Roy Shuler
Biography
Born and raised in the village of Harlem, Roy's love for storytelling began as a child when his family purchased Stevie Wonder's magnum opus 'Songs in the Key of Life.' Moved by the lyrics and messages of its songs, it prompted a deep love for the power of words that first revealed itself in a desire to develop and hone skills as a public speaker. It was those skills that he leveraged to become an actor before eventually seeking training.
Roy's acting career began in 2007 at age 42 with a non-descriptive role in a regional commercial for a health care provider. Six months later, he was cast as a principal in a spot for 1 800 J LAW, a very popular commercial that ran for several years, primarily in the Northeast region of United States. In 2012, he was cast in his first community theatre role and has been cast in several lead roles since then. In early 2015 while working as a background actor on the former ABC show 'Forever,' he was literally plucked from holding and re-cast as the body double and stand-in for guest star and Oscar winning actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. Instantly eligible to join SAG-AFTRA, he spent several more years learning his craft via training, more theatre roles, and as a background actor on dozens of network TV shows. Shortly after joining SAG-AFTRA in early 2020, he earned his first Network costar credit. About a year later, he booked his first SAG-AFTRA commercials.
He lists nonpareil vocalists Sam Cooke and Frank Sinatra as acting influences.
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Full filmography
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) as Jasper Neely
- Power Book III: Raising Kanan (2021) as Dog's Owner
- Forensic Files (1996) as Suspect (uncredited)
- Forensic Files (1996) as Bearded Man at Andre Edwards House (uncredited)
- Forensic Files (1996) as Detective (uncredited)
- Forensic Files (1996) as Wilson Saintil
- Godfather of Harlem (2019) as Jackie Henderson
- Dexter: Resurrection (2025) as Warden
- On the Case with Paula Zahn (2009) as Vernon
- Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens (2020) as Manager
- American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez (2024) as Bad News Administrator
- Murphy Brown (2018) as White House Reporter Fred (uncredited)
- A Crime to Remember (2013) as Gene
- Game Theory with Bomani Jones (2022) as Barber
- Crest Fallen (2015) as George
- Billboard (2019) as Mayor
- Color of His Eyes (2021) as James
- Trust (2018) as Father
- Casual Encounter (2022) as George
- Swing (2016) as Chain Gang Leader
- Hiding Place (2023) as Rod
- The Runner as Terry
- September 3rd (2021) as Greg Washington