Blair Underwood
Biography
Blair Underwood (born August 25, 1964) is an American television and film actor. He is perhaps best known as headstrong attorney Jonathan Rollins from the NBC legal drama L.A. Law, a role he portrayed for seven years. He has gained critical acclaim throughout his career, receiving numerous Golden Globe Award nominations, three NAACP Image Awards and 1 Grammy Award. His feature film debut was the 1985 movie Krush Groove. His 1985 appearance on The Cosby Show landed him a short stint on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, which eventually led to his performance on the TV series L.A. Law, where he appeared from 1987 to 1994. Underwood broke into film with roles in Just Cause (1995), Set It Off (1996) and Deep Impact (1998). He also had a supporting role as a geneticist in the film Gattaca. In 2000, he played the lead role in the short-lived television series City of Angels. In 2003, he guest starred in four episodes on the HBO series Sex and the City playing Cynthia Nixon's love interest. In 2004, he played the role of Roger De Souza opposite Heather Locklear in NBC's LAX. He gained acclaim as the sexy grade school teacher in the CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus for two years. In 2007, he guest starred in an episode of the NBC series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. His also had a role as recurring character Alex in the HBO series In Treatment. Also in 2007, Underwood co-authored the novel Casanegra: A Tennyson Hardwick Novel with husband-and-wife team Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due. He's also had recurring roles on Dirty Sexy Money, NBC's The Event, Ironside, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Quantico. He has received three NAACP Image Awards, for his film work in Rules of Engagement, and his television work in L.A. Law, City of Angels, Murder in Mississippi and Mama Flora's Family. He was voted one of People's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2000, and one of TV Guide's "Most Influential Faces of the 90s".
Known For
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
The View
1997
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
The Good Wife
2009
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
Golden Globe Awards
1944
Golden Globe Awards
1944
The Tamron Hall Show
2019
Filmography
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
as Self - Guest · 2009
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
as Miles Sennet · 1999
The View
as Self · 1997
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
as Self - Guest · 2003
The Jennifer Hudson Show
as Self - Guest · 2022
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
as Self · 1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
as Self - Guest · 1988
The Good Wife
as Harry Dargis · 2009
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
as Self · 2003
Golden Globe Awards
as Self - Nominee · 1944
Golden Globe Awards
as Self - Audience Member · 1944
The Tamron Hall Show
as Self - Guest · 2019
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
as Andrew Garner · 2013
L.A. Law
as Jonathan Rollins · 1986
Tony Awards
as Self - Presenter · 1956
Knight Rider
as Potts · 1982
Sex and the City
as Dr. Robert Leeds · 1998
The Cosby Show
as Mark · 1984
21 Jump Street
as Reginald Brooks · 1987
Elsbeth
as Cliff McGrath · 2024
A Different World
as Zelmer Collier · 1987
The Tony Danza Show
as Self · 2004
Quantico
as Owen Hall · 2015
The Tyra Banks Show
· 2005
In Treatment
as Alex Prince · 2008
American Crime Story
as Vernon Jordan · 2016
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
· 1983
The New Adventures of Old Christine
as Daniel Harris · 2006
The Lion Guard
as Makuu (voice) · 2016
Half & Half
as Blair Underwood · 2002
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
as King Midas (voice) · 1995
Your Honor
as Roland Carter · 2020
The Word
· 1990
Who Do You Think You Are?
as Self · 2010
Longlegs
as Agent Carter · 2024
Deep Impact
as Mark Simon · 1998
Dirty Sexy Money
as Simon Elder · 2007
Love Life
as Leon Hines · 2020
The Event
as Elias Martinez · 2010
LAX
as Roger De Souza · 2004
When They See Us
as Bobby Burns · 2019
Gattaca
as Geneticist · 1997
High Incident
· 1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
as Self · 1996
City of Angels
as Ben Turner · 2000
Ironside
as Robert Ironside · 2013
Aspel & Company
· 1984
Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
as Charles James Walker · 2020
Something New
as Mark Harper · 2006
Just Cause
as Bobby Earl Ferguson · 1995
Three Women
as Richard · 2024
Rules of Engagement
as Capt. Lee · 2000
Vietnam in HD
as Charles Brown · 2011
Covert One: The Hades Factor
as Palmer Addison · 2006
Madea's Family Reunion
as Carlos · 2006
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
as Makuu (voice) · 2016
Celebrity Crime Files
as Narrator (voice) · 2012
Mama Flora's Family
as Willie · 1998
Downtown
as Terry Corsaro · 1986
The Art of Getting By
as Principal · 2011
Set It Off
as Keith · 1996
Fatherhood
· 2004
Full Frontal
as Calvin / Nicholas · 2002
Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration
as Self (segment "Monster in the Mirror") · 1993
Tigers on the Rise
as Narrator (voice) · 2024
Malibu's Most Wanted
as Tom Gibbsons · 2003
Mickey's 60th Birthday
as Jonathan Rollins · 1988
Origin
as Amari Selvan · 2023
Soul of the Game
as Jackie Robinson · 1996
One Spoon of Chocolate
as Officer Beem · 2026
Weather Girl
as Fitz · 2009
Posse
as Carver · 1993
Smothered
· 2023
Bad Hair
as Amos Bludso · 2021
Mistrial
as Lieutenant C. Hodges · 1996
スーパーマン @ Tokyo
as Superman / Narrator (voice) · 2012
The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU
as Self · 2020
Thunder and Lightning
as Black Lightning (voice) · 2013
Really Love
as Jerome Richmond · 2020
Father & Son: Dangerous Relations
as Jared Williams · 1993
Bear Witness
as Narrator (voice) · 2022
Company Town
as Tom Wilson
The After Party
as Sgt. Martin Ellison · 2018
Youngblood
as Blane Youngblood · 2026
G
as Chip Hightower · 2002
Covert One: The Hades Factor
as Palmer Addison · 2006
The Cover Girl and the Cop
as Horace Bouchet · 1989
Broken
· 2016
Krush Groove
as Russell Walker · 1985
Don't Ever Wonder
Asunder
as Chance Williams · 1998
The Trip to Bountiful
as Ludie Watts · 2014
Memorial: Letters from American Soldiers
as Reader · 1991
Murder in Mississippi
as James Chaney · 1990
Guardians of the Galapagos
as Narrator (voice) · 2025
Heat Wave
as Bob Richardson · 1990
Voices That Care
as Self - Choir Member · 1991
Penguins: Life on the Edge
as Narrator (voice) · 2020
A Soldier's Play
as Captain Richard Davenport · 2021
Mr. SOUL!
as Ellis Haizlip (voice) · 2018
Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day
as David Ames · 2012
Do Geese See God
as Man · 2004
Truth Be Told
as Det. Harris · 2002
Juanita
as Blair Underwood · 2019
Viral
Setting it Straight: Making ‘Set it Off’
as Self · 2009
Clinton: Portrait of a Presidency
as Narrator (voice) · 2024
The Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry
as Self · 1991
The Gristle
as Self (uncredited) · 2004
The Listeners
as Dr. Thomas Hale
The Golden Blaze
as Gregory Fletcher (voice) · 2005
The Wishing Tree
as Thomas · 1999
Olympic Pride, American Prejudice
as Narrator (voice) · 2016
The Hit
as Henry Alabaster · 2007
Black Patriots: Buffalo Soldiers
as Narrator (voice) · 2022
Guardians of the Galapagos
as Narrator (voice) · 2025
First Generation
as Narrator (voice) · 2011