Harry Lennix
Lennix at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con
Born	Harry Joseph Lennix III (1964-11-16) November 16, 1964 (age 59) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Alma mater	Northwestern University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1983–present
Spouse	Djena Graves ​ (m. 2009)​

Harry Joseph Lennix III^[1] (born November 16, 1964) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Terrence "Dresser" Williams in the Robert Townsend film The Five Heartbeats (1991) and as Boyd Langton in the science-fiction series Dollhouse. Lennix co-stars as Harold Cooper, assistant director of the FBI Counterterrorism Division, on the NBC drama The Blacklist. Lennix has also played J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter in the DC Extended Universe films Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Zack Snyder's Justice League.

Early life

The youngest of four siblings, Lennix was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Lillian C. (née Vines), a laundry worker, and Harry Lennix Jr., a machinist.^[2][3] His mother was African-American and his father was Creole from Louisiana.^[4] Lennix attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary South and Northwestern University, where he majored in Acting and Direction. In his senior year at Northwestern, he was the coordinator of the African-American student organization, For Members Only.^[5]

Career

Lennix starred in the Showtime Networks made-for-cable television film Keep the Faith, Baby (2002) as Rev. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., who was a legendary Harlem Congressman from 1944 to 1972; in the film Titus (1999), based on Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, as Aaron the Moor; and in the ABC television series Commander in Chief. Lennix currently co-stars as Harold Cooper, assistant director of the FBI Counterterrorism Division, on the NBC drama The Blacklist (2013-2023).

In film, Lennix has had supporting roles such as The Five Heartbeats (1991), Comfortably Numb (1995), Get on the Bus (1996), Love & Basketball (2000), The Matrix series (1999–2004), Ray (2004), Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004), Stomp the Yard (2007), and State of Play (2009).

In television, he had a recurring role in Diagnosis: Murder as Agent Ron Wagner as well as a guest voice role in the Legion of Super Heroes episode "Timber Wolf" as the titular character's villainous father Mar Londo, being replaced by Dorian Harewood in the character's later appearance in the episode "Cry Wolf". He also had a recurring role in the sixth season of 24 as Muslim civil rights activist Walid Al-Rezani. He appeared on the series House M.D. as a paralyzed jazz trumpet player, and in six episodes of ER as Dr. Greg Fischer.^{[citation needed]} He also appeared in the episode "The Blame Game" of the first season of Ally McBeal. He played the parts of Boyd Langton in Joss Whedon's series Dollhouse^[6] and U.S. president Barack Obama in the comedy sketch show Little Britain USA.

In 2007, he was an official festival judge at the first annual Noor Iranian Film Festival.

In July 2014, Lennix formed his own production company Exponent Media Group (EMG) along with long time business partner Steve Harris.^[7] EMG had a distribution deal with NEHST studios for three of the company's titles Mr. Sophistication, H4 (a street version of William Shakespeare's Henry IV, which he also starred in), and Revival!^[7]

Personal life

In 2009, Lennix married business executive Djena Graves.^[8][9]

Lennix is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He was initiated into the fraternity in November 2012 via the Theta Kappa Kappa graduate chapter in Evanston, Illinois.

Lennix is a Catholic.^[10]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and nominations