Harry Lennix is veteran film, television and
stage actor
who most recently starred in the Golden Globe nominated ABC show
"Commander in Chief" as Chief of Staff Jim Gardner.
Other
critically acclaimed projects in which
he has starred include the Oscar winning film "Ray," "The
Matrix: Reloaded" and "The Matrix: Revolutions."
Lennix
received a Golden Satellite Award as
Aaron in Julie Taymor's "Titus," bringing new life to the toxic
literary villain opposite Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange.
He has worked with a myriad of celebrated
actors and directors including Spike Lee in "Get On The Bus", Robert
Townsend in "The Five Heartbeats", Ben Kingsley in "Suspect
Zero, Billy Bob Thornton in "Chrystal" and Anthony Hopkins once again
in "The Human Stain,"
directed
by Robert Benton.
In addition to his distinguished film career,
Lennix made
his mark on the small screen with his role as the legendary Adam Clayton
Powell, Jr. in Showtime's "Keep The Faith Baby" for which he won a
Black Reel Award and was nominated for both an NAACP Image Award and a
Golden
Satellite Award.
Numerous other television appearances include
recurring
roles on "ER" and "Diagnosis Murder."
Lennix has directed and appeared in stage
productions
across the country, including the Northlight Theater Company's
production of
Permanent Collection, which recently closed at the Greenway Arts
Alliance in
Los Angeles under his co-direction, and wasremounted at Los Angeles'
Kirk
Douglas Theater. He directed the stage version of Townsend's The Five
Heartbeats,
which received 3 NAACP Theater Award nominations and The Glass Menagerie
for
the Steppenwolf Theater Company.
As a stage actor, Lennix was the first
distinguished
recipient of an Ollie Award for his portrayal of Malcolm X at the
Goodman
Theater in Chicago and two Joseph Jefferson Citations for his roles in
Ma
Rainey's Black Bottom and Caught in the Act and starred as King Hedley
II at
the Mark Taper Forum. In 2001, he was
part of the first American company to be invited to the Royal
Shakespeare Company
in the production of Cymbeline. He has recently directed his first short
film
subject "The Easy Winners," produced by David Schwimmer. Currently
Mr. Lennix is working on the multiple Emmy winning drama "24" as
Islamic diplomat, Walid Al-Rezani.
Lennix has also been extremely active in his
native
Chicago community where he was an English and music teacher in addition
to his
theatrical career.
He founded Legacy Productions with renowned
director
Chuck Smith in 1989.
The company is dedicated to promoting
significant works
about the African American experience.
He is on the staff of the Goodman Theater Co. He
also is active in various civic groups and
is on the Advisory Council for his alma mater, Northwestern University
where he
delivered the Commencement this past year for the distinguished School
of
Communications.
For information on NOBLE's National Conference or the Youth Conference please visit: www.noblenational.org
