Blair Underwood

Blair Underwood has distinguished himself as an award- winning actor who is currently showcasing his multitude of talents in film, television and theatre. He will next be seen on-stage in a revival of the award- winning musical, “Purlie.” The play is part of New York City Center’s famed Encores! series (March 31-April 3). Written by Ossie Davis, the show is a fusion of pop, rhythm and blues and Broadway music. Underwood also voices the lead character, Dr. Bindlebeep, in Bill Cosby's hit animated series for Nick at Nite -- "Fatherhood." In five episodes of the last season of HBO’s hit series "Sex & the City," Underwood played Robert Leeds, the NY Knicks team doctor who romanced his neighbor Miranda. His portrayal earned him two NAACP Image Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor. Underwood recently starred in and produced the independent drama "How Did It Feel?" The film is a character-driven drama based on the award-winning play of the same name. Underwood plays a working-class intellectual whose life is rocked when his wife's younger sister comes to live with them. He also stars in the upcoming independent films “G,” “Hit Man” and “Turn Around.” Additionally, Underwood is in pre-production on “My Soul To Keep," a supernatural thriller based on the novel by Tananarive Due (Fox Searchlight), that he will star in and produce. He also starred in amazon.com’s short film “Do Geese See God.” Underwood recently completed a brief workshop/tour of his one-main show "IM4: From the Mountaintop to Hip Hop." The play, created and conceived by Underwood and written by his brother, is the story of a rap mogul who gets gunned down. During his heavenly journey, the mogul meets the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Underwood plays eight characters in all. He co-starred in the Warner Bros. comedy "Malibu's Most Wanted" and was the male lead opposite Julia Roberts in Steven Soderbergh's "Full Frontal." Underwood starred as a Marine captain in William Friedkin's "Rules of Engagement," for which he won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Film. That same year he won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for his starring role in Steven Bochco's "City of Angels." In 2000, People magazine named him one of its “50 Most Beautiful People.” Underwood's other film credits include his portrayals of a space shuttle flight navigator in the Paramount/DreamWorks hit “Deep Impact,” a death row inmate in Warner Bros.' “Just Cause,” a geneticist in Columbia’s “Gattaca,” a sheriff in “Posse,” and a corporate banker in New Line’s “Set It Off.” He received an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a motion picture for the latter role. Underwood's other film credits include his portrayals of a space shuttle flight navigator in the Paramount/DreamWorks hit “Deep Impact,” a death row inmate in Warner Bros.' “Just Cause,” a geneticist in Columbia’s “Gattaca,” a sheriff in “Posse,” and a corporate banker in New Line’s “Set It Off.” He received an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a motion picture for the latter role. As director, executive producer, writer and star of the dramatic short “The Second Coming,” Underwood played Jesus Christ returning to earth. In addition, he produced and starred in the independent thriller “Asunder” and the short film “Sister, I’m Sorry.” He also has five music videos to his directing credit. Underwood grew up an “Army brat,” living in cities all over the world, but he calls Virginia his home. He burst into the national spotlight with his confident and passionate portrayal of lawyer Jonathan Rollins in the NBC hit series “L.A. Law.” The role also earned him a Golden Globe nomination. Additionally, TV Guide singled him out as one of “The Top Stars of the 90s.” Underwood starred in CBS’ top-rated 1998 dramatic miniseries, “Mama Flora’s Family,” which was based on Alex Haley’s last book. The performance earned him an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Television Movie/Miniseries. Underwood won the NAACP Image Award for Best Actor in a Television Movie for NBC's "Murder in Mississippi" and starred as Jackie Robinson in HBO’s “Soul of the Game,” for which he received another NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie/Miniseries. Underwood also starred in Showtime's "The Wishing Tree" and TNT’s award-winning “Heat Wave.” He most recently starred opposite Heather Locklear in the NBC drama “LAX.” His theater credits include “Measure for Measure,” at the 1993 New York Shakespeare Festival, “El Negro en Peru,” “The Game of Love and Chance,” and “Love Letters” opposite Alfre Woodard. Underwood is involved in numerous charitable organizations. His dedicated support of the Muscular Dystrophy Association won him the 1993 Humanitarian Award, presented by the Los Angeles Chapter of MDA. In 2003 Underwood, along with Ashley Judd, served as the spokesperson for YouthAIDS and in 2004 he appeared in a public service announcement for The Fulfillment Fund. He is also co-founder of Artists for a New South Africa (ANSA). Founded in 1989 with Alfre Woodard, Danny Glover, Mary Steenburgen, CCH Pounder and other friends in the arts and entertainment community, ANSA supports a democratic South Africa with equal rights and opportunities for all citizens. In fall 2005, Underwood will publish a non-fiction book called “Before I Got Here” (Atria Books/Simon & Schuster, Inc.). The book is a collection of stories and anecdotes from parents that speak to the existence of a child’s soul prior to birth.
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