Lawrence Gilliard Jr.

Biography

Lawrence "Larry" Gilliard, Jr. (born September 22, 1971) is an American character actor who has appeared in films, television series and theatre. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of D'Angelo Barksdale on the HBO drama series The Wire, a role which earned him much critical acclaim. Gilliard was born in New York City. He and his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland when he was 7. Gilliard studied classical music at Baltimore School for the Arts and Juilliard School but decided to pursue acting instead. He made his film debut as the lead in the independent film Straight Out of Brooklyn. He studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, The Acting Studio, Inc., and the Stella Adler Conservatory. Often cast as a hoodlum, Gilliard has appeared on numerous television crime dramas such as Law & Order, Homicide: Life on the Street, New York Undercover and CSI: NY. His notable film roles include: a love-struck ghetto teen in LottoLand, an earnest college football player in The Waterboy and a member of the Dead Rabbits in Gangs of New York. Gilliard recently had a role on the television series The Beast. Gilliard is also a stage actor. He received positive reviews for his role of Booth in a production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Topdog/Underdog. He is married to Michelle Paress who joined the cast of The Wire in its fifth season.