Stephen McKinley Henderson

Stephen McKinley Henderson (born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. Henderson trained at Juilliard School for acting and later became a resident member of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis from 1976 to 1981. He came to prominence as a character actor often performing the plays of August Wilson. He has received nominations for two Tony Awards, a Drama Desk Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 2021 Vulture named Henderson as one of "The 32 Greatest Character Actors Working Today".

Henderson made his Broadway debut in Wilson's King Hedley II in 2001. He earned Tony Award nominations for his performances in Wilson's Fences in 2010 and Stephen Adly Guirgis's Between Riverside and Crazy in 2023. He acted in the Broadway revival of A Raisin in the Sun in 2014. He made his film debut in A Pleasure Doing Business (1979) and has appeared in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011), Lincoln (2012), Fences (2016), Manchester by the Sea (2016), Lady Bird (2017), Dune (2021), Causeway (2022), Beau Is Afraid (2023), and Civil War (2024).

His television debut came in 1984 in PBS's The Killing Floor. He has appeared in Law & Order (1995–2010), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2005–2006), The Newsroom (2013), The Blacklist (2018), Wu-Tang: An American Saga (2019–2020), Devs (2020), and A Man on the Inside (2024).

Early life and education Stephen McKinley Henderson was born on August 31, 1949, in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Ruby Naomi and Elihue Henderson.

He spent a year at Lincoln University, Missouri and was originally part of Group 1 at the Juilliard School Drama Division before he left. He finished his BFA in Acting at the North Carolina School of the Arts (1972). He later studied at Purdue University, where he received his Master of Arts in Theatre (1977). He spent summer sessions at Rose Bruford College in London and William Esper Studios in New York City. Henderson is included in the List of Purdue University alumni.

Career Stage Henderson won the 2015 Obie Award for Best Actor for his starring role of Walter "Pops" Washington in the Atlantic Theatre Company and Second Stage productions of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Between Riverside and Crazy. He portrayed Jim Bono in the 2010 Broadway revival of August Wilson's Fences, starring Denzel Washington, for which Henderson received a nomination for a Tony Award as a supporting actor, as well as the Richard Seff Award from Actor's Equity. He reprised the role in Washington's 2016 film adaptation.

On Broadway, he performed in Drowning Crow, the revival of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and the premiere of King Hedley II. Henderson is recognized as a veteran performer of August Wilson's oeuvre.

His signature August Wilson role is the gossipy Turnbo in Jitney, for which he won a Drama Desk Award as part of the ensemble. He had created the role in the 1996 premiere at the Pittsburgh Public Theater, then honed it in other regional theaters before its arrival Off-Broadway in 2000. Though it did not transfer to Broadway, he and the core of the cast took Jitney to London, where it won the 2002 Olivier Award for best new play. In addition, he appeared in A Raisin in the Sun and directed Zooman and the Sign.

In 2005 Henderson appeared as Pontius Pilate in the production of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman at the Public Theater. He appeared as Van Helsing in the Broadway production of Dracula, the Musical.

In 2023, he was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Lucille Lortel Awards ceremony.

Screen Henderson's films include his role as Cooper's husband in the TV film Marie (1985), Bobo in A Raisin in the Sun (1989), Arthur in Everyday People (2004), Lester in the film Tower Heist (2011), and White House servant William Slade in Steven Spielberg's film Lincoln (2012), along with roles in the films Keane (2004) and If You Could Say It in Words (2008).

In 2016, Henderson appeared in Kenneth Lonergan's film Manchester by the Sea. The following year, he played the role of Father Leviatch in Greta Gerwig's 2017 film Lady Bird, and in 2021 he appeared in Dune.

In addition to his films, Henderson was a series regular on the Fox series New Amsterdam, which premiered in early 2008. His other television work includes Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Newsroom, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, Third Watch, Blue Bloods, and Devs.

Personal life Henderson married Pamela Reed. They have a child together.

Filmography Film +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released

Television Year Title Role(s) Notes 1984 The Killing Floor James Cheeks Television film 1989 A Raisin in the Sun Bobo Television film 1995–2010 Law & Order Judge Marc Kramer 7 episodes 1995 New York News Sherman Wakes Episode: "Fun City" 2000 Third Watch Boudreaux Episode: "Know Thyself" 2001 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Abernathy Episode: "The Faithful" 2004 Everyday People Arthur Television film 2005–2006 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Judge Bernard 2 episodes 2006 Conviction Judge 2 episodes 2008 New Amsterdam Omar York Main cast, 8 episodes 2008 Brotherhood 2 episodes 2008 Tyler Perry's House of Payne Fred Jones Episode: Father's Day 2012 Blue Bloods Judge Harlan Haywood Episode: "Reagan V. Reagan" 2012 The Newsroom Solomon Hancock 3 episodes 2012 Elementary Groundskeeper Edison Episode: "One Way to Get Off" 2017 Survivor's Remorse Solomon Episode: "Future Plans" 2018 The Resident Darryl Phillips Episode: "The Elopement" 2018 The Blacklist Dr. Francis Woerner Episode: "Nicholas T. Moore (No. 110)" 2018 Strangers Billy Caldwell 2 episodes 2018 Fear the Walking Dead Clayton Episode: "Blackjack" 2019 Proven Innocent Judge Fry Episode: "Acceptable Losses" 2019–2021 Wu-Tang: An American Saga Uncle Hollis 3 episodes 2020 Devs Stewart Miniseries; 8 episodes 2020 Run John Episode: "Run" 2024 Extended Family Dr. Eldridge Davenport Episode: "The Consequences of Gaming" 2024–present A Man on the Inside Calbert Graham 17 episodes 2024 The Madness Isiah Miniseries

Theatre

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominee Result2000 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Ensemble Performance Jitney 2010 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play Fences 2015 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a PlayBetween Riverside and Crazy Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play 2016 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture Fences 2017 Lady Bird 2023 Tony Award Best Actor in a Play Between Riverside and Crazy Lucille Lortel Award Lifetime Achievement Award Drama Desk Award Harold Prince Lifetime Achievement Award