Wood Harris | |
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![]() Harris (white jersey) during a basketball game | |
Born | Sherwin David Harris October 17, 1969 |
Education | Northern Illinois University (BA) New York University (MFA) |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1993–present |
Spouse | Rebekah Harris (m. 2001) |
Children | 2 |
Relatives | Steve Harris (brother) |
Sherwin David "Wood" Harris (born October 17, 1969) is an American actor. He first garnered attention for his role as Motaw in the Jeff Pollack film Above the Rim (1994), prior to portraying high school football player Julius Campbell in the Walt Disney Pictures film Remember the Titans (2000) and Jimi Hendrix in the Showtime television film Hendrix (2000). He attained further recognition for his portrayal of drug kingpin Avon Barksdale on the HBO crime drama The Wire (2002–2008). Harris also played the role of cocaine dealer Ace, based on the life of Azie Faison, in the crime film Paid in Full in 2002.
On television, Harris is known for playing Avon Barksdale in The Wire and Brooke Payne on the BET miniseries The New Edition Story in 2017. In addition, Harris starred as Barry Fouray on the VH1 miniseries The Breaks (2016–2017), Damon Cross on the Fox series Empire for its fifth and sixth season, and currently portrays the drug lord "Pat" in the Starz series BMF .
He has also starred in films such as the 2009 dark comedy film Next Day Air , the 2015 Marvel Studios superhero film Ant-Man, the science fiction films Dredd (2012) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017), and the sports drama Creed (2015), along with its sequels Creed II (2018) and Creed III (2023).
Harris was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of seamstress Mattie and bus driver John Henry Harris.[ citation needed ] He was given the nickname "Wood" by friends in his neighborhood, because "Sherwin" was too difficult for some to pronounce. [1] He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts from Northern Illinois University (NIU) and a Master of Arts from New York University. [2] [3] [4] He is the younger brother of actor Steve Harris. [5]
While enrolled in NIU, Harris starred in his first major film role in the basketball drama Above the Rim , opposite Duane Martin and co-starring Tupac Shakur, [2] and appeared in many theatrical stage productions of various off-Broadway plays. Harris subsequently guest-starred in a variety of television and film venues before portraying legendary rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix in Showtime's 2000 film, Hendrix. [2]
Later that year, Harris received his first NAACP Image Award nomination for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture" along with the Blockbuster Movie Award nomination for "Favorite Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture" for his role as Julius "Big Ju" Campbell in Remember the Titans . [6] In 2002, he starred in the Dame Dash produced cult-classic film Paid in Full , based on the true story of three Harlem drug dealers with Harris playing the real-life kingpin Azie Faison. [7]
He starred as Avon Barksdale, loosely based on the real-life Nathan Barksdale, in the HBO's original series The Wire. [3] [4] [8] He also produced his own debut album, Beautiful Wonderful, which was intended for release in 2005.[ citation needed ]
In June 2008, director Martin Guigui revealed that Harris was cast as Nate "Sweetwater" Clifton in Sweetwater, a movie about the first black player in the NBA. [9] As of March 2018 [update] , it is still in pre-production.[ citation needed ]
In 2009, Harris starred in the film Just Another Day, as a successful fictional rapper named A-maze. [10] The film centers on a clash between a young up-and-coming rapper and an older one at the top of his game, the former played by Jamie Hector (whose character Marlo Stanfield had a similar role with respect to Harris's character in The Wire).
In 2012, Harris narrated the ESPN 30 for 30 film Benji . In the same year he also played Harold "Mitch" Mitchell in the Broadway revival of A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams; alongside Blair Underwood, Nicole Ari Parker, and Daphne Rubin-Vega. [2]
In 2015, he reunited with The Wire cast member Michael B. Jordan for his role as Tony "Little Duke" Evers in Creed , the latest instalment of the Rocky franchise, reprising the role in its sequels.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994 | Above the Rim | Motaw | |
1997 | As Good as It Gets | Cafe 24 Busboy | |
1998 | Celebrity | Al Swayze | |
The Siege | Officer Henderson | ||
2000 | Committed | Chicky | |
The Gold Cup | Clayton | ||
Are You Cinderella? | - | Short | |
Remember the Titans | Julius Campbell | ||
Train Ride | Will | ||
2002 | Paid in Full | Ace | |
2004 | Joy Road | Tony Smalls | |
2005 | Dirty | Brax | |
2006 | Southland Tales | Dion Element | |
The Heart Specialist | Dr. Sidney Zachary | ||
2007 | 4 Life | Dayvon | Video |
2008 | Jazz in the Diamond District | Gabriel Marx | |
2009 | Not Easily Broken | Darnell Gooden | |
Dough Boys | Julian France | ||
Next Day Air | Guch | ||
Just Another Day | A-Maze | ||
2012 | The Babymakers | Darrell | |
Dredd | Kay | ||
2015 | Ant-Man | Gale | |
Creed | Tony "Little Duke" Evers | ||
2017 | Once Upon a Time in Venice | Prince | |
9/11 | Michael | ||
Blade Runner 2049 | Nandez | ||
2018 | Creed II | Tony "Little Duke" Evers | |
Gangland: The Musical | Reeby | ||
2020 | Always and Forever | Danny | |
2021 | Ransun Games | Henchman #1 | |
Space Jam: A New Legacy | Coach C | ||
2023 | Creed III | Tony "Little Duke" Evers | |
Shooting Stars | Dru Joyce II | ||
2025 | The Battle of Baktan Cross | TBA | Filming |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | NYPD Blue | Hector | Episode: "Moby Greg" |
1997 | Oz | Officer Gordon Wood | Episode: "Plan B" |
Cosby | Tony | Episode: "The Rules" | |
1998 | New York Undercover | Shadow | Episode: "Going Native" |
1999 | Spenser: Small Vices | Ellis Alves | TV movie |
2000 | Hendrix | Jimi Hendrix | TV movie |
Rhapsody | Billy Dixon | TV movie | |
2002 | Def Poetry Jam | Himself | Episode: "Episode #2.7" |
2002–08 | The Wire | Avon Barksdale | Main cast (season 1–3), guest (season 4) |
2003 | The Twilight Zone | Marvin Gardens/Dwayne Grant | Episode: "Another Life" |
2007 | Numb3rs | Murphy 'Pony' Fuñez | Episode: "The Art of Reckoning" |
2008 | Black Poker Stars Invitational | Himself | Main guest |
House | Bowman | Episode: "Last Resort" | |
2009 | Played by Fame | - | Episode: "The Jealous Boyfriend" |
2010 | Southland | Trinney Day | Recurring cast (season 2) |
Hawaii Five-0 | Russell Ellison | Episode: "Nalowale" | |
2012 | 30 for 30 | Himself | Episode: "Benji" |
2013 | The Watsons Go to Birmingham | Daniel Watson | TV movie |
2014 | Justified | Jay | Recurring cast (season 5) |
2016 | The Breaks | Barry Fouray | TV movie |
2017 | The New Edition Story | Brooke Payne | Main cast |
The Breaks | Barry Fouray | Main cast | |
2017–21 | Bronzeville | Everett Copeland | Recurring cast (season 1), guest (season 2) |
2018–20 | Empire | Damon Cross | Recurring cast (season 5), main cast (season 6) |
2019 | Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television | Vince Vincetti | Recurring cast (season 2) |
2021 | Soul of a Nation | Himself | Episode: "Shut Up And..." |
BMF | Pat | Recurring cast | |
The Last O.G. | Percy | Recurring cast (season 4) | |
2022-2023 | Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty | Spencer Haywood | Recurring cast |
Year | Title |
---|---|
2012 | Benji |
The Wire is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by American author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. The Wire premiered on June 2, 2002, and ended on March 9, 2008, comprising sixty episodes over five seasons. The idea for the show started out as a police drama loosely based on the experiences of Simon's writing partner Ed Burns, a former homicide detective and public school teacher.
Frankie Russel Faison is an American actor known for his role as Deputy Commissioner, and, later, Commissioner, Ervin Burrell in the HBO series The Wire, as Barney Matthews in the Hannibal Lecter franchise, and as Sugar Bates in the Cinemax series Banshee.
"Game Day" is the ninth episode of the first season of the HBO original series The Wire (2002–2008). The episode was written by David H. Melnick and Shamit Choksey from a story by David Simon and Ed Burns and was directed by Milčo Mančevski. It originally aired on August 4, 2002.
"The Target" is the series premiere of the HBO original series The Wire. The episode was written by David Simon from a story by Simon and Ed Burns and was directed by Clark Johnson. It originally aired on June 2, 2002. The title refers to Detective Jimmy McNulty setting his sights on Stringer Bell and Avon Barksdale's drug-dealing organization as the target of an investigation.
Russell "Stringer" Bell is a fictional character in The Wire, played by Idris Elba. In the criminal world of early 2000s Baltimore, Bell serves as drug kingpin Avon Barksdale's second-in-command and assumes direct control of the Barksdale Organization during Avon's imprisonment. Bell is a terse and brooding leader, who shuns the flamboyance of the likes of Avon for ruthless pragmatism and legitimacy.
Omar Devone Little is a fictional character on the HBO crime drama series The Wire, portrayed by Michael K. Williams. He is a notorious Baltimore stick-up man, who frequently robs street-level drug dealers. He is legendary around the city for his characteristic duster, under which he hides his shotgun, large caliber handgun, and bulletproof vest, as well as for his facial scar and his whistling of "The Farmer in the Dell" when stalking targets. Omar's homosexual character is based on the heterosexual Baltimore area robber and hitman Donnie Andrews. Andrews served 18 years in prison after murdering a drug dealer. Andrews was married to Francine Boyd, who inspired the miniseries The Corner on HBO.
Marlo Stanfield is a fictional character on the HBO television drama The Wire, played by actor Jamie Hector. Stanfield is a young, ambitious, intelligent and ruthless gangster and head of the eponymous Stanfield Organization in the Baltimore drug trade. Marlo's organization starts out small-time, competing with the larger Barksdale Organization, but rises to the top of the Baltimore drug trade fairly quickly.
Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice is a fictional character in the HBO drama The Wire played by Hassan Johnson. Wee-Bey is a trusted soldier and third in charge of the Barksdale Organization.
Joseph Stewart, better known as "Proposition Joe" or "Prop Joe", is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Robert F. Chew. Joe is an Eastside drug lord who prefers a peaceful solution to business disputes when possible. He is responsible for creating the lucrative New Day Co-Op with Stringer Bell, supplying much of Baltimore with heroin brought into the city by "The Greeks". Displaying a cunning, business-oriented demeanor, Joe is often a match in stature for rival drug lords Avon Barksdale and Marlo Stanfield, and is able to manipulate most situations to his advantage.
Street-level characters comprise a large part of the cast on the fictional HBO drama series The Wire. Characters in this section range from homeless drug addicts up to drug king-pins in charge of entire criminal empires.
Slim Charles is a fictional character in the HBO drama The Wire, played by Anwan Glover. An enforcer for the Barksdale Organization and later the top lieutenant of kingpin Proposition Joe, he is portrayed as principled, loyal, and competent throughout his career.
Azie Faison Jr., sometimes known by the nickname AZ, is an American former drug dealer and businessman from Harlem, New York City. He attained notoriety during the War on Drugs era as an individual drug dealer during the 1980s. His five-year reign as a drug kingpin ended in 1989.
The first season of the television series The Wire commenced airing on Sunday, June 2, 2002, at 9:00 pm ET in the United States and concluded on September 8, 2002. The 13 episodes tell the story from the points of view of both the drug-dealing Barksdale organization and the investigating police detail.
The second season of the television series The Wire of 12 episodes first aired in the United States on HBO in 2003 from June 1 to August 24. It introduces the stevedores of the Port of Baltimore and an international organized crime operation led by a figure known only as "The Greek" and continues the story with the drug-dealing Barksdale crew and the Baltimore Police Department who featured in season one. While continuing the series' central themes of dysfunctional institutions and the societal effects of the drug trade, the second season also explores the decline of the American working class, and the hardship its members endure during the transition from an industrial to post-industrial society.
The third season of the television series The Wire of 12 episodes first aired in the United States on HBO in 2004, from September 19 to December 19. It introduces Baltimore's local politicians and the upstart drug dealing Stanfield organization while continuing to examine the Barksdale Organization and the Baltimore Police Department.
The fourth season of the television series The Wire commenced airing in the United States on September 10, 2006, concluded on December 10, 2006, and contained 13 episodes. It introduces Baltimore's school system and several middle school students while continuing to examine the remnants of the Barksdale Organization, the ascendant Stanfield Organization, the Baltimore Police Department and politicians.
Wallace is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Michael B. Jordan. Wallace is a 16-year-old drug dealer for the Barksdale Organization, who works in the low-rise projects crew known as "The Pit" with his friends and fellow dealers Bodie and Poot. When information he provides leads to the brutal death of Brandon Wright, the boyfriend of stick-up artist Omar Little, Wallace feels guilty and tries to leave the drug trade. He informs on the Barksdale Organization to the police, and as a result he is killed by Bodie and Poot under orders from drug kingpin Stringer Bell.
Nathan "Bodie" Barksdale was a Baltimore, Maryland, stick up kid dramatized in the HBO series The Wire, although the extent to which any of the show's characters or plot lines are based on his life is disputed. His life is the subject of the unreleased docudrama Baltimore Chronicles: Legends of the Unwired, which purports to be the true story behind The Wire. He was in the early stages of writing his autobiography at the time of his death.
Richard Thomas Porter, better known as Rich Porter, was an American drug kingpin and gangster who rose to prominence in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City during the crack era in the mid–1980s. The 2002 film Paid in Full was based on Rich and his partners Azie Faison and Alpo Martinez.
Alberto Geddis Martinez, better known as Alpo Martinez, Abraham G. Rodriquez, or more simply as Alpo or Po was an American drug dealer from Harlem, New York City of Puerto Rican descent. He rose to prominence in the mid–1980s. In addition to New York, Martinez expanded his drug trade to other cities, notably Washington, D.C.
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