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IMDbPro

Laurence Fishburne

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000200
Laurence Fishburne
Take a closer look at the various roles Laurence Fishburne has played throughout his acting career.
Play clip1:38
Laurence Fishburne: Movie & TV Moments
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99+ Photos
Critically hailed for his forceful, militant, authoritative figures and one of Hollywood's most talented and versatile performers, Laurence (John) Fishburne III has been the recipient of numerous awards, including a number of NAACP Image honors.

Born in Augusta, Georgia on July 30, 1961, to Hattie Bell (Crawford), a teacher, and Laurence John Fishburne, Jr., a juvenile corrections officer. His mother transplanted her family to Brooklyn after his parents divorced. At the age of 10, the young boy appeared in his first play, "In My Many Names and Days," at a cramped little theater space in Manhattan. He continued on but managed to avoid the trappings of a child star per se, considering himself more a working child actor at the time. Billing himself as Larry Fishburne during this early phase, he never studied or was trained in the technique of acting.

In 1973, at the age of 12, young Laurence won a recurring role on the daytime soap Liebe, Lüge, Leidenschaft (1968) that lasted three seasons. He subsequently made his film debut in the ghetto-themed Cornbread, Earl and Me (1975). At 14 Francis Ford Coppola cast him in Apocalypse Now (1979), which filmed for two years in the Philippines. Laurence didn't work for another year and a half after that long episode. A graduate of Lincoln Square Academy, Coppola was impressed enough with Laurence to hire him again down the line with featured roles in Rumble Fish (1983), Cotton Club (1984) and Der Steinerne Garten (1987).

Throughout the 1980s, he continued to build up his film and TV credit list with featured roles despite little fanfare. A recurring role as Cowboy Curtis on the kiddie show Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986) helped him through whatever lean patches there were at the time. TV guest appearances at this time included "Trapper John," "M*A*S*H*," "Hill Street Blues," "Miami Vice," "Spenser: For Hire" and "The Equalizer."

With the new decade (1990s) came out-and-out stardom for Laurence. A choice lead in John Singleton's urban tale Boyz n the Hood - Jungs im Viertel (1991) catapulted him immediately into the front of the film ranks. Set in LA's turbulent South Central area, his potent role as a morally minded divorced father who strives to rise above the ignorance and violence of his surroundings, Laurence showed true command and the ability to hold up any film.

On stage, Laurence would become invariably linked to playwright August Wilson and his 20th Century epic African-American experience after starring for two years as the eruptive ex-con in "Two Training Running." For this powerful, mesmerizing performance, Laurence won nearly every prestigious theater award in the books (Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Theatre World). It was around the time of this career hallmark that he began billing himself as "Laurence" instead of "Larry." More awards and accolades came his way. In addition to an Emmy for the pilot episode of the series "Tribeca," he was nominated for his fine work in the quality mini-movies Die Ehre zu fliegen - Tuskegee Airmen (1995) and Miss Evers' Boys - Die Gerechtigkeit siegt (1997).

On the larger screen, both Laurence and Angela Bassett were given Oscar nominations for their raw, seething portrayals of rock stars Ike and Tina Turner in the film What's Love Got to Do with It? (1993). To his credit, he managed to take an extremely repellent character and make it a sobering and captivating experience. A pulp box-office favorite as well, he originated the role of Morpheus, Keanu Reeves' mentor, in the exceedingly popular futuristic sci-fi Matrix (1999), best known for its ground-breaking special effects. He wisely returned for its back-to-back sequels.

Into the millennium, Laurence extended his talents by making his screenwriting and directorial debut in Mit aller Härte (2000), in which he also starred. The film is based on his own critically acclaimed play "Riff Raff," which he staged five years earlier. In 1999, he scored a major theater triumph with a multi-racial version of "The Lion in Winter" as Henry II opposite Stockard Channing's Eleanor of Acquitaine. On film, Fishburne has appeared in a variety of interesting roles in not-always-successful films. Never less than compelling, a few of his more notable parts include an urban speed chess player in Das Königsspiel (1993); a military prisoner in Ein fremder Klang (1990); a college professor in Singleton's Die Rebellen (1995); a CIA operative in Bad Company (1995); the title role in Othello (1995) (he was the first black actor to play the part on film); a spaceship rescue team leader in the sci-fi horror Event Horizon - Am Rande des Universums (1997); a Depression-era gangster in Hoodlum (1997); a dogged police sergeant in Clint Eastwood's Mystic River (2003); a spelling bee coach in Akeelah ist die Größte (2006); and prominent roles in the mainstream films Predators (2010) and Contagion (2011). He returned occasionally to the theatre. In April 2008, he played Thurgood Marshall in the one-man show "Thurgood" and won a Drama Desk Award. It was later transferred to the TV screen and earned an Emmy nomination.

In the fall of 2008, Fishburne replaced William Petersen as the male lead investigator on the popular CBS drama CSI: Vegas (2000), but left the show in 2011 to refocus on films and was in turn replaced by Ted Danson. Having since had a regular role as "Pops" in the comedy Black-ish (2014), he has also been seen on the bigger screen in the Superman movies Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) as Daily Planet chief Perry White; played a hired assassin in the thriller Standoff - Die einzige Zeugin (2016); portrayed a minister and former Vietnam War vet in Last Flag Flying (2017); and essayed the role of a revengeful prison warden in Imprisoned (2018).

Fishburne has two children, Langston and Montana, from his first marriage to actress Hajna O. Moss. In September 2002, Fishburne married Cuban-American actress Gina Torres.
BornJuly 30, 1961
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornJuly 30, 1961
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000200
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 28 wins & 78 nominations total

    Before They Were Famous: Actors' Early Roles

    Before They Were Famous: Actors' Early Roles

    See photos of celebrities before they hit the big-time, and revisit some of their earliest onscreen roles.
    See the gallery
    Production art
    Photos

    Photos843

    Laurence Fishburne, Ed O'Neill, and Jacki Weaver in Clipped (2024)
    Laurence Fishburne, George Eads, and Katee Sackhoff in CSI: Vegas (2000)
    Laurence Fishburne and Katee Sackhoff in CSI: Vegas (2000)
    Laurence Fishburne in The School for Good and Evil (2022)
    Laurence Fishburne in Der Anruf (2022)
    Laurence Fishburne in Matrix (1999)
    Laurence Fishburne in Matrix Reloaded (2003)
    Laurence Fishburne in Jenseits der weißen Linie (1992)
    Laurence Fishburne in Jenseits der weißen Linie (1992)
    Jeff Goldblum and Laurence Fishburne in Jenseits der weißen Linie (1992)
    Laurence Fishburne and Charles Martin Smith in Jenseits der weißen Linie (1992)
    Jeff Goldblum and Laurence Fishburne in Jenseits der weißen Linie (1992)

    Known for

    Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss in Matrix (1999)
    Matrix
    8.7
    • Morpheus
    • 1999
    Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss in Matrix Reloaded (2003)
    Matrix Reloaded
    7.2
    • Morpheus
    • 2003
    Jude Law, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, and Marion Cotillard in Contagion (2011)
    Contagion
    6.8
    • Dr. Ellis Cheever
    • 2011
    Kevin Bacon, Tim Robbins, and Sean Penn in Mystic River (2003)
    Mystic River
    7.9
    • Whitey Powers
    • 2003

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Actor

    • The Witcher
      • Regis
      • Released
      • TV Series
      • 2019
    • Megalopolis
      • Completed
      • 2024
    • Clipped
      • Doc Rivers
      • Pre-production
      • TV Mini Series
      • 2024
    • Slingshot
      • Captain Franks
      • Post-production
      • 2024
    • Transformers One
      • Alpha Trion (voice)
      • Post-production
      • 2024
    • Sneaks
      • The Collector (voice)
      • In Production
      • 2024
    • Amateur
      • In Production
      • 2025
    • Rendlesham
      • Pre-production
      • TV Movie
    • Blacksmith
      • Mather
      • Pre-production
    • The Little Bedroom
      • Pre-production
    • Fred Tatasciore, Libe Barer, and Diamond White in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (2023)
      Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
      7.7
      TV Series
      • The Beyonder
      • Beyonder
      • Foster (voice) ...
      • 2023–2024
    • What If...? (2021)
      What If...?
      7.4
      TV Series
      • Dr. Bill Foster
      • Goliath (voice)
      • 2023
    • Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Kapitel 4 (2023)
      John Wick: Kapitel 4
      7.7
      • Bowery King
      • 2023
    • Radio Play Revival (2021)
      Radio Play Revival
      Podcast Series
      • The Narrator
      • 2023
    • Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington, Sophia Anne Caruso, and Sofia Wylie in The School for Good and Evil (2022)
      The School for Good and Evil
      5.9
      • School Master
      • 2022
    • The Prophecy (2022)
      The Prophecy
      7.1
      Podcast Series
      • Agent Scott Thomas
      • 2022
    • Laurence Fishburne, Anthony Anderson, Jenifer Lewis, Tracee Ellis Ross, Yara Shahidi, Marcus Scribner, Miles Brown, and Marsai Martin in Black-ish (2014)
      Black-ish
      7.3
      TV Series
      • Pops
      • James
      • James Earl Jones ...
      • 2014–2022
    • Laurence Fishburne, Jonathan Pryce, Thandiwe Newton, and Chris Pine in Der Anruf (2022)
      Der Anruf
      6.1
      • Vick Wallinger
      • 2022
    • Grown-ish (2018)
      Grown-ish
      6.5
      TV Series
      • Pops
      • 2019–2022
    • Death to 2021 (2021)
      Death to 2021
      6.3
      TV Special
      • Narrator (voice)
      • 2021
    • Ryan Phillippe, Will Forte, and Kristen Wiig in MacGruber (2021)
      MacGruber
      7.1
      TV Series
      • Barrett Fasoose
      • 2021
    • Liam Neeson in The Ice Road (2021)
      The Ice Road
      5.6
      • Jim Goldenrod
      • 2021
    • Laurence Fishburne, Carter Redwood, Milo Gibson, Adrian Favela, Acoryé White, and Germain Arroyo in Under the Stadium Lights (2021)
      Under the Stadium Lights
      3.9
      • Harold Christian
      • 2021
    • Death to 2020 (2020)
      Death to 2020
      6.8
      TV Special
      • Narrator (voice)
      • 2020
    • Laurence Fishburne and Stephan James in #Freerayshawn (2020)
      #Freerayshawn
      6.6
      TV Series
      • Lt. Steven Poincy
      • 2020

    Producer

    • Sneaks
      • producer
      • In Production
      • 2024
    • Rendlesham
      • executive producer
      • Pre-production
      • TV Movie
    • The Astronaut
      • executive producer
      • Post-production
    • Laurence Fishburne in History's Greatest Mysteries (2020)
      History's Greatest Mysteries
      6.8
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2021–2023
    • Fred Tatasciore, Libe Barer, and Diamond White in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (2023)
      Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
      7.7
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2023
    • Grown-ish (2018)
      Grown-ish
      6.5
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2018–2023
    • Jason Wilson in The Cave of Adullam (2022)
      The Cave of Adullam
      8.8
      • executive producer
      • producer
      • 2022
    • Laurence Fishburne, Anthony Anderson, Jenifer Lewis, Tracee Ellis Ross, Yara Shahidi, Marcus Scribner, Miles Brown, and Marsai Martin in Black-ish (2014)
      Black-ish
      7.3
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2014–2022
    • Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Gary Cole, Tracee Ellis Ross, Christina Anthony, Tika Sumpter, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Arica Himmel, and Ethan William Childress in Mixed-ish (2019)
      Mixed-ish
      6.9
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2019–2021
    • Bronzeville (2017)
      Bronzeville
      8.5
      Podcast Series
      • executive producer
      • 2017–2021
    • Der verschneite Tag (2016)
      Der verschneite Tag
      7.4
      TV Short
      • executive producer
      • 2016
    • Laurence Fishburne and Thomas Jane in Standoff - Die einzige Zeugin (2016)
      Standoff - Die einzige Zeugin
      6.1
      • executive producer
      • 2016
    • Black Water Transit (2009)
      Black Water Transit
      6.9
      • executive producer
      • 2009
    • Five Fingers (2006)
      Five Fingers
      6.3
      • producer
      • 2006
    • Keke Palmer in Akeelah ist die Größte (2006)
      Akeelah ist die Größte
      7.4
      • producer
      • 2006
    • Laurence Fishburne, Annabella Sciorra, Eamonn Walker, and Titus Welliver in Mit aller Härte (2000)
      Mit aller Härte
      5.2
      • producer
      • 2000
    • Mit dem Rücken an der Wand (1998)
      Mit dem Rücken an der Wand
      7.2
      TV Movie
      • executive producer
      • 1998
    • Laurence Fishburne, Andy Garcia, and Tim Roth in Hoodlum (1997)
      Hoodlum
      6.3
      • executive producer
      • 1997

    Director

    • Bronzeville (2017)
      Bronzeville
      8.5
      Podcast Series
      • Director
      • 2017–2021
    • Laurence Fishburne, Annabella Sciorra, Eamonn Walker, and Titus Welliver in Mit aller Härte (2000)
      Mit aller Härte
      5.2
      • Director
      • 2000
    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Videos192

    Keanu Reeves and Cast Dive Deep on the Many Suits and Nicknames of 'John Wick'
    Clip 3:29
    Keanu Reeves and Cast Dive Deep on the Many Suits and Nicknames of 'John Wick'
    Laurence Fishburne: Movie & TV Moments
    Clip 1:38
    Laurence Fishburne: Movie & TV Moments
    Standoff
    Clip 0:43
    Standoff
    Predators
    Clip 1:00
    Predators
    Predators
    Clip 1:02
    Predators
    Predators
    Clip 1:01
    Predators
    Predators
    Clip 1:02
    Predators
    Armored
    Clip 1:11
    Armored
    Armored
    Clip 0:59
    Armored
    Armored
    Clip 0:57
    Armored
    Armored
    Clip 0:51
    Armored
    Event Horizon
    Clip 1:14
    Event Horizon

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Alternative names
      • Larry Fishbourne
    • Height
      • 1.84 m
    • Born
      • July 30, 1961
      • Augusta, Georgia, USA
    • Spouses
        Gina TorresSeptember 22, 2002 - May 11, 2018 (divorced, 1 child)
    • Children
        Montana Fishburne
    • Parents
        Hattie Bell Crawford
    • Other works
      (10/18-12/3/1995) Stage: Appeared (as Riff Raff") in original comedy; written and directed by Laurence Fishburne, fight direction by Rick Sordelet; with Heavy D (as Heavy D.) (portraying Tony); Laurence Fishburne (portraying Mike "20/20" Leon); and Titus Welliver (portraying Billy "Torch" Murphy); produced Off-Broadway by the Circle Repertory Company at the Circle in the Square Downtown Theatre, New York City.
    • Publicity listings
      • 7 Interviews
      • 14 Articles
      • 2 Pictorials
      • 8 Magazine Cover Photos

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Was 14 years old when he was cast in Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979); he had celebrated his 15th and 16th birthdays during the making of the film. Saved Emilio Estevez from being sucked under by quicksand, while they were relaxing off the set.
    • Quotes
      For the last six months, people have been coming up to me and saying, "I loved you in Pulp Fiction (1994), Mr. Jackson". [1996]
    • Trademarks
        Deep authoritative voice in many of his roles, most often delivering psychological Shakespearian speech
    • Nicknames
      • Fish
      • Larry
    • Salaries
        Hannibal
        (2013)
        $175,000 per episode (2013-2014)

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