Blair Underwood

Biography

Blair Underwood (born August 25, 1964) is an American television and film actor. He is perhaps best known as headstrong attorney Jonathan Rollins from the NBC legal drama L.A. Law, a role he portrayed for seven years. He has gained critical acclaim throughout his career, receiving numerous Golden Globe Award nominations, three NAACP Image Awards and 1 Grammy Award. His feature film debut was the 1985 movie Krush Groove. His 1985 appearance on The Cosby Show landed him a short stint on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, which eventually led to his performance on the TV series L.A. Law, where he appeared from 1987 to 1994. Underwood broke into film with roles in Just Cause (1995), Set It Off (1996) and Deep Impact (1998). He also had a supporting role as a geneticist in the film Gattaca. In 2000, he played the lead role in the short-lived television series City of Angels. In 2003, he guest starred in four episodes on the HBO series Sex and the City playing Cynthia Nixon's love interest. In 2004, he played the role of Roger De Souza opposite Heather Locklear in NBC's LAX. He gained acclaim as the sexy grade school teacher in the CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus for two years. In 2007, he guest starred in an episode of the NBC series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. His also had a role as recurring character Alex in the HBO series In Treatment. Also in 2007, Underwood co-authored the novel Casanegra: A Tennyson Hardwick Novel with husband-and-wife team Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due. He's also had recurring roles on Dirty Sexy Money, NBC's The Event, Ironside, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Quantico. He has received three NAACP Image Awards, for his film work in Rules of Engagement, and his television work in L.A. Law, City of Angels, Murder in Mississippi and Mama Flora's Family. He was voted one of People's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2000, and one of TV Guide's "Most Influential Faces of the 90s".

Known For

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

The Good Wife

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The Jennifer Hudson Show

Knight Rider

The View

Sex and the City

All Movies (60)

• One Spoon of Chocolate2026 · as Officer Beem
• Youngblood2026 · as Blane Youngblood
• Guardians of the Galapagos2025 · as Narrator (voice)
• Clinton: Portrait of a Presidency2024 · as Narrator (voice)
• Longlegs2024 · as Agent Carter
• Tigers on the Rise2024 · as Narrator (voice)
• Origin2023 · as Amari Selvan
• Black Patriots: Buffalo Soldiers2022 · as Narrator (voice)
• Bear Witness2022 · as Narrator (voice)
• Bad Hair2021 · as Amos Bludso
• A Soldier's Play2021 · as Captain Richard Davenport
• Really Love2020 · as Jerome Richmond
• Penguins: Life on the Edge2020 · as Narrator (voice)
• The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU2020 · as Self
• Juanita2019 · as Blair Underwood
• The After Party2018 · as Sgt. Martin Ellison
• Mr. SOUL!2018 · as Ellis Haizlip (voice)
• Olympic Pride, American Prejudice2016 · as Narrator (voice)
• Broken2016
• The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar2016 · as Makuu (voice)
• The Trip to Bountiful2014 · as Ludie Watts
• Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day2012 · as David Ames
• The Art of Getting By2011 · as Principal
• First Generation2011 · as Narrator (voice)
• Weather Girl2009 · as Fitz
• Setting it Straight: Making ‘Set it Off’2009 · as Self
• The Hit2007 · as Henry Alabaster
• Madea's Family Reunion2006 · as Carlos
• Something New2006 · as Mark Harper
• Covert One: The Hades Factor2006 · as Palmer Addison
• The Golden Blaze2005 · as Gregory Fletcher (voice)
• Do Geese See God2004 · as Man
• The Gristle2004 · as Self (uncredited)
• Malibu's Most Wanted2003 · as Tom Gibbsons
• Full Frontal2002 · as Calvin / Nicholas
• G2002 · as Chip Hightower
• Truth Be Told2002 · as Det. Harris
• Rules of Engagement2000 · as Capt. Lee
• The Wishing Tree1999 · as Thomas
• Asunder1998 · as Chance Williams
• Deep Impact1998 · as Mark Simon
• Gattaca1997 · as Geneticist
• Set It Off1996 · as Keith
• Mistrial1996 · as Lieutenant C. Hodges
• Soul of the Game1996 · as Jackie Robinson
• Just Cause1995 · as Bobby Earl Ferguson
• Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration1993 · as Self (segment "Monster in the Mirror")
• Posse1993 · as Carver
• Father & Son: Dangerous Relations1993 · as Jared Williams
• Voices That Care1991 · as Self - Choir Member
• Memorial: Letters from American Soldiers1991 · as Reader
• The Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry1991 · as Self
• Heat Wave1990 · as Bob Richardson
• Murder in Mississippi1990 · as James Chaney
• The Cover Girl and the Cop1989 · as Horace Bouchet
• Mickey's 60th Birthday1988 · as Jonathan Rollins
• Krush Groove1985 · as Russell Walker
• Viral—
• Don't Ever Wonder—
• The Listeners— · as Dr. Thomas Hale

All TV Shows (55)

• Three Women2024 · as Richard
• Elsbeth2024 · as Cliff McGrath
• Smothered2023
• The Jennifer Hudson Show2022 · as Self - Guest
• Your Honor2020 · as Roland Carter
• Love Life2020 · as Leon Hines
• Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker2020 · as Charles James Walker
• Tamron Hall2019 · as Self - Guest
• When They See Us2019 · as Bobby Burns
• American Crime Story2016 · as Vernon Jordan
• The Lion Guard2016 · as Makuu (voice)
• Quantico2015 · as Owen Hall
• Ironside2013 · as Robert Ironside
• Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.2013 · as Andrew Garner
• Thunder and Lightning2013 · as Black Lightning (voice)
• Celebrity Crime Files2012 · as Narrator (voice)
• スーパーマン @ Tokyo2012 · as Superman / Narrator (voice)
• Vietnam in HD2011 · as Charles Brown
• The Event2010 · as Elias Martinez
• Who Do You Think You Are?2010 · as Self
• The Good Wife2009 · as Harry Dargis
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
• In Treatment2008 · as Alex Prince
• Dirty Sexy Money2007 · as Simon Elder
• Covert One: The Hades Factor2006 · as Palmer Addison
• The New Adventures of Old Christine2006 · as Daniel Harris
• The Tyra Banks Show2005
• The Tony Danza Show2004 · as Self
• LAX2004 · as Roger De Souza
• Fatherhood2004
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show2003 · as Self
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self - Guest
• Half & Half2002 · as Blair Underwood
• City of Angels2000 · as Ben Turner
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit1999 · as Miles Sennet
• Mama Flora's Family1998 · as Willie
• Sex and the City1998 · as Dr. Robert Leeds
• The View1997 · as Self
• The Rosie O'Donnell Show1996 · as Self
• High Incident1996
• Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child1995 · as King Midas (voice)
• LIVE with Kelly and Mark1988 · as Self
• LIVE with Kelly and Mark1988 · as Self - Guest
• A Different World1987 · as Zelmer Collier
• 21 Jump Street1987 · as Reginald Brooks
• Downtown1986 · as Terry Corsaro
• L.A. Law1986 · as Jonathan Rollins
• The Cosby Show1984 · as Mark
• Aspel & Company1984
• Scarecrow and Mrs. King1983
• Knight Rider1982 · as Potts
• Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Presenter
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Nominee
• Golden Globe Awards1944 · as Self - Audience Member
• Company Town— · as Tom Wilson