Michael Wright

Michael Wright (April 30, 1956 – August 19, 2026) was an American actor best known for his roles in the films The Five Heartbeats, Streamers (1983) for which he won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor, and Sugar Hill (1994), and for his television roles Elias Taylor in V: The Series (1984–1985), Omar White in Oz (2001–2003), and Lazarus Prime in Black Lightning (2019).

Early life Michael Wright was born on April 30, 1956, in New York City. He graduated from the New Lincoln School.

Career By 1978, Wright had entered the professional stage.

Filmography The Wanderers (1979) as Clinton Streamers (1983) as Carlyle Lontano da dove (1983) as Sylvester V (1983) as Elias Taylor (2 episodes) V: The Final Battle (1984) as Elias Taylor (3 episodes) V: The Series (1984–1985) as Elias Taylor (11 episodes) The Laundromat (1985) as Shooter Stevens Miami Vice as the Savage (episode: "Duty and Honor") Bedtime Eyes (1987) as Spoon The Principal (1987) as Victor Duncan Private Times (1991) The 5 Heartbeats (1991) as Eddie King Jr. Sugar Hill (1994) as Raynathan "Ray" Skuggs New York Undercover (1996) as Rene Mazili The Cottonwood (1996) as Simon Z. Money Talks (1997) as Aaron Point Blank (1998) as Sonny Rage (1999) as "B-Boy" Piñero (2001) as Edgar Bowser Oz (2001–2003) as Omar White (22 episodes) Batman: Dark Tomorrow (2003) as Black Mask (voice) Downtown: A Street Tale (2004) as Rudy The Interpreter (2005) as Marcus Before I Self Destruct (2009) as First Victim Rel (2018) as Mr. Donaldson Black Lightning (2019) as Lazarus Prime (2 episodes) Dope King (2025) as Willie