Blair Underwood

Blair Erwin Underwood (born August 25, 1964) is an American actor. He made his debut in the 1985 musical film Krush Groove and from 1987 to 1994 starred as attorney Jonathan Rollins in the NBC legal drama series L.A. Law.

Underwood has appeared in a number of films during his career, including Just Cause (1995), Set It Off (1996), Deep Impact (1998), Rules of Engagement (2000), Something New (2006), Madea's Family Reunion (2006), Juanita (2019), and Longlegs (2024). On television, he played a leading role in the 2000 medical drama City of Angels, and also had regular roles in High Incident (1996–97), LAX (2004–05), Dirty Sexy Money (2007–09), In Treatment (2008), The Event (2010–11), Ironside (2013) and Quantico (2016–18). Underwood has received two Golden Globe Award nominations, one Tony Award nomination, five NAACP Image Awards, one Daytime Emmy Award, and one Grammy Award.

Early life and education Blair Erwin Underwood was born on August 25, 1964 in Tacoma, Washington, the son of Marilyn Ann Scales, an interior decorator, and Frank Eugene Underwood Sr., a colonel in the United States Army. Frank Sr. was an Army Ranger and paratrooper who was wounded in the Vietnam War. Underwood lived on military bases and Army posts in the United States and Stuttgart, Germany, throughout his childhood due to his father's military career.

He attended Petersburg High School in Petersburg, Virginia. He went on to attend the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and is an honorary member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

Career

After his film debut, Krush Groove, Underwood's 1985 appearance on The Cosby Show landed him a short stint for three months on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live as Bobby Blue. He later co-starred in the short-lived CBS crime drama series Downtown from 1986 to 1987, and guest-starred on Scarecrow and Mrs. King and 21 Jump Street.

In 1987, Underwood, at the age of 23, was cast as attorney Jonathan Rollins in the NBC legal drama series L.A. Law. He received Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film in 1991. The series ended in 1994. In 1990, he played James Chaney in the NBC television film Murder in Mississippi. In 1993, he co-starred in the western film Posse starring Mario Van Peebles. After L.A. Law, he starred in a number of movies, In 1995, he appeared in the legal thriller Just Cause, and the following year played Jada Pinkett's love interest in the heist film Set It Off. He also had a supporting role as a geneticist in the science fiction film Gattaca (1997) and in the disaster film Deep Impact (1998). In 1996, he was featured in the July issue of erotic magazine Playgirl.

In 1996, Underwood returned to series television with ABC police drama series, High Incident. He co-starred opposite Cicely Tyson in the 1998 miniseries Mama Flora's Family. In 2000, he portrayed a Marine Captain in the film Rules of Engagement, and played the lead role in the short-lived CBS medical drama series City of Angels. In 2003, he guest starred in four episodes In 2006, he appeared in the romantic comedy film Something New, and in Tyler Perry's second film, Madea's Family Reunion. He had a recurring role as the sexy grade school teacher in the CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus from 2006 to 2008. In 2007, he guest starred in an episode of the NBC series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2007, Underwood portrayed Jesus Christ in Inspired By... The Bible Experience, an 89-hour, celebrity-voiced, fully dramatized audio Bible based on Today's New International Version. Also in 2007, Underwood co-authored the novel Casanegra: A Tennyson Hardwick Novel with husband-and-wife team Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due.

In 2008, Underwood starred in the first season of the HBO drama series In Treatment, for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film at the 2009 Golden Globes. From 2007 to 2009, he was regular cast member in the ABC prime time soap opera, Dirty Sexy Money.

In 2010–2011, Underwood portrayed United States President Elias Martinez in the NBC drama series The Event. In 2010, Underwood portrayed the role of Saint Mark in The Truth & Life Dramatized Audio New Testament Bible, a 22-hour, celebrity-voiced, fully dramatized audio New Testament, based on the RSV-CE translation. In 2012, he played the lead role of Stanley in the Broadway revival of A Streetcar Named Desire.

In 2013, Underwood played the role of Robert Ironside in the remake of the successful 1960s television series, Ironside, made famous by the late Raymond Burr. The show was cancelled after three episodes. The following year, he appeared in The Trip to Bountiful opposite Cicely Tyson. From 2015 to 2016, he had a recurring role in the ABC series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. In 2016, Underwood was cast in the ABC thriller series Quantico for the series regular role of CIA Deputy Director, Owen Hall. The series was canceled after three seasons in 2018.

In 2019, Underwood played attorney Bobby Burns in the Netflix miniseries When They See Us. The following year, he co-starred opposite Octavia Spencer in the Netflix miniseries Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam Walker. Underwood has been a frequent guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional, narrating the event in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2021. He was also in the drama film Juanita (2019), and the horror film Longlegs (2024).

In January 2020, Underwood appeared on stage as Captain Richard Davenport in the Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway revival of Charles Fuller's Pulitzer Prize–winning drama A Soldier's Play.

Other activities Underwood is a part of several charitable organizations. In 1989 he was a co-founder of Artists for a New South Africa (ANSA), along with Alfre Woodard, Danny Glover, and other actors.

He won the 1993 Humanitarian Award for his work with the Los Angeles chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In 2003, along with Ashley Judd, he served as the spokesperson for YouthAIDS. In addition, he is involved with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation's Blair Underwood Clinic in Washington, D.C..

Underwood appeared in a 2004 public service announcement for The Fulfillment Fund. He is a trustee for the Robey Theatre Company in Los Angeles, a non-profit theatre group founded by Danny Glover, focusing on plays about the Black experience.

He supported President Barack Obama's candidacy and spoke at campaign rallies for him. Underwood got to know former President Obama while researching his L.A. Law role at Harvard Law School, while the would-be President Obama was president of the Harvard Law Review.

In 2025, Underwood became part-owner of the Oakland Ballers in the Pioneer League, an independent baseball league.

Personal life Underwood married Desiree DaCosta, with whom he shares three children; they separated in 2021 after 27 years of marriage. On June 24, 2023, he married his longtime friend, Josie Hart.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1985 Krush Groove Russell Walker 1992 The Second Coming Jesus Short 1993 Posse Sheriff Carver 1995 Just Cause Bobby Earl Ferguson 1996 Set It Off Keith Weston 1997 Gattaca Geneticist 1998 Sister I'm Sorry Himself Short Deep Impact Mark Simon 1999 Asunder Chance Williams The Wishing Tree "Magic Man" 2000 Rules of Engagement Captain Lee, USMC 2002 Truth Be Told Detective Harris G Chip Hightower Full Frontal Calvin / Nicholas 2003 Malibu's Most Wanted Tom Gibbons 2004 Fronterz Unknown Do Geese See God? Man 2005 Gregory Fletcher/The Golden Blaze (voice) 2006 Something New Mark Harper Madea's Family Reunion Carlos Company Town Tom Wilson Short 2007 The Hit Hen 2009 Weather Girl Weather Girl 2010 From Cape Town with Love Tennyson Hardwick Short I Will Follow Evan 2011 Principal Bill Martinson 2012 Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day David Ames 2018 The After Party Sergeant Martin Ellison 2019 Juanita Himself 2020 Bad Hair Amos Bludso Really Love Jerome Richmond 2023 Origin Amari 2024 Longlegs Agent Carter 2025 Youngblood Blane Youngblood 2025 One Spoon of Chocolate Post-production TBA Viral Andrew Also director

Television Year Title Role Notes 1985 Knight Rider Potts Episode: "Knight of the Juggernaut: Part 1" The Cosby Show Denise's Friend/Mark Guest cast (season 1–2) One Life to Live Bobby Blue Regular cast 1986 Soul Train Himself Episode: "Melba Moore/Freddie Jackson/Beau Williams" 1986–1987 Downtown Terry Corsaro Main cast 1987 Scarecrow and Mrs. King Stillman Episode: "All That Glitters" 21 Jump Street Reginald Brooks Episode: "Gotta Finish the Riff" 1987–1994 L.A. Law Jonathan Rollins Main cast (season 2–8) 1988 Mickey's 60th Birthday Jonathan Rollins TV movie 1989 The Cover Girl and the Cop Horace Bouchet TV movie 1990 Murder in Mississippi James Chaney TV movie Heat Wave Robert Richardson TV movie Rose Parade Himself/Co-Host Main co-host 1991 Showtime at the Apollo Himself/Co-Host Episode: "Episode #5.9" Sesame Street Himself Episode: "Episode #23.7" Zelmer Collier Episode: "War and Peace" American Experience Lewis Douglass Episode: "The Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry" 1993 Father & Son: Dangerous Relations Jared Williams TV movie 1994 ABC Afterschool Special Himself Episode: "I Hate the Way I Look" 1996 Soul of the Game Jackie Robinson TV movie Mistrial Lieutenant C. Hodges TV movie Duckman Himself (voice) Episode: "Pig Amok" 1996–1997 High Incident Officer Michael Rhoades Main cast (season 2) 1997 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child King Midas (voice) Episode: "King Midas and the Golden Touch" 1998 Mama Flora's Family Willie Episode: "Part 1 & 2" 1999 NAACP Image Awards Himself/Co-Host Main co-host 2000 Linc's Himself Episode: "A Dry White Season" City of Angels Dr. Ben Turner Main cast 2001 Biography Himself Episode: "Kim Fields: A Little Somethin' Somethin'" Great Performances Himself/Narrator Episode: "Free to Dance" 2002 Inside TV Land Himself Episode: "Inside TV Land: African Americans in Television – Variety" 2003 The Jamie Kennedy Experiment Himself 2 episodes 2003–2004 Sex and the City Dr. Robert Leeds Recurring cast (season 6) 2004 TV Land's Top Ten Himself Episode: "Top 10 TV Cars" 2004–2005 LAX Roger De Souza Main cast Fatherhood Dr. Arthur Bindlebeep (voice) Main cast 2005 Half & Half Himself Episode: "The Big Pomp & Circumstance Episode" 2006–2010 Daniel Harris Recurring cast (season 2–3), guest (season 5) 2006 Covert One: The Hades Factor Palmer Addison Episode: "Part 1 & 2" 2007 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Miles Sennett Episode: "Burned" 2007–2009 Dirty Sexy Money Simon Elder Main cast 2008 In Treatment Alex Recurring cast (season 1) 2010–2011 The Event President Elias Martinez Main cast 2011 Vietnam in HD Charles J. Brown Main cast 2012 Unsung Himself Episode: "Full Force" Who Do You Think You Are? Himself Episode: "Blair Underwood" Superman of Tokyo Superman of Tokyo Episode: "Part 1 & 2" 2012–2013 The Secret Millionaire Himself/Narrator Main narrator 2013 Thunder and Lightning Black Lightning Recurring cast (season 1) Ironside Robert Ironside Main cast 2014 The Trip to Bountiful Ludie Watts TV movie 2015 Jake and the Never Land Pirates Captain Wraith (voice) Recurring cast (season 4) 2016 Against the Odds Himself/Narrator Main narrator Unsung Hollywood Himself Episode: "Tim Reid" The Good Wife Harry Dargis Episode: "Shoot" Sofia the First Sir Jaxon (voice) Episode: "The Secret Library: The Tale of the Noble Knight" 2015–2016 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Andrew Garner Recurring cast (season 2-3) 2016–2018 Quantico Owen Hall Main cast (season 2–3) 2016–2019 The Lion Guard Makuu (voice) Recurring cast (season 1–2), guest (season 3) 2016–2017 Give Himself Episode: "Give to Veterans Who Are Adjusting to Life After Service"; also executive producer 2019 When They See Us Bobby Burns Episode: "Part 2 & 4" Dear White People Professor Moses Brown Recurring cast (season 3) 2020 Self Made Charles James Walker Main cast Your Honor Roland Carter Episode: "Part One" 2021 Independent Lens Himself/Narrator Episode: "Mr. Soul!" Impeachment: American Crime Story Vernon Jordan Recurring cast Love Life Leon Hines Episode: "Suzanné Hayward & Leon Hines" 2023 Black Pop: Celebrating the Power of Black Culture Himself Recurring guest See It Loud: The History of Black Television Himself Recurring guest 2024 Elsbeth Cliff McGrath Episode: "Ball Girl" Three Women Richard 2026–present Doc Ben Grant Guest role (season 2)Main role (season 3)

Documentary Year Title 1998 Men of Alaye: The Hottest Black Men in America 2006 Wilder: An American First 2007 Operation Homecoming 2008 Barack Obama: Who Is This Guy? 2009 President Barack Obama: The Man and His Journey 2011 First Generation 2012 It's a Hard Act to Follow 2016 Olympic Pride, American Prejudice 2018 Mr. Soul! 2020 Penguins: Life on the Edge 2022 Bear Witness 2024 Clinton: Portrait of a Presidency 2025 Guardians of the Galápagos

Music videos Year Artist Song 1989 Michael Jackson "Liberian Girl" 2007 Joe "If I Was Your Man"

Video games Year Title Role Notes 2008 The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon Hunter Voice role