Obba Babatundé
Biography
Obba Babatundé is an American actor of stage and screen born on December 1, 1951, in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. Known for his work in movies and television shows, his known acting credits total 123. He earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in the television movie Miss Evers Boys and received a NAACP Image Award nomination for his performance in the television movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. Additionally, he earned a Tony Award nomination for his role as C.C. White in the original cast of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls. He was a protege of Sammy Davis, Junior, and is also known under the names Obba Babatundè and Obba Babatun.
Career overview
Obba Babatundé is an American actor of stage and screen born on December 1, 1951, in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. Known for his work in both television and theatre, Babatundé earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in the television movie Miss Evers' Boys and an NAACP Image Award nomination for his performance in the television movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. On stage, he received a Tony Award nomination for originating the role of C.C. White in the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls.
In addition to his acting credentials, Babatundé was a protege of Sammy Davis, Jr. Davis remarked that Babatundé was the only person capable of doing everything he could do. Babatundé's skill set encompasses dancing, singing, playing instruments, and performing impersonations, which includes his portrayal of Davis, a performance aided by their similarities in energy, size, and talent. His abilities also extend to tap dancing and performing on multiple instruments.
With a career spanning numerous credits on stage and screen, Babatundé maintains a recognized profile in the entertainment industry. The actor's extensive professional background includes notable stage work and television projects, establishing him as a versatile performer across multiple mediums.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
127 titles- Love the Skin You're In (2025) as Arnold
- Run (2025) as President
- The Christmas Showdown (2025) as Jesse
- Wrong Place, Wrong Time (2025) as Captain Green
- Mississippi Scholar (2024) as Reginald
- Mississippi Scholar (2024) Writer
- Noble Intentions (2023) as Pastor Stevens
- Noble Intentions (2023) Writers' Assistant
- The Millennial (2022) as Mr. Burke
- All The Men In My Life (2022) as Simon Helms
- Little Fires Everywhere (2020) as George Wright
- Kiss Me for Christmas (2020) as Mr. Porter
- Trigger (2020) as Chief Keaton
- For the People (2018) as Philip Kaws
- Jingle Belle (2018) as Charles Williams
- City of Lies (2018) as Chief of Police
- Revival! (2018) as Nicodemus
- Forever (2018) as Gregory
- Kinky (2018) as Mr. Bernard
- S.W.A.T. (2017) as Daniel Harrelson, Sr.
- The Good Fight (2017) as Danny Quinn
- Detroiters (2017) as Mr. Duvet
- Dear White People (2017) as Dean Fairbanks
- 'Til Death Do Us Part (2017) as John Harris
- Pup Star: Better 2Gether (2017) as Big Ears (voice)
- Goliath (2016) as Ivan Tillinger
- The Watcher (2016) as Stark
- Pup Star (2016) as Big Ears (voice)
- Chicago Med (2015) as Dr. James Coleman
- Ballers (2015) as J.D. Pritchard
- Death's Door (2015) as Mesmer
- American Bad Boy (2015) as Pastor Lovely
- American Bad Boy (2015) Director
- If I Tell You I Have to Kill You (2015) as Jonathan Black
- If I Tell You I Have to Kill You (2015) Executive Producer
- Madam Secretary (2014) as President Silvanus Fabre
- Kingdom (2014) as Detective Gaines
- Enlisted (2014) as General Murray
- Lap Dance (2014) as Roscoe
- Dolls of Voodoo (2013) as Iklif
- Angels Around Me (2013) Additional Writing
- Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups (2012) as Mayor Denny
- Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire (2012) as Vampire Actor #4 (voice)
- The Last Fall (2012) as Larry Armstrong
- All Star Superman (2011) as Judge / Bibliobot (voice)
- Trapped: Haitian Nights (2011) as Ikliff
- The Trap Door (2011) as Mesmer
- Joy Road (2011) as Dr. Howard Perkins
- Black Dynamite (2009) as Osiris
- Why Am I Doing This? (2009) as Cliff
- I Do... I Did! (2009) as Mr. Johnson
- The Eye (2008) as Dr. Haskins
- Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History (2008) as Self
- Private Practice (2007) as Dr. Larry Cannon
- Saving Grace (2007) as Doc
- Cover (2007) as Attorney Miller
- King: Man of Peace in a Time of War (2007) as Narrator
- April Fools (2007) as Detective Combs
- Psych (2006) as David Gaffney
- Material Girls (2006) as Craig
- The Celestine Prophecy (2006) as Miguel
- Grey's Anatomy (2005) as Dan Gates
- Boston Legal (2004) as Dr. Victor Rivers
- The Notebook (2004) as Band Leader
- The Manchurian Candidate (2004) as Senator Wells
- After the Sunset (2004) as Zacharias
- Kangaroo Jack: G'Day, U.S.A.! (2004) as Chief Ankamuti (voice)
- TV in Black: The First Fifty Years (2004) as Self
- NCIS (2003) as Joe Banks
- Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty (2003) as Host
- Oscar's Black Odyssey: From Hattie to Halle (2003) Director
- Everwood (2002) as Jason
- John Q (2002) as Sgt. Moody
- The Wild Thornberrys Movie (2002) as Boko (voice)
- Redeemer (2002) as Charles Henderson
- How High (2001) as Dean Carl Cain
- The Visit (2001) as Tony
- One Special Moment (2001)
- Girlfriends (2000) as Attendant
- Static Shock (2000) as Watch Store Salesman (voice)
- Static Shock (2000) as Singer (voice)
- Max Steel (2000) as (voice)
- Family Law (1999) as Philip Hamilton
- Life (1999) as Willie Long
- The Apartment Complex (1999) as Chett
- Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999) as Harold Nicholas
- Dawson's Creek (1998) as Howard Green
- The Temptations (1998) as Berry Gordy
- Spy Game (1997) as Lieutenant Wardell
- Miss Evers' Boys (1997) as Willie Johnson
- That Thing You Do! (1996) as Lamarr
- Multiplicity (1996) as Paul
- The Cherokee Kid (1996) as Isom Dart
- Soul of the Game (1996) as Cum Posey
- The Tomorrow Man (1996) as Brian Parish
- Carpool (1996) as Jeffery
- Sliders (1995) as Cezanne Brown
- The Outer Limits (1995) as Dr. Joseph Lennox
- The Net (1995) as FBI Agent
- Born to Be Wild (1995) as Interpreter
- Fatal Pursuit (1995) as Trinidad
- A Reason to Believe (1995) as Prof. Thurman
- Friends (1994) as Director
- Chicago Hope (1994) as Charles Ellis
- Touched by an Angel (1994) as Carter Evans
- M.A.N.T.I.S. (1994) as Cornell
- The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993) as Mongoose
- Philadelphia (1993) as Jerome Green
- Necronomicon (1993) as Paul
- Undercover Blues (1993) as Sawyer
- Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1992) as Jameson Walker
- The Human Factor (1992)
- The Importance of Being Earnest (1992) as Lane
- The Silence of the Lambs (1991) as TV Anchor Man
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990) as Gordy Berry
- Miami Blues (1990) as Blink Willie
- Tales from the Crypt (1989) as Lieutenant Jamison
- Married to the Mob (1988) as The Face of Justice
- God Bless the Child (1988) as Raymond Watkins
- A Different World (1987) as Frank Benning
- Leonard Part 6 (1987) as Bongo Drummer
- Matlock (1986) as Backstage Man
- Treemonisha (1982) as Zodzetrick
- An Evening with Liza Minnelli (1980) as Self - Dancer
- Baryshnikov on Broadway (1980) as Dancer
- People Not Places
- Start Without Me as Leo
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Obba Babatundé best known for?
Obba Babatundé is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Little Fires Everywhere (2020), For the People (2018), Jingle Belle (2018), City of Lies (2018).
When and where was Obba Babatundé born?
Obba Babatundé was born on December 1, 1951 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA.
How many credits does Obba Babatundé have?
Obba Babatundé has accumulated over 127 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1980 to 2025.
What is Obba Babatundé's background in cinema and television?
Obba Babatundé is an American actor of stage and screen born on December 1, 1951, in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. Known for his work in movies and television shows, his known acting credits total 123. He earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in the television movie Miss Evers Boys and received a NAACP ...