Chad Coleman

Chad L. Coleman (born September 6, 1967) is an American actor. He is known for playing Dennis "Cutty" Wise on the HBO series The Wire (2004–08), Coach in the video game Left 4 Dead 2, Tyreese on the AMC series The Walking Dead (2012–15), Mingo on Roots (2016), Z on the FX sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2010–19), Fred Johnson on The Expanse (2015–20), Klyden on The Orville (2017–22), and Bruno Mannheim in the superhero drama television series Superman & Lois (2023–24).

Early life Coleman was born in Richmond, Virginia. After he was removed from neglectful parents in the Creighton Court public housing project, he was raised by a grandmother on Richmond's south side after some time in a foster home. As a youth, he participated in track and field, but turned his attention to drama after a leg injury. He attended Virginia Commonwealth University on a scholarship for his freshman year, before dropping out to serve in the U.S. Army. During his service, from 1985 to 1989, he worked as a video cameraman.

Career

Coleman had a starring role on the HBO series The Wire as reformed criminal Dennis "Cutty" Wise. In 2002, Coleman starred as O. J. Simpson in TNT's television movie Monday Night Mayhem.

Coleman also had a guest role in the Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles TV series on Fox. He also had a small role in Carlito's Way: Rise to Power. Coleman was also involved with the development of Left 4 Dead 2, as a voice actor for the character Coach. In 2009, Coleman appeared in a revival of August Wilson's play Joe Turner's Come and Gone on Broadway and also had a starring role in the Norwegian TV series Buzz Aldrin, What Happened To You In All The Confusion?, based on the novel by Johan Harstad. The series aired in Europe in November 2011.

He guest starred in the In Plain Sight episode "Whistle Stop" as an ex-boxer/witness suffering from pugilistic dementia, and in the Lie to Me episode "The Canary's Song" as a coal miner. He has also guest starred in five episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia between 2010 and 2019 as the character "Z". In the third season, Tyreese was a recurring character. Coleman was upgraded to series regular and main cast member at the start of the fourth season and retained this status for its fifth season until his character was killed off in the mid-season premiere. On November 20, 2014, he was announced to play Fred Johnson, a.k.a. "The Butcher of Anderson Station", a former Marine caught in a power struggle between Earth and Mars on the science-fiction series The Expanse.

Coleman also played Mingo in the 2016 re-imagining of Roots, on the History Channel. Mingo is a stern, no-nonsense slave/cock trainer for Tom Lea, who keeps the Lea plantation afloat. He befriends Chicken George and they bond like father and son.

Additionally, Coleman is executive producer, as well as visual inspiration for the character Mr. Osi of the futuristic graphic novel series Treadwater.

In 2016, he played the role of Tobias Church on Arrow. He played the recurring role of Klyden, Second Officer Bortus's mate, on The Orville (2017–22). In 2019, Coleman recurred in the first two seasons of All American as Corey James. He then played Bruno Mannheim in the superhero drama television series Superman & Lois (2023–24).

Personal life Coleman was married to Sally Stewart from 1999 to 2010.

On May 1, 2015, Coleman was recorded in the middle of a rant on New York City's 4 subway train. He stated that the rant was prompted by "built-up frustration" stemming from the death of Freddie Gray.

Later that year, he created a PSA with the non-profit organization Living Advantage where fostering children is promoted as a fulfilling complement to adoption.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1993 New York Undercover Cop "Iceman" 1999 Saturn Orderly 2001 The Gilded Six Bits Joe Banks Short Revolution #9 Night Nurse 2002 The End of The Bar Dr. Scott Rosen 2004 Brother to Brother "El" 2005 Carlito's Way: Rise to Power Clyde Bassie Video 2006 Confessions Darius 2011 The Green Hornet "Chili" Good Man Good Man Short Horrible Bosses The Bartender 2012 Life, Love, Soul Earl Grant Shattered Pitch Sammy Short 2013 Cinemanovels Parking Cop Habeas Corpus Ray Jr. Short 2014 Crazy Little Thing Called... 'Ships Mr. Anders 2017 The Black Ghiandola Tanner Alonso 2018 Making Lemonade Chad 2020 Broken Bird Andre 2021 Copshop Duane Mitchell 2022 A Christmas Prayer Andre Dillard 2023 The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster Donald Shooting Stars Coach Harold Sams 2025 Christy Don King

Television Year Title Role Notes 1992 Here and Now Roland Episode: "A.J.'s Big Leap" 1994 Law & Order Henry Episode: "Golden Years" New York Undercover Kevin Gray Episode: "To Protect and Serve" 1995 Law & Order Weiner Episode: "Paranoia" 1996 New York Undercover Shoop Episode: "Andre's Choice" 1998 Soul Man Buster Episode: "Raising Heck" 1999–2001 Third Watch Grissom / Lamar 2 episodes 2002 Monday Night Mayhem O. J. Simpson Television film 2003 Guiding Light Moses Episode: "April 18, 2003" Hack Lafonso 2 episodes Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Prison Warden Episode: "Rotten" 2004–2008 The Wire Dennis "Cutty" Wise 20 episodes 2005 Numbers Williams Episode: "Man Hunt" 2008 New Amsterdam Lieutenant Bobby Graham Episode: "Golden Boy" Life on Mars "Suede" Episode: "Things to Do in New York When You Think You're Dead" 2009 CSI: Miami Kevin Landau Episode: "Smoke Gets in Your CSI's" Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Queeg Episode: "Today Is the Day: Part 1 & 2" The Forgotten Ray Perkins Episode: "Football John" Boldly Going Nowhere "Cobalt" Television film 2010 In Plain Sight Ricky Dupree / Ricky Dumont Episode: "Whistle Stop" Lie to Me Darryl Episode: "The Canary's Song" The Good Wife Carter Wright Episode: "Nine Hours" 2010–2019 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia "Z" Recurring cast (season 6), guest (season 9 & 12 & 14) 2011 Buzz Aldrin Carl Recurring cast 2011–2012 I Hate My Teenage Daughter Gary Miller Main cast 2012 Criminal Minds Malcolm Ford Episode: "The Company" Electric City Manny Voice, main role Burn Notice Brady Pressman Episode: "Desperate Times" 2012–2015 The Walking Dead Tyreese 21 episodes 2013 Cult True Believer #4 Episode: "Off to See the Wizard" 2013–2016 Family Guy Various Voices 2 episodes 2014 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit A.J. Martin Episode: "Spousal Privilege" 2015–2020 The Expanse Fred Lucius Johnson Recurring cast (season 1-5) 2016 Roots Mingo Episode: "Part 3" Freakish Coach Recurring cast (season 1) Arrow Tobias Church 4 episodes 2017 The Goldbergs Leon Schmion Episode: "The Spencer's Gift" Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland Bill Whitfield Television film 2017–2022 The Orville Klyden Recurring cast 2018 Drop the Mic Himself Episode: "Darren Criss vs. Gaten Matarazzo & Chandler Riggs vs. Chad L. Coleman" 2019 All American Corey James Recurring cast (season 1-2) 2020 Interrogation Mr. Franklin Recurring cast Soul City James Episode: "Give Man" 2021 Invincible Martian Man Voice, episode: "It's About Time" 2022–2024 Girls5eva Sheawn 4 episodes 2023–2024 Superman & Lois Bruno Mannheim Main role (season 3), guest role (season 4); 15 episodes 2024 Three Women FBI Special Agent Mike Ness 3 episodes 2025 Chicago P.D. Odell Morgan Episode: "Send Me"

Video games Year Title Role 2005 The Warriors Jackson / Austin 50 Cent: Bulletproof Booker 2006 Bully Officer Williams 2008 Grand Theft Auto IV K109: The Studio - Imaging Voice, Commercial 2009 Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony K109: The Studio - Imaging Voice Left 4 Dead 2 Coach 2023 The Expanse: A Telltale Series Fred Lucius Johnson