Jeffrey Wright

Jeffrey Wright is an American actor known for his roles in Tony Kushner’s play “Angels in America” and Julian Schnabel’s film Basquiat. Born in Washington D.C., Wright attended Amherst College, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science. He then decided to move to New York to pursue acting rather than law school. His interpretation of the character Norman “Belize” Arriaga in the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Angels in America” in 1994 led to his first Tony Award. Later in 1996, Wright impressed with another exceptional role, portraying the late painter Jean-Michel Basquiat in Julian Schnabel’s biopic.

In 2023, Wright starred as the fictional author Thelonious "Monk" Ellison in the satirical comedy-drama American Fiction, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Wright has demonstrated his acting prowess in a variety of films, including Woody Allen’s Celebrity, Ang Lee’s Ride With the Devil, Stephen Gaghan’s Syriana, Jim Jarmusch’s Broken Flowers, and Oliver Stone’s biopic W. Other notable roles include Martin Luther King, Jr. in Boycott, which earned him an award, and Felix Leiter in the James Bond films starring Daniel Craig. Wright also starred in Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch and Asteroid City, and in The Batman as Jim Gordon. His performances have earned him a Primetime Emmy Award, a Tony Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

Outside of acting, Wright has co-founded the non-profit organization Taia Peace Foundation, which aims to aid rural African communities in overcoming the so-called "resource curse." He is also the chairman and co-founder of Taia, LLC, and the Vice Chairman of Taia Lion Resources, Inc., a gold exploration company. In addition, Wright has contributed his voice to video games and animated series such as "The Last of Us Part II" and the Marvel Studios’ “What If…?”