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25 Facts about Jeffrey Wright, Acclaimed Actor & 'Tony' Award Winning Broadway Performer

Written by: Kevin Moyer Edited by: Lee Fenton

1. The first role in Jeffrey Wright's filmography is a picture titled Presumed Innocent – (1990) a procedural crime drama helmed by Alan J Pakula – Jeffrey played a prosecuting attorney.

2. Jeffrey Wright has been nominated for 36 awards to recognize his work in film, television, and theatre and has won 11 of them – a monumental accomplishment. The most prestigious of these awards - an Emmy (for his performance in HBO's Westworld), a Tony Award for his role in the Broadway musical ‘Angels in America: Perestroika’, A Golden Globe, A Toronto Film Critics Association Award & an AFI (American Film Institute) Award.

3. Jeffrey Wright is a frequent collaborator with Wes Anderson; playing a major role in many of the directors recent films. Look for him in the new W. Anderson feature - the critically acclaimed 'Asteroid City'.

4. Jeffrey Wright was born on Dec. 7Th 1965 – he is 68 years old.

5. Wright is known for playing Felix Leiter in recent entries in the James Bond film series. The character is a long time staple of the 007 franchise, a CIA agent that is an on-again and off-again ally to the iconic British spy.

6. Wright is originally from Washington, DC.

7. He's the recipient of a nomination for a Black Movie Award in the category of Outstanding Performance from an Actor in a Supporting Role

8. “In 2018, Wright produced the HBO documentary We Are Not Done Yet, which gives voice to war veterans who, through a USO-sponsored arts workshop at Walter Reed National Military Hospital, discover the power and healing of shared experience to unite and find resilience in the face of post-traumatic stress.”[10] -wikipedia

9. Jeffrey Wright is known for his contributions, and continues to pursue activism and socially aimed projects - see documentary mentioned above.

10. His AFI Award was for Actor of the Year – Male – Movie or Mini-Series

11. Jeffrey Wright is featured in season 6: Ep. 4 'This Land is My Land' of Find Your Roots. FYR is an informative series on the heritage of African Americans in North America. It is aimed at reconciling that with the slave-owning ancestry of the Scandinavian (Caucasian) people's that also call America home. You get to watch conversations between different public figures that tackle these sensitive topics, while exploring their own genealogy.

I had the luck of watching the episode in question - when it first debuted on cable – let me tell you it's more than informative – this is very essential viewing. Be forewarned, if you have a conscience viewing this will be quite taxing.

12. He is a Sagittarius.

13. His favorite food is steak, rare to medium-rare but with char.

14. Jeffrey Wright's height is 1.8m (5' ft 9'' tall)

15. His character in the French Dispatch is partly inspired by James Baldwin

16. He holds a bachelors degree in political-science from Amherst Liberal Arts College

17. Jeffrey Wright has a great singing voice, from his days on Broadway

18. He is a wood-snake (Chinese Zodiac)

19. He voiced a character in 3 episodes of Bojack Horseman - the 'hit' adult-themed, animated series - from Netflix. The show has ran for 6 seasons and has won 15 Awards, including but not limited to: an AAIF, Critics Choice, Writers Guild of America, and an Annie Award. It has also been nominated for 3 Emmy's.

20. In 2011, he founded Taia Lion Resources an org. that funds initiatives towards ethical/sustainable mining in Sierra Leone.

21. “Won a 2001 American Film Institute Actor of the Year Award for his portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr” [2] He played Martin Luther King Jr. to great acclaim in the film Boycott (2001) which centers around Rosa Parks and her fight for civil rights, focusing on the Montgomery, Alabama bus incident in 1955 that incited the movement.

22. Jeffrey Wright is known for his professionalism and complete commitment to his craft.

23. On-set he is easy going but focused. He prides himself on being very approachable and fun to work with, even for new or unknown actors.

“Jeffrey Wright: ‘Acting? It’s just silliness’ He talks to James Mottram about not taking the job too seriously, the noticeable passion of Batman fans and the need for more diverse directors in cinema” [3]

24. He was in the film W. with Josh Brolin – a biopic about US President George Bush.

25. He played Beetee, a character that appears in three Hunger Games films. The Hunger Games are a global phenomenon, spanning 4 films with a 5th one planned in 2023. They are based on a series of YA novels authored by Suzanne Collins.


Written & Compiled by: Lee Fenton


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Sources:

[1] wikipedia.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Wright


[2] tvguide.com

https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jeffrey-wright/bio/3000385132/


[3]independent.co.uk

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/jeffery-wright-interview-the-batman-b2021350.html