Billy Dee Williams

Known For: Acting
Born: April 6, 1937 in New York City, New York, USA
Active Years: 1953–2025 (73 Years)
Total Credits: 172 credits in database

Acting Born Apr 6, 1937 New York City, New York, USA 172 credits

Biography

William December Billy Dee Williams Jr. was born on April 6, 1937, in New York City, New York, United States. He is an American actor, voice actor, and artist with a known acting career consisting of 170 known credits on The Movie Database. Williams is best known for his role as Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars franchise, appearing in the early 1980s and later in The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, marking one of the longest intervals between onscreen portrayals of a character by the same actor in American film history.

Sources & verification Billy Dee Williams — The Movie Database (TMDB) How Archytele verifies pages

Career

Career overview

William December Billy Dee Williams Jr. was born on April 6, 1937, in New York City, New York, USA. He is an American actor, voice actor, and artist with a substantial career in the entertainment industry, holding 170 known acting credits listed on The Movie Database.

He is best known for his role as Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars franchise. He first played the character in the early 1980s and reprised the role nearly forty years later in The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. This return marked one of the longest intervals between onscreen portrayals of a character by the same actor in American film history.

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Frequent co-stars

Anthony Daniels 9 shared titles

Tom Kane 5 shared titles

Trevor Devall 5 shared titles

Eric Bauza 4 shared titles

Matt Sloan 4 shared titles

Carrie Fisher 4 shared titles

Michael Daingerfield 3 shared titles

Mark Hamill 3 shared titles

Kelly Marie Tran 3 shared titles

Harrison Ford 3 shared titles

Career timeline

2025

LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy - Pieces of the PastSTZ

2024

LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the GalaxyIcons Unearthed: Batman

2023

Clear Lines of Sight: Sidney J. Furie at Paramount

2022

LEGO Star Wars Summer VacationIs That Black Enough for You?!?

2021

And Just Like That…Stallone: Frank, That Is

2020

The Skywalker LegacyLEGO Star Wars Holiday Special

2019

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStar Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerScooby-Doo and Guess Who?Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge - Adventure Awaits

2018

Quincy

2017

The Lego Batman MovieDirty DancingI Am Not Your NegroBatman Is Just Not That Into YouMovie Sound Effects: How Do They Do That?

2016

LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker AdventuresLEGO Star Wars: The Resistance Rises

2015

The Late Show with Stephen ColbertLEGO Star Wars: Droid TalesThe Man in 3BStar Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal

2014

Star Wars RebelsThe Lego MovieThe Rebels

2013

LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles

2012

Key & PeeleThe High Fructose Adventures of Annoying OrangeComic Book Men

2011

The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll

2010

Barry MundayRobot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III3 Ways to Get a Husband

2009

Modern FamilyGleeWhite CollarCelebrity Ghost StoriesFanboys

2008

Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode IIiMurdersShadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight

2007

Private PracticeGeneral Hospital: Night ShiftConstellation

2006

Snoop Dogg's Hood of HorrorGiraffes Can't Dance

2005

Dancing with the StarsRobot ChickenThe BoondocksBring Back...Mind of Mencia

2004

LostEmpire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars TrilogyThe Maintenance ManWhen Star Wars Ruled the World

2003

NCISJimmy Kimmel Live!Jimmy Kimmel Live!Jimmy Kimmel Live!Epoch: Evolution

2002

Half & HalfStreet TimeUndercover BrotherIt's Black EntertainmentThe Last Place on Earth

2001

ScrubsGood NeighborThe Visit

2000

18 Wheels of JusticeThe Ladies ManFear Runs Silent

1999

The Contract

1998

That '70s ShowThe HughleysWooHard Time

1997

The ViewThe Fourth KingSteel SharksAfro PromoStar Wars: The Magic & the Mystery

1996

Mask of DeathMoving TargetThe Prince

Full Filmography

172 titles

LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy - Pieces of the Past (2025) as Landolorian (voice)
STZ (2025) as Broadcaster (voice)
LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy (2024) as Landolorian (voice)
Icons Unearthed: Batman (2024) as Self
Clear Lines of Sight: Sidney J. Furie at Paramount (2023) as Himself
LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation (2022) as Lando Calrissian (voice)
Is That Black Enough for You?!? (2022) as Self
And Just Like That… (2021) as Lawrence Todd
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Stallone: Frank, That Is (2021) as Self
The Skywalker Legacy (2020) as Self
LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special (2020) as Lando Calrissian (voice)
The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019) as Self
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) as Lando Calrissian
Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? (2019) as Billy Dee Williams (voice)
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge - Adventure Awaits (2019) as Self
Quincy (2018) as Self
The Lego Batman Movie (2017) as Two-Face (voice)
Dirty Dancing (2017) as Tito
I Am Not Your Negro (2017) as Self
Batman Is Just Not That Into You (2017) as Two-Face (voice)
Movie Sound Effects: How Do They Do That? (2017) as Two-Face (voice)
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures (2016) as Lando Calrissian (voice)
LEGO Star Wars: The Resistance Rises (2016) as Lando Calrissian (voice)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Self
LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales (2015) as Lando Calrissian (voice)
The Man in 3B (2015) as Cain
Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal (2015) as Lando Calrissian (voice)
Star Wars Rebels (2014) as Lando Calrissian (voice)
The Lego Movie (2014) as Lando (voice)
The Rebels (2014) as Coach Paysinger
LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles (2013) as Lindo Calrissian (voice)
Key & Peele (2012) as Billy Dee Williams
The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange (2012) as Sensei Carrot / Cucumber Referee (voice)
Comic Book Men (2012) as Self
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll (2011) as Ace Millstone
Barry Munday (2010) as Lonnie Green
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III (2010) as Lando Calrissian / Teacher (voice)
3 Ways to Get a Husband (2010) as William
Modern Family (2009) as Himself
Glee (2009) as Andy Collins
White Collar (2009) as Ford / Bradford Toman
Celebrity Ghost Stories (2009) as Self
Fanboys (2009) as Judge Reinhold
Titan Maximum (2009) as Adm. Bitchface (voice)
Diary of a Single Mom (2009) as Uncle Bo
Pitching Man: Satchel Paige Defying Time (2009) as Narrator
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II (2008) as Lando Calrissian / Man (voice)
iMurders (2008) as Robert Delgado
Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight (2008) as Self
Private Practice (2007) as Henry
General Hospital: Night Shift (2007)
Constellation (2007) as Helms Boxer
Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror (2006) as Pastor Charlie
Giraffes Can't Dance (2006)
Dancing with the Stars (2005) as Self - Contestant
Robot Chicken (2005) as Billy Dee Williams / Fudge Turnover (voice)
The Boondocks (2005) as Himself (voice)
Bring Back... (2005) as Self
Mind of Mencia (2005)
Black in the 80s (2005)
Merry F#%$in' Christmas (2005) as Self
Lost (2004) as Billy Dee Williams
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy (2004) as Self
The Maintenance Man (2004) as Melven
When Star Wars Ruled the World (2004) as Self
NCIS (2003) as Leroy Jethro Moore
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - Guest
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - National Unfriend Day Spokesperson
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - Commemorative Plate Spokesperson
Epoch: Evolution (2003) as Ferguson
Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa (2003) as Narrator
Half & Half (2002) as Otis 'Omar Funk' Wright
Street Time (2002) as Charles White
Undercover Brother (2002) as Gen. Warren Boutwell
It's Black Entertainment (2002) as Self
The Last Place on Earth (2002) as Dr. Davis
Scrubs (2001) as Billy Dee Williams
Good Neighbor (2001) as Sgt. Paul Davidson
The Visit (2001) as Henry
18 Wheels of Justice (2000) as Burton Hardesty
The Ladies Man (2000) as Lester
Fear Runs Silent (2000) as Sheriff Hammond
The Contract (1999) as Senator Harmon
That '70s Show (1998) as Pastor Dan
The Hughleys (1998) as Jerry Rose
Woo (1998) as Himself
Hard Time (1998) as Leo Barker
The View (1997) as Self
The Fourth King (1997) as Gasparre
Steel Sharks (1997) as Adm. Jim Perry
Afro Promo (1997) as Self (archive footage)
Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery (1997) as Self
Mask of Death (1996) as Agent Jeffries
Moving Target (1996) as Detective Don Racine
The Prince (1996)
Falling For You (1995) as Lieutenant Frank Lazaro
Triplecross (1995) as Agent Oscar Pierce
Lonesome Dove: The Series (1994)
Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) as Self - Guest
Percy & Thunder (1993) as Ralph Tate
Alien Intruder (1993) as Commander Skyler
Marked for Murder (1993) as Capt. Jack Reilly
Message from Nam (1993) as Felix
Martin (1992) as Billy Dee Williams
The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992) as Berry Gordy
Giant Steps (1992) as Slate Thompson
Voices That Care (1991) as Self - Choir Member
Driving Me Crazy (1991) as Max
In Living Color (1990)
Dangerous Passion (1990) as Lou
Secret Agent 00 Soul (1990) as Secret Agent Zero
Batman (1989) as Harvey Dent
The Return of Desperado (1988) as Daniel Lancaster
A Different World (1987) as Langston Paige
Wiseguy (1987)
Deadly Illusion (1987) as Hamberger
Number One with a Bullet (1987) as Det. Hazeltine
Courage (1986) as Bobby Jay
Looney Tunes 50th Anniversary (1986) as Self
Oceans of Fire (1986) as Jim McKinley
The Right of the People (1986) as Mike Trainor
North and South (1985) as Francis Cardozo
Night of 100 Stars II (1985) as Self
Double Dare (1985) as Billy Diamond
Marvin & Tige (1985) as Richard Davis
Fear City (1984) as Al Wheeler
The Impostor (1984) as Matthew Raines
Time Bomb (1984) as Jake Calahan
Return of the Jedi (1983) as Lando Calrissian
Chiefs (1983) as Tyler Watts
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1983) as Self
Shooting Stars (1983) as Douglas Hawk
Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi (1983) as Narrator (voice) / Self
Late Night with David Letterman (1982) as Self - Guest
Dynasty (1981) as Brady Lloyd
Nighthawks (1981) as Matthew Fox
The Empire Strikes Back (1980) as Lando Calrissian
The Hostage Tower (1980) as Clarence Whitlock
SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) as Lando Calrissian (archive footage)
Children of Divorce (1980) as Walter Williams
Christmas Lilies of the Field (1979) as Homer Smith
Scott Joplin (1977) as Scott Joplin
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976) as Bingo
The Jeffersons (1975)
Carter's Army (1975) as Pvt. Lewis
Mahogany (1975) as Brian
Dinah! (1974) as Self
The Conversation (1974) as Man in Yellow Hat (uncredited)
The Take (1974) as Sneed
The American Film Institute Salute to ... (1973) as Self
Hit! (1973) as Nick Allen
Lady Sings the Blues (1972) as Louis McKay
The Final Comedown (1972) as Johnny Johnson
The Glass House (1972) as Lennox
Brian's Song (1971) as Gale Sayers
The Out-of-Towners (1970) as Clifford Robinson, Lost & Found Clerk
Lost Flight (1970) as Merle Barnaby
The New People (1969)
The Mod Squad (1968)
Coronet Blue (1967) as The Second Technician
Mission: Impossible (1966) as Hank Benton
The F.B.I. (1965) as Edward Tobin
The F.B.I. (1965) as Nate Phelps
The F.B.I. (1965) as James Borden
The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
The Defenders (1961) as Private Austin George
The Last Angry Man (1959) as Josh Quincy
Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Performer
The Oscars (1953) as Self
Dark Empire as Lando Calrissian
Star Wars Detours as Lando Calrissian (voice)
Brown Sugar as Host - Narrator

Frequently Asked Questions

What movies or TV shows is Billy Dee Williams best known for?

Billy Dee Williams is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy (2024), LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation (2022), And Just Like That… (2021), Stallone: Frank, That Is (2021).

When and where was Billy Dee Williams born?

Billy Dee Williams was born on April 6, 1937 in New York City, New York, USA.

How many credits does Billy Dee Williams have?

Billy Dee Williams has accumulated over 172 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1953 to 2025.

What is Billy Dee Williams's background in cinema and television?