Wendell Pierce

Wendell Pierce

Wendell Edward Pierce (born December 8, 1962) is an American actor and businessman. Having trained at Juilliard School, Pierce rose to prominence as a character actor portraying roles on both stage and screen. He first gained recognition portraying the role of Detective Bunk Moreland in the acclaimed HBO drama series The Wire from 2002 to 2008. His other notable television roles include the trombonist Antoine Batiste in Treme (2010–2013), James Greer in Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan (2018–2023), the attorney Robert Zane in Suits (2013–2019), and Clarence Thomas in Confirmation (2016). He earned Independent Spirit Awards nominations for his film roles in Four (2012) and Burning Cane (2019), on which he also served as a producer. Other notable film roles include Malcolm X (1992), Waiting to Exhale (1995), Ray (2004), Selma (2014), The Gift (2015), and Clemency (2019). Pierce made his Broadway debut in John Pielmeier's 1985 play The Boys of Winter, followed by Caryl Churchill's Serious Money in 1988. As a theatrical producer, he earned a Tony Award for Best Play nomination for August Wilson's Radio Golf (2007), then won for Bruce Norris's Clybourne Park (2012). He performed the lead role of Willy Loman in the revival of Death of a Salesman on the West End in London in 2019 and on Broadway in New York in 2022, for which he earned Laurence Olivier Award and Tony Award nominations. Description above from the Wikipedia article Wendell Pierce, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Known For

Filmography

2025

Superman
Superman
as Perry White
Movie - Released: 7/9/2025
Thunderbolts*
Thunderbolts*
as Congressman Gary
Movie - Released: 4/30/2025

2024

Elsbeth
Elsbeth
as C.W. Wagner
TV - Released: 2/29/2024

2022

Becoming Frederick Douglass
Becoming Frederick Douglass
as Frederick Douglass (voice)
Movie - Released: 10/11/2022
Don't Hang Up
Don't Hang Up
as Chris Daniels
Movie - Released: 3/20/2022
Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Be My Guest with Ina Garten
as Self - Guest
TV - Released: 3/26/2022
Sherri
Sherri
as Self - Guest
TV - Released: 9/12/2022

2021

Some Old Black Man
Some Old Black Man
as Calvin Jones
Movie - Released: 1/15/2021
The Watch
The Watch
as Death (voice)
TV - Released: 1/3/2021

2020

Between the World and Me
Between the World and Me
as Self
Movie - Released: 11/21/2020

2019

Piercing
Piercing
as The Doctor
Movie - Released: 1/3/2019
Clemency
Clemency
as Jonathan Williams
Movie - Released: 12/27/2019
Burning Cane
Burning Cane
as Reverend Tillman
Movie - Released: 4/25/2019
Tamron Hall
Tamron Hall
as Self - Guest
TV - Released: 9/9/2019
Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn
as Lex Luthor (voice)
TV - Released: 11/29/2019

2018

27 Years: The Exoneration of Valentino Dixon
27 Years: The Exoneration of Valentino Dixon
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 12/11/2018
One Last Thing
One Last Thing
as Dylan
Movie - Released: 6/13/2018
Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.
Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.
as Detective Lee Tucker
TV - Released: 2/27/2018
Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan
Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan
as James Greer
TV - Released: 8/30/2018

2017

Rodents of Unusual Size
Rodents of Unusual Size
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 11/15/2017
The Forever Tree
The Forever Tree
as Doctor Willow
Movie - Released: 5/2/2017

2016

Grease Live
Grease Live
as Coach Calhoun
Movie - Released: 1/31/2016
Confirmation
Confirmation
as Clarence Thomas
Movie - Released: 4/16/2016
Bad Moms
Bad Moms
as Principal Daryl Burr
Movie - Released: 7/28/2016

2015

The Runner
The Runner
as Frank Legrand
Movie - Released: 8/7/2015
Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band
Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band
as Andy Kirk (voice)
Movie - Released: 4/1/2015
The Gift
The Gift
as Detective Mills
Movie - Released: 7/31/2015
The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple
as Teddy
TV - Released: 2/19/2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
TV - Released: 9/8/2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
as Self
TV - Released: 9/8/2015

2014

Elsa & Fred
Elsa & Fred
as Armande
Movie - Released: 3/7/2014
Foreclosure
Foreclosure
as Virgil
Movie - Released: 2/3/2014
Selma
Selma
as Rev. Hosea Williams
Movie - Released: 12/25/2014
Runaway Hearts
Runaway Hearts
as Paul
Movie - Released: 1/1/2014
Chicago P.D.
Chicago P.D.
as Ray Price
TV - Released: 1/8/2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Late Night with Seth Meyers
as Self
TV - Released: 2/25/2014
The Night Shift
The Night Shift
as Walt
TV - Released: 5/27/2014

2013

Four
Four
as Joe
Movie - Released: 9/13/2013
Parker
Parker
as Carlson
Movie - Released: 1/23/2013
Möbius
Möbius
as Bob
Movie - Released: 2/17/2013
The Michael J. Fox Show
The Michael J. Fox Show
as Harris Green
TV - Released: 9/26/2013
Ray Donovan
Ray Donovan
as Ronald Keith
TV - Released: 6/30/2013

2012

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2
as J. Jenks
Movie - Released: 11/13/2012
Lay the Favorite
Lay the Favorite
as Dave the Rave
Movie - Released: 6/22/2012

2011

The Mortician
The Mortician
as Clinger
Movie - Released: 2/15/2011
Horrible Bosses
Horrible Bosses
as Detective Hagan
Movie - Released: 7/8/2011
A Plea for Modernism
A Plea for Modernism
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 1/1/2011
Suits
Suits
as Robert Zane
TV - Released: 6/23/2011

2010

Night Catches Us
Night Catches Us
as David Gordon
Movie - Released: 12/3/2010
New Orleans: A Living Museum of Music
New Orleans: A Living Museum of Music
as Narrator (voice)
Movie - Released: 4/18/2010
Love Ranch
Love Ranch
as Naasih Mohammed
Movie - Released: 6/30/2010
Treme
Treme
as Antoine Batiste
TV - Released: 4/11/2010

2009

Beyond All Boundaries
Beyond All Boundaries
as Sgt. Thomas McPhatter
Movie - Released: 11/9/2009
Drop Dead Diva
Drop Dead Diva
as Neal David
TV - Released: 7/12/2009
Archer
Archer
as Verl (voice)
TV - Released: 9/17/2009
Hawthorne
Hawthorne
as Dr. Michael Schilling
TV - Released: 6/16/2009

2008

Fear Itself
Fear Itself
as Wiilbur Orwell
TV - Released: 6/5/2008
In Plain Sight
In Plain Sight
TV - Released: 6/1/2008

2007

Pariah
Pariah
as Arthur
Movie - Released: 4/19/2007
The Wire Odyssey
The Wire Odyssey
as Self
Movie - Released: 12/20/2007
Tapping the Wire
Tapping the Wire
as Self
Movie - Released: 7/1/2007
Life Support
Life Support
as Slick
Movie - Released: 3/10/2007
I Think I Love My Wife
I Think I Love My Wife
as Sean
Movie - Released: 3/7/2007
The Wire: The Last Word
The Wire: The Last Word
as Self
Movie - Released: 12/27/2007
2000: Bunk and McNulty
2000: Bunk and McNulty
as Det. William 'Bunk' Moreland
Movie - Released: 12/5/2007
Women's Murder Club
Women's Murder Club
TV - Released: 10/12/2007
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
as Detective
TV - Released: 2/11/2007

2006

Stay Alive
Stay Alive
as Detective Thibodeaux
Movie - Released: 3/24/2006
When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts
When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts
as Self
TV - Released: 8/21/2006

2005

Numb3rs
Numb3rs
TV - Released: 1/23/2005
Law & Order: Trial by Jury
Law & Order: Trial by Jury
as Richard Link
TV - Released: 3/3/2005
Close to Home
Close to Home
TV - Released: 9/20/2005

2004

Land of Plenty
Land of Plenty
as Henry
Movie - Released: 9/10/2004
Ray
Ray
as Wilbur Brassfield
Movie - Released: 10/29/2004
A Hole in One
A Hole in One
as Dan
Movie - Released: 5/2/2004

2003

The Fighting Temptations
The Fighting Temptations
as Reverend Lewis
Movie - Released: 9/19/2003
Real Time with Bill Maher
Real Time with Bill Maher
as Self
TV - Released: 2/21/2003

2002

Brown Sugar
Brown Sugar
as Simon
Movie - Released: 10/5/2002
The Wire
The Wire
as Bunk Moreland
TV - Released: 6/2/2002

2001

The Gilded Six Bits
The Gilded Six Bits
as Otis D. Slimmons
Movie - Released: 2/18/2001
My Wife and Kids
My Wife and Kids
as Dr. Boucher
TV - Released: 3/28/2001

2000

Girlfriends
Girlfriends
TV - Released: 9/11/2000
The Weber Show
The Weber Show
as Wendell Simms
TV - Released: 10/26/2000
God, the Devil and Bob
God, the Devil and Bob
as Mike (voice)
TV - Released: 3/9/2000

1999

The 24 Hour Woman
The 24 Hour Woman
as Roy Labelle
Movie - Released: 1/29/1999
Abilene
Abilene
as Reverend Tillis
Movie - Released: 3/13/1999
Third Watch
Third Watch
as Officer Conrad 'Candyman' Jones
TV - Released: 9/23/1999
Judging Amy
Judging Amy
as Harry Benton
TV - Released: 9/19/1999

1998

Bulworth
Bulworth
as Fred
Movie - Released: 5/15/1998
The Brian Benben Show
The Brian Benben Show
TV - Released: 9/21/1998

1997

The Advocate's Devil
The Advocate's Devil
as Justin
Movie - Released: 10/5/1997
TV
The Gregory Hines Show
TV - Released: 9/15/1997

1996

Get on the Bus
Get on the Bus
as Wendell
Movie - Released: 10/16/1996
Never Give Up: The Jimmy V Story
Never Give Up: The Jimmy V Story
as John Saunders
Movie - Released: 4/2/1996
Sleepers
Sleepers
as Little Caesar
Movie - Released: 10/18/1996
TV
Moloney
as Calvin Patterson
TV - Released: 9/19/1996

1995

Hackers
Hackers
as S.S. Agent Richard Gill
Movie - Released: 9/14/1995
Waiting to Exhale
Waiting to Exhale
as Michael
Movie - Released: 12/22/1995
Bye Bye Love
Bye Bye Love
as Hector
Movie - Released: 3/16/1995
New York News
New York News
TV - Released: 9/28/1995

1994

It Could Happen to You
It Could Happen to You
as Bo Williams
Movie - Released: 7/16/1994
New York Undercover
New York Undercover
TV - Released: 9/8/1994

1993

Strapped
Strapped
as District Attorney
Movie - Released: 8/21/1993
Manhattan Murder Mystery
Manhattan Murder Mystery
as Policeman
Movie - Released: 5/2/1993

1992

Unnatural Pursuits
Unnatural Pursuits
as Cabbie
Movie - Released: 1/1/1992
Malcolm X
Malcolm X
as Ben Thomas
Movie - Released: 11/18/1992

1991

Movie
A Matter of Degrees
as Wells Dennard
Movie - Released: 9/13/1991
Movie
The 10 Million Dollar Getaway
as Parnell "Stacks" Edwards
Movie - Released: 3/6/1991
A Rage in Harlem
A Rage in Harlem
as Louis
Movie - Released: 5/3/1991

1990

Law & Order
Law & Order
as Roger Porter
TV - Released: 9/13/1990
TV
Capital News
as Conrad White
TV - Released: 4/9/1990
Law & Order
Law & Order
as Civil Rights Attorney Jerome Bryant
TV - Released: 9/13/1990
Law & Order
Law & Order
as Ola-Gimju Nwaka
TV - Released: 9/13/1990
Law & Order
Law & Order
as Mr. Wade
TV - Released: 9/13/1990

1989

Family Business
Family Business
as Prosecutor
Movie - Released: 12/6/1989
Casualties of War
Casualties of War
as MacIntire
Movie - Released: 8/18/1989

1986

The Money Pit
The Money Pit
as Paramedic
Movie - Released: 3/26/1986

1985

The Equalizer
The Equalizer
as Dr. Wolff
TV - Released: 9/18/1985

Unknown

Movie
The Thrill Is On
The Thrill Is On
as B.B. King
Movie
Movie
Untitled Jack Ryan Film
as James Greer
Movie