Afemo Omilami

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Afemo Omilami
Born (1950-12-13) December 13, 1950 (age 70)
Petersburg, Virginia, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1979–present
Spouse(s)Elisabeth Omilami (m. 1985)
Children2

Afemo Omilami (born December 13, 1950) is an American actor.[1]

Early life[]

Omilami was born in Petersburg, Virginia on December 13, 1950. Afemo has not made any public reference to his paternal background, however his name has ties to the Yoruba community in Nigeria.

Career[]

He has appeared in many films such as Trading Places (1983), Glory (1989), The Firm (1993), Gordy (1995), Remember the Titans (2000), Ray (2004), Hounddog (2007), The Blind Side (2009), and Terminator Genisys (2015). He is perhaps best known for his role as the Drill Sergeant in Forrest Gump (1994). He had a recurring role as the streetwise Jimmy Dawes in In the Heat of the Night from 1989 to 1993. He was nominated for a 2013 NAACP Image Award in the category "Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special" for his performance in Lifetime's Steel Magnolias as Drum Eatenton.[2]

He also appeared in guest roles in television series Miami Vice, Fortune Hunter, New York News, The Shield, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders and Raising Dion.

Personal life[]

He married his wife Elisabeth Omilami on September 11, 1985. She is an actress, minister, and a civil rights leader. They have two children: son Awodele and daughter Juanita.

His longtime friend was actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd.[3] After Byrd was killed, Omilami described Byrd as a "devoted father and husband and a master of his craft".[4][5]

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Trading Places Longshoreman
1986 The Money Pit Bernie
1989 Glory Tall Contraband
1990 The Long Walk Home Taxi Driver
1993 Sankofa Noble Ali
1993 The Firm Cotton Truck Driver
1993 The Real McCoy Cab Dispatcher
1994 Forrest Gump Drill Sergeant
1994 A Simple Twist of Fate Bailiff
1994 Drop Squad Berl "Flip" Mangum
1994 The War Quarry Man
1995 Gordy Krugman
1999 Funny Valentines Ephraim Lee
1999 Forces of Nature Cab Driver Uncredited
1999 Chill Factor Courtroom Colonel
1999 Wayward Son Horace
1999 Bringing Out The Dead Griss
2000 Animal Factory Captain Midnight
2000 Tigerland SFC Ezra Landers
2000 Remember the Titans Charles Campbell
2001 Tara Attorney Direct-to-video
US title: Hood Rat
2001 Rustin Mel Jones
2002 Drumline President Wagner
2002 I'm with Lucy Cab Driver #1
2002 Sweet Home Alabama Jimmy Lee
2002 Nowhere Road
2002 Baby of the Family
2003 Runaway Jury SUV Driver
2003 Cold Mountain Joshua
2004 The Alamo Sam
2004 Ray Angry Husband
2006 Glory Road Mr. Flournoy
2006 Madea's Family Reunion Isaac, Sr.
2006 Heavens Fall Leonard George
2006 Idlewild Walter
2007 Hounddog Charles
2007 The Reaping Haman
2007 The List A.L. Jenkins
2008 B.A.M. The Man Short film
2009 The Blind Side CPS Caseworker
2010 Bloodworth Sheriff Bellweather
2010 Blood Done Sign My Name Golden Frinks
2010 Beneath the Dark The Man
2013 G.I. Joe: Retaliation Chairman Joint Chief of Staff
2013 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire District 11 Mayor
2014 The Good Lie Dr. Monyang
2015 The Next Day Roy Short film
2015 Terminator Genisys Perry
2015 Sick People Dr. Johnson
2016 The Founder Mr. Merriman Uncredited
2016 Hidden Figures Man Outside Store
2016 Smoke & Mirrors Cruschev Short film
2019 The Best of Enemies Franklin Mose
2019 Poms David
2019 A Brother's Honor Richard Granger
2019 Full Count Mr. Gravitt
2021 Freedom's Path Ellis Freeman Post-production

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
1979 Freedom Road Young Black Man with Scars Television movie
1983 Rage of Angels Vet #1 Television movie
1984 Another Life Samir Fayyad Unknown episodes
1984 Miami Vice Desmond Maxwell Episode: "Cool Runnin'"
1989–1993 In the Heat of the Night Jimmy Dawes 8 episodes
1990 Murder in Mississippi Bob Moses Television movie
1990 Caroline? Taxi Driver Television movie
1990 Web of Deceit Bailiff Television movie
1991 In the Line of Duty: Manhunt in the Dakotas Prison Guard Television movie
1991 White Lie Bartender Television movie
1992 I'll Fly Away Mr. Hendricks Episode: "Toy Soldiers"
1992 Law & Order Michael Kano Episode: "Consultation"
1994 Fortune Hunter Pierre Toussant Episode: "Sea Trial"
1995 New York News Episode: "You Thought the Pope Was Something"
1996 Law & Order Henry Patterson Episode: "Custody"
1997 The Witchcatcher Duncan Television movie
1997–1999 The Wonderful World of Disney Sam Parker / John Webb Episodes: "Flash" and "Selma, Lord, Selma"
1999 Law & Order Darryl Lamaine Episode: "Haven"
1999 The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn Noah's Father Television movie
2000 The Runaway Jule Monroe Television movie
2001 Sheena Kontee Episode: "Mind Games"
2002 The Rosa Parks Story Television movie
2002 Dawson's Creek Clifton Smalls Episodes: "Cigarette Burns" and "Swan Song"
2004 The Shield Vince Peabo Episode: "Mum"
2007 Side Order of Life Thomas Beauchamp Episode: "When Pigs Fly"
2007–2008 Ghost Whisperer Archivist 4 episodes
2008 John Adams Servant Episode: "Unite or Die"
Television miniseries
2010 Past Life Fred Lamm Episode: "Dead Man Talking"
2010 Chase The Chief Episode: "Pilot"
2012 Steel Magnolias Drum Eatenton Television movie
2015 True Detectives Police Chief Holloway 7 episodes
2016 Mad Dogs Captain Churchill Episode: "Needles"
2016–2017 Survivor's Remorse Richard Freeman 3 episodes
2016–2018 Saints & Sinners Detective Noah St. Charles 20 episodes
2017 Madam Secretary President Babacar Diome Episode: "The Detour"
2017 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders Inspector Polino Episode: “Lost Souls”
2018 Down for Whatever Lieutenant Baker Television movie
2019 Raising Dion George Lewis Episode: "Issue #106: Super Friends"[6]
2019 Creepshow Brenner Episode: “The Companion”

References[]

  1. ^ Scheck, Frank (19 February 2010). "Blood a bloodless telling of civil rights episode". Reuters. Reuters. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  2. ^ Sandell, Scott (11 December 2012). "NAACP Image Awards: The complete nominations list". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  3. ^ Redmon, Jeremy (October 7, 2020). "Police investigate, friends mourn following actor Thomas Byrd's shooting death". www.ajc.com. Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  4. ^ Dukes, Deidra (October 5, 2020). "Search continues for killer of actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd in Atlanta". www.fox5atlanta.com. Fox 5 Atlanta. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  5. ^ Buchanan, Christopher (October 5, 2020). "'It makes no sense': Friend, fellow actor shocked by Thomas Jefferson Byrd's senseless death". www.11alive.com. 11 Alive. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  6. ^ Wainio, Wade (March 19, 2020). "Raising Dion season 1, episode 6 recap: Super Friends". www.showsnob.com. Show Snob. Retrieved January 31, 2021.

External links[]

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