Michael Potts

Michael Potts (born September 21, 1962) is an American actor. He has appeared on stage, on television and in motion pictures.

Early years Potts, who is of African American heritage, was born on September 21, 1962 in Brooklyn, New York City and grew up in South Carolina. He got his start participating in church and local plays. His inspiration to attend the School of Drama at Yale University came from watching a clip of the 1985 production of August Wilson's play Fences, starring James Earl Jones and Courtney B. Vance.

Acting career Potts is best known for playing the roles of Brother Mouzone in the HBO hit show The Wire, Mafala Hatimbi in the musical The Book of Mormon, and Slow Drag in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. He also played Detective Gilbough in the first season of True Detective.

Potts appeared in the 2022 Broadway revival of The Piano Lesson, in a performance which The Hollywood Reporter called one of the highlights of the production.

Potts has appeared on the NBC crime series Law & Order several times, most recently in 2025.

From January 23 to February 8, 2026, Potts played the title role in the play King Lear at the Ellen Stewart Theater. Other cast members included Tony Torn, in a work directed by Karin Coonrod with collaborators Frank London and Oana Botez.

Filmography +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film + Year Name Role Notes 1990 Halloween Night Bill Also known as The Damning, DeathMask, and Hack-o-Lantern 1995 Hackers Tow Truck Driver 1997 The Peacemaker DOE Haz-mat Tech #1 Conspiracy Theory Justice Guard 2000 Black People Hate Me and They Hate My Glasses Short film 2006 Diggers South Shell Pot Buyer 2008 Jocasta Oedipus 2013 Mom Andy 2016 37 Archibald Smith 2017 Let Me Make You a Martyr Charon 2018 Here and Now Ray Change in the Air Professor Hoffman 2020 Cicada Francis Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Slow Drag 2022 Measure of Revenge Detective Eaton RoundingDr. Emil Harrison 2023 Rustin Cleveland Robinson 2024 The Piano Lesson Wining Boy 2025 Highest 2 Lowest Patrick Bethea Out of Order Jerry

Television + Year Name Role Notes 1996 The West Voice TV miniseries NYPD Blue Mel Episode: "Yes, We Have No Cannolis" 1997 Thomas Jefferson Isaac (voice) TV special 1997–2010, 2025 Law & Order Reggie Dobbs / Lester Wilkes / Malcolm Young / Stokes's Attorney / Defense Attorney Kenneth Lowell 5 episodes 1998 Trinity Detective Jackson Episode: "No Secrets" 1999 Cosby Floyd Episode: "The Wedding" 2001 Oz Reinhardt Episode: "Medium Rare" 2003–2004 The Wire Brother Mouzone 7 episodes 2004 The Jury Dr. Bertand Episode: "Three Boys and a Gun" 2009 Flight of the Conchords Nigel Saladu Episode: "New Cup" Bored to Death Yusef Episode: "The Alanon Case" 2010 Damages Horatio Emanuel 3 episodes 2012 Royal Pains Mr. Burman Episode: "After the Fireworks" 2012–2016 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit IAB Sergeant Cole Draper 6 episodes 2013 Nurse Jackie Mediator 2 episodes 2014 Blue Bloods Thorton Mead Episode: "Manhattan Queens" True Detective Detective Maynard Gilbough 8 episodes Matador Moktar Zola Episode: "Code Red Card" White Collar David Episode: "Return to Sender" 2015 Allegiance Unknown 2 episodes Gotham Sid Bunderslaw 3 episodes Show Me a Hero Walt Henderson 5 episodes 2015–2016 Person of Interest Travers 2 episodes 2016 BrainDead Dr. Daudier Episode: "The Insanity Principle: How Extremism in Politics Is Threatening Democracy in the 21st Century" Madam Secretary Senator Fred Reynolds 3 episodes 2017 The Blacklist Iniko Episode: "The Forecaster (No. 163)" 2018 Taken Hanson Episode: "Password" Elementary Doctor Peter Hanson Episode: "Pushing Buttons" Random Acts of Flyness Director Episode: "What are your thoughts on raising free black children?" 2019 She's Gotta Have It Joseph Petiport Episode: "#NationTime" 2020 Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector Dr. Arthur Wasden Episode: "What Lies Beneath" God Friended Me King Omari Episode: "The Princess and the Hacker" 2021 Prodigal Son Dr. Brandon Marsh 2 episodes 2022 Bull Judge Nolan Episode: "The Other Shoe" The First Lady Fraser C. Robinson III 6 episodes The Good Fight Bill Goate Episode: "The End of Football" 2022–2023 East New York Goody Gaines 4 episodes 2023 FBI Agent Bruce Ellis Episode: "Imminent Threat: Part Two" 2025 The Irrational Nnamdi Adesina Episode: "Another Man's Treasure" 2026 Best Medicine Gilbert Carlisle 5 episodes Nemesis James Sealey 8 episodes

Video games + Year Name Role Notes 2005 The Warriors Cyrus Voice

Theatre credits + Year Production Role Category Theatre Notes 1994 The America Play Brazil Off-Broadway Public Theater Rent Benjamin Coffin III New York Theatre Workshop Workshop 1996 Overtime Gratiano Manhattan Theatre Club 1997 Mud, River, Stone David Bradley Playwrights Horizons Theatre 1998 The Rivals Sir Lucius O'Trigger Regional Williamstown Theatre Festival 1999 A Cup of Coffee Julius Snaith Yale Repertory Theatre 2000 Arms and the Man Nicola Off-Broadway Gramercy Theatre Joe Fearless (A Fan Dance) Ray and Doctor Atlantic Theatre Brooklyn Bridge National Arts Club Staged reading 2001 Romeo and Juliet Benvolio Los Angeles Ahmanson Theatre Once Around the City Rudy Off-Broadway Second Stage Theatre 2002 Twelfth Night Feste Delacorte Theatre 2003 Highway Ulysses Ensemble Regional American Repertory Theatre 2005 Lennon Ensemble Broadway Broadhurst Theatre 2006–2007 Grey Gardens Brooks Sr./Brooks Jr. Walter Kerr Theatre 2007 Richard III Buckingham Off-Broadway Classic Stage Company 2008 The Tempest Alonso 2011–2013 The Book of Mormon Mafala Hatimbi Broadway Eugene O'Neill Theatre 2016 Cabin in the Sky Little Joe Jackson Off-Broadway City Center Theatre 2017 Jitney TurnboBroadway Samuel J. Friedman Theatre 1984 Charrington Hudson Theatre 2018–2019 The Prom Mr. Hawkins Longacre Theatre 2022–2023 The Piano Lesson Wining Boy Ethel Barrymore Theatre 2026 King Lear King Lear Regional La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club Windfall Henri "Mr. Mano" Tamaño Steppenwolf Theatre Company