Larry Gilliard Jr.


Actor

About

Also Known As
Lawrence Gilliard Jr.
Birth Place
New York City, New York, USA

Biography

As a young leading man who made a strong debut as the teen whose family poverty leads him to rob a drug dealer with tragic consequences in "Straight Out of Brooklyn" (1991). Lawrence Gilliard, Jr. -- who was billed as Larry Gilliard, Jr. in many credits -- then began to carve out a career working as leads in independent productions and in supporting and small roles in more mainstream fil...

Biography

As a young leading man who made a strong debut as the teen whose family poverty leads him to rob a drug dealer with tragic consequences in "Straight Out of Brooklyn" (1991). Lawrence Gilliard, Jr. -- who was billed as Larry Gilliard, Jr. in many credits -- then began to carve out a career working as leads in independent productions and in supporting and small roles in more mainstream films and TV projects. In 1993, he had a bit in Paul Mazursky's "The Pickle" and he played an unnamed hoodlum in "Money Train" (1995). Yet, in "Lotto Land" (made in 1993, released aside from festivals, 1996), Gilliard gave a sweet and taut performance as a young man who is walking the straight and narrow while his peers are selling drugs. He decides, instead, the invest all his money in lotto tickets in anticipation of winning the big score. On TV, Gilliard has oft been cast as street hoods, as he was in his first TV effort, "In the Line of Duty: Street Wars" (1992). In 1993's "Survive the Night" (USA), he was a gang leader terrorizing Stefanie Powers. That same year, Gilliard was a regular on the short-lived ABC series "George," starring George Foreman and his sons. Gilliard was Foreman's all-purpose support.

Following several years playing small character roles in films ranging from the broad comedies "The Waterboy" (1998) and "Cecil B. Demented" (2000) to the Martin Scorsese period epic "Gangs of New York," Gilliard returned to series television with a key role in the critically-acclaimed "The Wire" (HBO 2002-08) as morally conflicted drug kingpin D'Angelo Barksdale. Following a short arc on the military drama "Army Wives" (Lifetime 2007-2013), Gilliard joined the cast of "The Walking Dead" (AMC 2010- ) in its fourth season, playing former Army medic Bob Stookey.

Life Events

1991

Made auspicious screen debut in "Straight Out of Brooklyn"

1992

Appeared in first TV movie, "In the Line of Duty: Street Wars"

1993

Starred in low-budget "Lotto Land" (theatrical release delayed until 1996)

1993

Was regular on short-lived "George" series

Family

Lawrence Gilliard Sr
Father

Bibliography