David Harewood

David Michael Harewood OBE (born 8 December 1965) is an English actor and presenter who has served as president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art since February 2024. He is known for his television roles as David Estes in Homeland (2011–2012), J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter and Hank Henshaw / Cyborg Superman in Supergirl (2015–2021). He has also appeared in films such as Blood Diamond, The Merchant of Venice, and Strings, whilst his video game roles include Usef Omar in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare and Warlin Door in Alan Wake II (2023).

Early life David Michael Harewood was born in the Small Heath area of Birmingham, on 8 December 1965. He has one sister and two brothers. His parents were part of the Windrush generation and had moved to England from Barbados in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His mother worked as a caterer and his father was a lorry driver. Harewood attended St Benedict's Junior School and Washwood Heath Academy. He later joined London's National Youth Theatre. In his youth, he worked at a wine bar in Birmingham city centre. At the age of 18, he gained a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Career Harewood began acting in 1990 and has appeared in films such as The Hawk, Great Moments in Aviation, Harnessing Peacocks, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, Blood Diamond, The Merchant of Venice and Strings. He is known for his television appearances on Ballykissangel, The Vice and Fat Friends. He played Don Coleman in Hustle (Series 7 The Fall of Railton FC (2011)). He played Brother Tuck in the third series of Robin Hood. He appeared in the Doctor Who story "The End of Time". He played Martin Luther King Jr. in the premiere of The Mountaintop, written by American playwright Katori Hall, directed by James Dacre, which opened at Theatre503 in London on 9 June 2009.

Harewood next appeared in two episodes of Chris Ryan's Strike Back as Colonel Tshuma. From June to September 2010, he played Theseus in the premiere of Moira Buffini's play Welcome to Thebes at the National Theatre in London. He played Martin Viner in an episode of New Tricks. He narrated Welcome to Lagos, a BBC documentary about Lagos, Nigeria. He also starred in British independent film The Hot Potato, the film also starred Ray Winstone, Colm Meaney and Jack Huston. He played Frankenstein's monster in the TV live event Frankenstein's Wedding.

From 2011, Harewood starred as David Estes, the director of the CIA's Counterterrorism Center, in the Showtime series Homeland. After appearing in 24 episodes, his character was killed off in a bomb explosion at the end of season 2. Also in 2011, he voiced Captain Quinton Cole in the video game Battlefield 3.

In June 2014, he appeared in Tulip Fever. In October 2015, he appeared as a core cast member on the CBS television series Supergirl as Hank Henshaw. Since his character was revealed (in the episode "Human for a Day") to be J'onn J'onzz/Martian Manhunter posing as Henshaw, he portrays J'onn J'onzz with Henshaw's likeness as his human form and has a dual recurring role as the real Hank Henshaw / Cyborg Superman.

In 2017, Harewood was in London to attend the British Urban Film Festival. The following year, for his performance in "Free in Deed", Harewood won Best Actor at the 2018 British Urban Film Festival awards. Harewood was included in the 2019 edition of the Powerlist, ranking the 100 most influential Black Britons. Also in 2019, he played the position of goalkeeper for England in Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2019. Psychosis and Me, a documentary hosted and produced by Harewood received a BAFTA Television Award nominated for Single Documentary.

In October 2021, it was revealed that Harewood would make his feature directorial debut with For Whom The Bell Tolls, a boxing film about the rivalry between Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn.

In November 2021, The Guardian published an article focusing on Harewood and actor Ricardo P Lloyd comparing both of their lives and careers and the struggles black British actors face in the UK. This was part of Black British culture matters, curated by Lenny Henry and Marcus Ryder for The Guardian Saturday Culture Issue No7.

Harewood was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to drama and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to drama and charity. Harewood delivered the 2023 Richard Dimbleby Lecture.

In February 2024, Harewood was announced as the new President of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Later that year, he appeared in the season finale of the Star Wars series The Acolyte portraying Rayencourt, a member of the Galactic Senate pushing for an external review of the Jedi Order.

Other interests Slavery reparations Harewood campaigns for slavery reparations and is an advocate of the British government apologising for Britain's participation in the slave trade. His great-great-great-great grandparents had been slaves on a plantation in Barbados owned by Henry Lascelles, 2nd Earl of Harewood. Slaves were given surnames derived from those of their owners, hence Harewood's ancestors had to take their name from the Lascelles' title. Harewood engaged with David Lascelles, 8th Earl of Harewood, a descendant of the 2nd Earl, who also believes the government should apologise for the slave trade. He did so again for a Channel 5 documentary in 2021.

In September 2023, a portrait of Harewood commissioned by Lascelles was put on display at Harewood House as an acknowledgement of their families' connected history. Harewood described the hanging of the portrait as "well overdue for me and my ancestors", and commented that he hoped visitors to the house would see a picture of a black person that they may recognise from the television, they will enquire as to why his picture is there, and then they'll understand… all of the unpaid work that my ancestors did, and the brutality of what they suffered… helped build this house. In the 2019 European Parliament election, he pledged his support for Change UK.

Charity In 2007, Harewood donated his bone marrow, which was confirmed to have saved a stranger's life.

In October 2013, Harewood voiced an interactive video campaign for the British Lung Foundation aiming to ban smoking in cars with children inside throughout the United Kingdom.

Harewood appeared at Soccer Aid 2018 as England's celebrity goalkeeper, saving two penalties during the penalty shootout and helping England win the charity match. The event raised over £5 million for UNICEF.

Mental health Harewood is a mental health campaigner,

Personal life Harewood married his long-term girlfriend Kirsty Handy in February 2013 in Saint James, Barbados. They have two daughters together and live in the Streatham area of London. He is an avid supporter of his hometown football team Birmingham City.

Harewood has been open about his mental health troubles and has admitted that he used to self-medicate with alcohol and marijuana to deal with his bipolar-like symptoms, discarding the medication given to him by doctors. He was sectioned under the Mental Health Act, spent time on Whittington Hospital's psychiatric ward, and was prescribed the antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine. In a 2021 essay for The Guardian, he wrote:

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1993 The Hawk Sergeant Streete 1995 Mad Dogs and Englishmen Jessop 1999 I Wonder Who's Kissing You Now Moses Between Dreams Orderly Short film 2004 Strings Erito (voice) English dub The Merchant of Venice Prince of Morocco 2005 Separate Lies Inspector Marshall 2006 Blood Diamond Captain 'Poison' 2010 Second Chance Rob Jenkins Short film 2011 The Hot Potato Harrison Victim Mr Ansah 2012 The Man Inside Eugene Murdoch The Last Bite Rook Short film 2013 Third Person Jake 2015 Free in Deed Abe Wilkins Spooks: The Greater Good Warrender 2016 Grimsby Black Gareth 2017 Tulip Fever Prater 2018 Parallel Mr Parkes 2022 Wendell & Wild Lane Klaxon (voice)

Television Year(s) Title Role Notes 1990 Casualty Paul Grant Episode 5.9: "A Will to Die" 1990–1997 The Bill Williams / Malcolm Jackson / Ed Parrish / Robbie Coker Four episodes 1991 For the Greater Good David West TV film Minder Vinny's Minder Episode 8.10: "Too Many Crooks" Murder Most Horrid Jonathan Episode 1.5: "Murder at Tea Time" Pirate Prince Jean-Baptiste TV film 1991–1992 Spatz Derek Puley Three episodes 1993 Anna Lee: Headcase Stevie Johnson TV film Press Gang Doctor Episode 5.2: "Friendly Fire" Medics Nick Episode 3.6 Harnessing Peacocks Terry TV film 1994 Great Moments in Aviation Steward TV film Bermuda Grace Trevor Watkins TV film Capital Lives Unknown Episode 1.5: "Fall" 1995 Hearts and Minds Trevor Game On Paul Johnson Episode 1.5: "Big Wednesday" Agony Again Daniel Seven episodes 1997 Macbeth on the Estate Macduff TV film Kavanagh QC David Adams Episode 3.1: "Mute of Malice" Comedy Premieres: Cold Feet Police Sergeant 1998 Ballykissangel Henry Episode 4.9: "As Stars Look Down" 1999–2001 Always and Everyone Mike Gregson Main cast 1999–2003 The Vice Sergeant / D.I. Joe Robinson Main cast 2001 An Unsuitable Job for a Woman D.I. Peterson Episode 1.4: "Playing God" The Fear Storyteller 2001–2002 Babyfather Augustus 'Gus' Pottinger Main cast 2004 Silent Witness Angus Stuart Episodes 8.3 and 8.4: "Death by Water" 2004–2005 Fat Friends Max Robertson 11 episodes 2006 New Street Law D.I. Branston Two episodes The Ruby in the Smoke Matthew Bedwell / Reverend Nicholas Bedwell TV film 2007 New Tricks Martin Viner Episode 4.3: "Ducking and Diving" The Shadow in the North Nicholas Bedwell TV film 2008 The Palace Major Simon Brooks Main cast; eight episodes The Last Enemy Patrick Nye TV mini-series; five episodes Criminal Justice Freddie Graham TV mini-series; three episodes 2009 Gunrush Robbie TV film Robin Hood Tuck 12 episodes The Fixer Richard Millar Episode 2.4 2009–2010 Doctor Who Joshua Naismith "The End of Time" 2010 Mrs Mandela Nelson Mandela TV film Strike Back Colonel Tshuma Episodes 1.3 and 1.4 2011 Hustle Don Coleman Episode 7.5: "The Fall of Railton FC" Frankenstein's Wedding The Creature Live-televised stage performance The Body Farm Wilkes Episode 1.3 2011–2012 Homeland David Estes 24 episodes 2012 Treasure Island Billy Bones TV mini-series Horizon – Global Weirding Narrator TV documentary series 2013 The Wrong Mans Surgeon TV series By Any Means Napier TV series 2014 Selfie Sam Saperstein 8 episodes 2015–2021 Supergirl J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter / Hank Henshaw / Cyborg Superman Main role; directed 4 episodesNominated – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television (2019) 2016 Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands Scorann TV series The Night Manager Joel Steadman TV series Will Britain ever have a Black Prime Minister? Presenter TV documentary 2017 Madiba Walter Sisulu Miniseries Have I Got News For You Himself Guest host 2017–2019 The Flash J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter Episodes: "Duet", "Crisis on Infinite Earths Part 3" 2018 David Harewood: My Psychosis and Me Presenter TV documentary 2019 The Man in the High Castle Equiano Hampton Episodes 4.2 and 4.5 2020 Earth's Tropical Islands Himself / narrator TV documentary Arrow J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter Episode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 4" Legends of TomorrowEpisode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 5" 2021 Terry Pratchett's The Abominable Snow Baby Narrator Animated short story 2022 Ten Percent Himself Episode 8 Hitler: The Lost Tapes Narrator 4 Episodes2023 Get On Up: The Triumph of Black America Presenter / narrator Two-part documentary David Harewood on Blackface Presenter / narrator Documentary Dickens in Italy with David Harewood Presenter / narrator Two-part documentary 2024 Star Wars: The Acolyte Senator Rayencourt Episode: "The Acolyte" 2024–present The Agency Dalaga 7 episodes 2025 Happy Face Dr. Greg Main cast TBA Pierre Pierre Lead role

Video games Year Title Role Notes 2011 Battlefield 3 Captain Quinton Cole 2013 Killzone: Shadow Fall Sinclair / Vektan Security Agency Director 2016 Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Staff Sergeant Usef Omar 2023 Alan Wake II Warlin DoorCutscenes only

Radio Harewood played Thurman Berkley in the first series of the BBC radio series Chambers, broadcast on 4 May 1996. He played Patroclus in the 1998 BBC radio trilogy Troy. He also played Henry Tilney in the Northanger Abbey radio adaptation (2005). On 4 May 2012, he hosted a special BBC Radio 2 Friday Night is Music Night celebrating the life of Ray Charles, broadcast live from Cheltenham Jazz Festival. The show featured the Guy Barker orchestra, with leader Cynthia Fleming and guest artists Madeline Bell, Gregory Porter, and James Tormé.

Harewood played the Marquis de Carabas in the BBC Radio 4 Radio Play of Neverwhere (2013).

In 2022, Harewood voiced Destruction of the Endless in Act III of Audible's full-cast audiobook adaptation of Neil Gaiman's comic The Sandman.

Awards and nominations Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: Nominated (2012) Nashville Film Festival-Best Actor: Winner (2016) Independent Spirit Awards-Best Male Lead: Nominated (2017) Edinburgh TV Festival-Variety Outstanding Achievement Award: Winner (2020) Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to drama (2023) Harewood's memoir.