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Blair Underwood

Blair Underwood has built a career that moves comfortably between film, television and the stage, often bringing a measured confidence to characters in positions of authority. Born in Tacoma, Washington, on August 25, 1964, he spent parts of his childhood on military bases and Army posts in the United States and Stuttgart, Germany, because of his father’s Army career. He later attended Petersburg High School in Virginia and the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in Pittsburgh. After making his film debut in Krush Groove, Underwood appeared on The Cosby Show and spent three months playing Bobby Blue on the soap opera One Life to Live. His early television work also included Downtown, Scarecrow and Mrs. King and 21 Jump Street. At 23, he was cast as attorney Jonathan Rollins on L.A. Law, a role that brought him a Golden Globe nomination in 1991. His film work soon showed considerable range. Underwood played James Chaney in the television film Murder in Mississippi and appeared in Posse, Just Cause and Set It Off. He took supporting roles as a geneticist in Gattaca and in the disaster film Deep Impact, then portrayed a Marine captain in Rules of Engagement. Later films included Something New, Madea’s Family Reunion, Juanita and Longlegs. Television has remained a particularly strong home for Underwood. He appeared in Sex and the City and The New Adventures of Old Christine, joined the ensemble of Dirty Sexy Money and earned another Golden Globe nomination for the first season of In Treatment. He later played President Elias Martinez in The Event, Robert Ironside in Ironside, CIA Deputy Director Owen Hall in Quantico and attorney Bobby Burns in When They See Us. He also appeared in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C. Underwood’s work extends beyond the screen. He played Stanley in the 2012 Broadway revival of A Streetcar Named Desire and Captain Richard Davenport in the 2020 Broadway revival of A Soldier’s Play. He has also worked as a writer, producer and director, including co-authoring the novel Casanegra: A Tennyson Hardwick Novel.