Acting · Tacoma, Washington, USA · Born August 25, 1964
Blair Underwood (born August 25, 1964) is an American television and film actor. He is perhaps best known as headstrong attorney Jonathan Rollins from the NBC legal drama L.A. Law, a role he portrayed for seven years. He has gained critical acclaim throughout his career, receiving numerous Golden Globe Award nominations, three NAACP Image Awards and 1 Grammy Award. His feature film debut was the 1985 movie Krush Groove. His 1985 appearance on The Cosby Show landed him a short stint on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, which eventually led to his performance on the TV series L.A. Law, where he appeared from 1987 to 1994. Underwood broke into film with roles in Just Cause (1995), Set It Off (1996) and Deep Impact (1998). He also had a supporting role as a geneticist in the film Gattaca. In 2000, he played the lead role in the short-lived television series City of Angels. In 2003, he guest starred in four episodes on the HBO series Sex and the City playing Cynthia Nixon's love interest. In 2004, he played the role of Roger De Souza opposite Heather Locklear in NBC's LAX. He gained acclaim as the sexy grade school teacher in the CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus for two years. In 2007, he guest starred in an episode of the NBC series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. His also had a role as recurring character Alex in the HBO series In Treatment. Also in 2007, Underwood co-authored the novel Casanegra: A Tennyson Hardwick Novel with husband-and-wife team Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due. He's also had recurring roles on Dirty Sexy Money, NBC's The Event, Ironside, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Quantico. He has received three NAACP Image Awards, for his film work in Rules of Engagement, and his television work in L.A. Law, City of Angels, Murder in Mississippi and Mama Flora's Family. He was voted one of People's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2000, and one of TV Guide's "Most Influential Faces of the 90s".
MovieOne Spoon of Chocolate
2026
as Officer Beem
MovieYoungblood
2026
as Blane Youngblood
MovieGuardians of the Galapagos
2025
as Narrator (voice)
MovieClinton: Portrait of a Presidency
2024
as Narrator (voice)
TVThree Women
2024
as Richard
MovieLonglegs
2024
as Agent Carter
MovieTigers on the Rise
2024
as Narrator (voice)
TVElsbeth
2024
as Cliff McGrath
MovieOrigin
2023
as Amari Selvan
TVSmothered
2023
TVThe Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
as Self - Guest
MovieBlack Patriots: Buffalo Soldiers
2022
as Narrator (voice)
MovieBear Witness
2022
as Narrator (voice)
MovieBad Hair
2021
as Amos Bludso
MovieA Soldier's Play
2021
as Captain Richard Davenport
TVYour Honor
2020
as Roland Carter
MovieReally Love
2020
as Jerome Richmond
TVLove Life
2020
as Leon Hines
MoviePenguins: Life on the Edge
2020
as Narrator (voice)
TVSelf Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
2020
as Charles James Walker
MovieThe Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU
2020
as Self
TVTamron Hall
2019
as Self - Guest
TVWhen They See Us
2019
as Bobby Burns
MovieJuanita
2019
as Blair Underwood
MovieThe After Party
2018
as Sgt. Martin Ellison
MovieMr. SOUL!
2018
as Ellis Haizlip (voice)
MovieOlympic Pride, American Prejudice
2016
as Narrator (voice)
MovieBroken
2016
TVAmerican Crime Story
2016
as Vernon Jordan
MovieThe Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
2016
as Makuu (voice)
TVThe Lion Guard
2016
as Makuu (voice)
TVQuantico
2015
as Owen Hall
MovieThe Trip to Bountiful
2014
as Ludie Watts
TVIronside
2013
as Robert Ironside
TVMarvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
2013
as Andrew Garner
TVThunder and Lightning
2013
as Black Lightning (voice)
TVCelebrity Crime Files
2012
as Narrator (voice)
MovieWoman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day
2012
as David Ames
TVスーパーマン @ Tokyo
2012
as Superman / Narrator (voice)
TVVietnam in HD
2011
as Charles Brown
MovieThe Art of Getting By
2011
as Principal
First Generation
2011
as Narrator (voice)
TVThe Event
2010
as Elias Martinez
TVWho Do You Think You Are?
2010
as Self
TVThe Good Wife
2009
as Harry Dargis
TVWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
MovieWeather Girl
2009
as Fitz
MovieSetting it Straight: Making ‘Set it Off’
2009
as Self
TVIn Treatment
2008
as Alex Prince
The Hit
2007
as Henry Alabaster
TVDirty Sexy Money
2007
as Simon Elder
TVCovert One: The Hades Factor
2006
as Palmer Addison
TVThe New Adventures of Old Christine
2006
as Daniel Harris
MovieMadea's Family Reunion
2006
as Carlos
MovieSomething New
2006
as Mark Harper
MovieCovert One: The Hades Factor
2006
as Palmer Addison
TVThe Tyra Banks Show
2005
MovieThe Golden Blaze
2005
as Gregory Fletcher (voice)
MovieDo Geese See God
2004
as Man
The Tony Danza Show
2004
as Self
TVLAX
2004
as Roger De Souza
TVFatherhood
2004
MovieThe Gristle
2004
as Self (uncredited)
TVThe Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
as Self
MovieMalibu's Most Wanted
2003
as Tom Gibbsons
TVJimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self - Guest
TVHalf & Half
2002
as Blair Underwood
MovieFull Frontal
2002
as Calvin / Nicholas
MovieG
2002
as Chip Hightower
MovieTruth Be Told
2002
as Det. Harris
MovieRules of Engagement
2000
as Capt. Lee
TVCity of Angels
2000
as Ben Turner
TVLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
as Miles Sennet
MovieThe Wishing Tree
1999
as Thomas
TVMama Flora's Family
1998
as Willie
MovieAsunder
1998
as Chance Williams
TVSex and the City
1998
as Dr. Robert Leeds
MovieDeep Impact
1998
as Mark Simon
TVThe View
1997
as Self
MovieGattaca
1997
as Geneticist
MovieSet It Off
1996
as Keith
MovieMistrial
1996
as Lieutenant C. Hodges
TVThe Rosie O'Donnell Show
1996
as Self
MovieSoul of the Game
1996
as Jackie Robinson
TVHigh Incident
1996
TVHappily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1995
as King Midas (voice)
MovieJust Cause
1995
as Bobby Earl Ferguson
MovieSesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration
1993
as Self (segment "Monster in the Mirror")
MoviePosse
1993
as Carver
MovieFather & Son: Dangerous Relations
1993
as Jared Williams
MovieVoices That Care
1991
as Self - Choir Member
MovieMemorial: Letters from American Soldiers
1991
as Reader
MovieThe Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry
1991
as Self
MovieHeat Wave
1990
as Bob Richardson
TVThe Word
1990
MovieMurder in Mississippi
1990
as James Chaney
MovieThe Cover Girl and the Cop
1989
as Horace Bouchet
MovieMickey's 60th Birthday
1988
as Jonathan Rollins
TVLIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
as Self
TVA Different World
1987
as Zelmer Collier
TV21 Jump Street
1987
as Reginald Brooks
TVDowntown
1986
as Terry Corsaro
TVL.A. Law
1986
as Jonathan Rollins
MovieKrush Groove
1985
as Russell Walker
TVThe Cosby Show
1984
as Mark
Aspel & Company
1984
TVScarecrow and Mrs. King
1983
TVKnight Rider
1982
as Potts
TVTony Awards
1956
as Self - Presenter
TVGolden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Nominee
Viral
Don't Ever Wonder
The Listeners
as Dr. Thomas Hale
Company Town
as Tom Wilson
