Green, Orlando Jones, Jimmy Kimmel"
2003 Girlfriends Dr. Darren LucasEpisode: "Sex, Lies, and Books"
The Bernie Mac Show Max TrotterEpisode: "For a Few Dollars More"
The Orlando Jones Show Himself/hostTV series
2004–05 Father of the Pride Snack (voice)Main cast
2005 Wild 'n Out HimselfEpisode: "Orlando Jones"
2006 The Evidence Inspector Cayman BishopMain cast
The Adventures of Chico and Guapo Concepción Rodriguez (voice)Main cast
2007 Everybody Hates Chris Mr. NewtonEpisode: "Everybody Hates the Substitute"
Men in Trees George WashingtonRecurring cast
Ghost Whisperer Casey EdgarsEpisode: "Unhappy Medium"
2008 New Amsterdam Harold WilcoxEpisode: "Soldier's Heart"
Everybody Hates Chris Dr. Clint HuckstableEpisode: "Everybody Hates Homecoming"
Pushing Daisies Magnus OlsdatterEpisode: "The Norwegians"
Yin Yang Yo! BadfootEpisode: "The Big Payback"
2009 Rules of Engagement BradRecurring cast: Season 3
2010 House Marcus ForemanEpisode: "Moving the Chains"
2011 Necessary Roughness Lazarus RollinsEpisode: "Losing Your Swing" & "Forget Me Not"
CSI: Miami Lawrence KingmanEpisode: "By the Book"
2012–15 Black Dynamite Additional VoicesRecurring cast
2013Tainted LoveBlack BarryMain cast
Save Me God #2Episode: "Holier Than Thou"
2013–15 Sleepy Hollow Captain Frank IrvingMain cast: Season 1-2
2015 The Haunting of... HimselfEpisode: "The Haunting of Orlando Jones"
2017 Madiba Oliver Tambo Main cast
Room 104 SamuelEpisode: "The Knockandoo"
2017–19 American Gods Mr. Nancy Recurring cast: Season 1, main cast: Season 2
2019 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Justin 'Snake Eye' AndersonEpisode: "Diss"
2020 LA's Finest Lieutenant Marshawn DavisRecurring cast: season 2
The Good Lord Bird The Rail ManRecurring cast
2021 Teenage Euthanasia Little Flor-Ida (voice)Episode: "The Bad Bang Theory"
2022 Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Elgin BaylorEpisode: "Invisible Man"
2022- 2023 Abbott Elementary Martin Eddie2 Episodes
2024 The Family Business: New Orleans TBASeries regular

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004 Halo 2 Marine Sergeant (voice)
2005 L.A. Rush Ty Malix (voice)

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References

  1. ↑ "Orlando Jones News & Biography - Empire". www.empireonline.com. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  2. ↑ Pearlman, Cindy (August 13, 2000). "Orlando Jones". Chicago Sun-Times .
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/QIICQemjmNc [ dead link ]
  4. ↑ Abrams, Natalie (November 16, 2009). "House: Orlando Jones to Play Foreman's Brother". TV Guide .
  5. ↑ Petski, Denise (15 June 2016). "'American Gods': Orlando Jones Cast In Starz Adaptation". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  6. ↑ Sullivan, James (March 10, 2012). "Lenny Bruce Legacy Reexamined". Rolling Stone . Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  7. ↑ Gutelle, Sam (November 14, 2012). "MysteryGuitarMan Joe Penna Brings Interactive Thriller To Rides.tv". Tubefilter . Retrieved January 4, 2013.
  8. ↑ Scott, Tracy (April 15, 2013). "Tyler Perry calls Orlando Jones' news 'not true and not funny'". S2SMagazine . Archived from the original on January 28, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Celebrity Wedding: Orlando Jones & Jacqueline Staph". InStyle . January 2009. Archived from the original on 2015-01-07. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
  10. ↑ Hughes, Sarah Anne (October 25, 2011). "Orlando Jones defends 'kill Sarah Palin' tweet joke as not 'a call to action,' 'artistic expression'". Washington Post .
  11. ↑ Rathe, Adam (October 25, 2011). "Orlando Jones under fire for tweets urging liberals to 'kill Sarah Palin'". New York Daily News .
  12. ↑ Gayathri, Amrutha (27 October 2011). "Actor Orlando Jones Asks Liberals to Kill Sarah Palin; Apologizes for 'Joke'". International Business Times . Retrieved 5 November 2013.
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