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Afemo Omilami

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American actor
Afemo Omilami
Born (1950-12-13) December 13, 1950 (age 74)
Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1979–present
Spouse Elisabeth Williams ​(m. 1985)
Children2

Afemo Omilami (born December 13, 1950) is an American actor.

Early life

Omilami was born in Petersburg, Virginia on December 13, 1950. Afemo has not made any public reference to his paternal background, however his name has ties to the Yoruba community in Nigeria.

Career

He has appeared in many films such as Trading Places (1983), Glory (1989), The Firm (1993), Gordy (1995), Remember the Titans (2000), Ray (2004), Hounddog (2007), The Blind Side (2009), and Terminator Genisys (2015). He is perhaps best known for his role as the Drill Sergeant in Forrest Gump (1994). He had a recurring role as the streetwise Jimmy Dawes in In the Heat of the Night from 1989 to 1993. He was nominated for a 2013 NAACP Image Award in the category "Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special" for his performance in Lifetime's Steel Magnolias as Drum Eatenton.

He also appeared in guest roles in television series Miami Vice, Fortune Hunter, New York News, The Shield, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders and Raising Dion.

Personal life

He married his wife Elisabeth (née Williams) on September 11, 1985. She is an actress, minister, and a civil rights leader. They have two children: son Awodele and daughter Juanita.

His longtime friend was actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd. After Byrd was killed, Omilami described Byrd as a "devoted father and husband and a master of his craft".

Filmography

Film/Movie

Year Title Role Notes
1979 Freedom Road Young Black Man with Scars TV movie
1983 Rage of Angels Vet #1 TV movie
Trading Places Longshoreman
1986 The Money Pit Bernie
1989 Glory Tall Contraband
1990 Murder in Mississippi Bob Moses TV movie
Caroline? Taxi Driver TV movie
The Long Walk Home Taxi Driver
Web of Deceit Bailiff TV movie
1991 In the Line of Duty: Manhunt in the Dakotas Prison Guard TV movie
White Lie Bartender TV movie
1993 Sankofa Noble Ali
The Firm Cotton Truck Driver
The Real McCoy Cab Dispatcher
1994 Forrest Gump Drill Sergeant
A Simple Twist of Fate Bailiff
Drop Squad Berl "Flip" Mangum
The War Quarry Man
Gordy Krugman
1997 The Witchcatcher Duncan TV movie
1999 Funny Valentines Ephraim Lee
Forces of Nature Cab Driver
The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn Noah's Father TV movie
Chill Factor Courtroom Colonel
Wayward Son Horace
Bringing Out The Dead Griss
2000 Animal Factory Captain Midnight
Tigerland SFC Ezra Landers
Remember the Titans Charles Campbell
The Runaway Jule Monroe TV movie
2001 Tara Attorney Video
Rustin Mel Jones
2002 The Rosa Parks Story - TV movie
Drumline President Wagner
I'm with Lucy Cab Driver #1
Sweet Home Alabama Jimmy Lee
Nowhere Road -
Baby of the Family -
2003 Runaway Jury SUV Driver
Cold Mountain Joshua
2004 The Alamo Sam
Ray Angry Husband
2006 Glory Road Mr. Flournoy
Madea's Family Reunion Isaac, Sr.
Heavens Fall Leonard George
Idlewild Walter
2007 Hounddog Charles
The Reaping Haman
The List A.L. Jenkins
2008 B.A.M. The Man Short
2009 The Blind Side CPS Caseworker
2010 Bloodworth Sheriff Bellweather
Blood Done Sign My Name Golden Frinks
Beneath the Dark The Man
2012 Steel Magnolias Drum Eatenton TV movie
2013 G.I. Joe: Retaliation Chairman Joint Chief of Staff
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire District 11 Mayor
2014 The Good Lie Dr. Monyang
2015 The Next Day Roy Short
Terminator Genisys Perry
Sick People Dr. Johnson
2016 The Founder Mr. Merriman
Hidden Figures Man Outside Store
Smoke & Mirrors Cruschev Short
2018 Down for Whatever Lieutenant Baker TV movie
2019 The Best of Enemies Franklin Mose
Poms David
A Brother's Honor Richard Granger
Full Count Mr. Gravitt
2022 Freedom's Path Ellis Freeman

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1984 Another Life Samir Fayyad TV series
Miami Vice Desmond Maxwell Episode: "Cool Runnin'"
1989–93 In the Heat of the Night Jimmy Dawes Recurring cast: season 2-6
1992 I'll Fly Away Mr. Hendricks Episode: "Toy Soldiers"
Law & Order Michael Kano Episode: "Consultation"
1994 Fortune Hunter Pierre Toussant Episode: "Sea Trial"
1995 New York News - Episode: "You Thought the Pope Was Something"
1996 Law & Order Henry Patterson Episode: "Custody"
1997–99 The Wonderful World of Disney Sam Parker / John Webb Episodes: "Flash" / "Selma, Lord, Selma"
1999 Law & Order Darryl Lamaine Episode: "Haven"
2001 Sheena Kontee Episode: "Mind Games"
2002 Dawson's Creek Clifton Smalls Episodes: "Cigarette Burns" / "Swan Song"
2004 The Shield Vince Peabo Episode: "Mum"
2007 Side Order of Life Thomas Beauchamp Episode: "When Pigs Fly"
2007–08 Ghost Whisperer Archivist Supporting cast: season 3
2008 John Adams Servant Episode: "Unite or Die"
2010 Past Life Fred Lamm Episode: "Dead Man Talking"
Chase The Chief Episode: "Pilot"
2015 True Detective Police Chief Holloway Recurring cast: Season 2
2016 Mad Dogs Captain Churchill Episode: "Needles"
2016–17 Survivor's Remorse Richard Freeman 3 episodes
2016–18 Saints & Sinners Detective Noah St. Charles Main cast: season 1-3
2017 Madam Secretary President Babacar Diome Episode: "The Detour"
Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders Inspector Polino Episode: "Lost Souls"
2019 Raising Dion George Lewis Episode: "Issue #106: Super Friends"
Creepshow Brenner Episodes: "The Companion" / "Lydia Layne's Better Half"
2022 Women of the Movement Add Reed Episode: "Manhunt"

References

  1. Scheck, Frank (19 February 2010). "Blood a bloodless telling of civil rights episode". Reuters. Reuters. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  2. Sandell, Scott (11 December 2012). "NAACP Image Awards: The complete nominations list". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  3. Redmon, Jeremy (October 7, 2020). "Police investigate, friends mourn following actor Thomas Byrd's shooting death". www.ajc.com. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  4. Dukes, Deidra (October 5, 2020). "Search continues for killer of actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd in Atlanta". www.fox5atlanta.com. Fox 5 Atlanta. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  5. Buchanan, Christopher (October 5, 2020). "'It makes no sense': Friend, fellow actor shocked by Thomas Jefferson Byrd's senseless death". www.11alive.com. 11 Alive. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  6. Koehler, Robert (17 July 2001). "Rustin (review)". Variety. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  7. Wainio, Wade (March 19, 2020). "Raising Dion season 1, episode 6 recap: Super Friends". www.showsnob.com. Show Snob. Retrieved January 31, 2021.

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