Blair Underwood
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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".
Known for
Credits
Deep Impact (1998)
as Mark Simon
Longlegs (2024)
as Agent Carter
Gattaca (1997)
as Geneticist
Rules of Engagement (2000)
as Capt. Lee
Set It Off (1996)
as Keith
Madea's Family Reunion (2006)
as Carlos
Just Cause (1995)
as Bobby Earl Ferguson
Malibu's Most Wanted (2003)
as Tom Gibbsons
The Art of Getting By (2011)
as Principal
Something New (2006)
as Mark Harper
Tigers on the Rise (2024)
as Narrator (voice)
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar (2016)
as Makuu (voice)
Origin (2023)
as Amari Selvan
Full Frontal (2002)
as Calvin / Nicholas
Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration (1993)
as Self (segment "Monster in the Mirror")
Bad Hair (2021)
as Amos Bludso
Posse (1993)
as Carver
Weather Girl (2009)
as Fitz
Broken (2016)
Actor
One Spoon of Chocolate (2026)
as Officer Beem
Mistrial (1996)
as Lieutenant C. Hodges
G (2002)
as Chip Hightower
Youngblood (2026)
as Blane Youngblood
Covert One: The Hades Factor (2006)
as Palmer Addison
Krush Groove (1985)
as Russell Walker
Really Love (2020)
as Jerome Richmond
Father & Son: Dangerous Relations (1993)
as Jared Williams
Mickey's 60th Birthday (1988)
as Jonathan Rollins
Guardians of the Galapagos (2025)
as Narrator (voice)
Mr. SOUL! (2018)
as Ellis Haizlip (voice)
Bear Witness (2022)
as Narrator (voice)
The After Party (2018)
as Sgt. Martin Ellison
Soul of the Game (1996)
as Jackie Robinson
The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU (2020)
as Self
Murder in Mississippi (1990)
as James Chaney
Heat Wave (1990)
as Bob Richardson
Voices That Care (1991)
as Self - Choir Member
Asunder (1998)
as Chance Williams
The Cover Girl and the Cop (1989)
as Horace Bouchet
Penguins: Life on the Edge (2020)
as Narrator (voice)
Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day (2012)
as David Ames
The Trip to Bountiful (2014)
as Ludie Watts
Viral (—)
Actor
The Gristle (2004)
as Self (uncredited)
Juanita (2019)
as Blair Underwood
Clinton: Portrait of a Presidency (2024)
as Narrator (voice)
Memorial: Letters from American Soldiers (1991)
as Reader
The Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry (1991)
as Self
First Generation (2011)
as Narrator (voice)
The Golden Blaze (2005)
as Gregory Fletcher (voice)
The Listeners (—)
as Dr. Thomas Hale
The Wishing Tree (1999)
as Thomas
Don't Ever Wonder (—)
Actor
The Hit (2007)
as Henry Alabaster
Truth Be Told (2002)
as Det. Harris
Setting it Straight: Making ‘Set it Off’ (2009)
as Self
Do Geese See God (2004)
as Man
A Soldier's Play (2021)
as Captain Richard Davenport
Olympic Pride, American Prejudice (2016)
as Narrator (voice)
Black Patriots: Buffalo Soldiers (2022)
as Narrator (voice)