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Obba Babatundé

Obba Babatundé

Actor, also writer and producer · Born December 1, 1951 (74) · Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Primetime Emmy nominee

Obba Babatundé (born December 1, 1951) is an American actor of stage and screen, known for his Emmy-nominated performance in the television movie Miss Evers' Boys, a NAACP Image Award-nominated performance in the TV movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, and a Tony Award-nominated role for his performance as C.C. White in the original cast of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls. Babatundé was a protege of Sammy Davis, Jr., who said of him, "This is the only cat who can do everything I can do." Babatundé does dance, sing, play instruments, execute impersonations, including his portrayal of Davis, aided by their similarity in energy, size and talent, tap dancing and performing on multiple instruments. In fall 2009, Babatundé played Davis in the title role of "Sammy: Once in a Lifetime," a world premiere musical at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. Early in 2000, Babatundé partnered with writer/producer Ruth Adkins Robinson for a series of TV projects including "TV in Black: The First 50 Years," "Oscar's Black Odyssey: From Hattie to Hallie" and "Dorthy Dandridge: An American Beauty". The pair have projects that will take them through 2011. His TV roles have often portrayed authority figures, such as a recurring guest-starring role as a high school principal on Dawson's Creek, an appearance as a judge in a two-part episode of Any Day Now, and as the father of the main characters on Half & Half. He also played Harvard college Dean Cain in the movie How High, as well as the role of Willie Long in the movie Life, and co-starred as an attorney in Philadelphia and as a senator in the 2004 reprise of The Manchurian Candidate. He also played the director in season 3 of Friends in an episode titled "The One with All the Jealousy". Other TV shows he has had recurring roles on include The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Chicago Hope, Rocket Power, Static Shock, and Karen Sisco. He played a small but pivotal role as a doorman/bellhop in the film That Thing You Do! and also appeared in The Wild Thornberrys Movie as the voice of Boko. He played a famous producer known as Gordy Berry on two episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In the 1998 miniseries, The Temptations, he played the founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy. Babatundé is adept at American sign language and had used this talent in many roles including on one NYPD Blue. His recorded work includes a performance with the New York pianist Onaje Allan Gumbs on the 2007 album Sack Full of Dreams. The actor/producer is also an avid horseman and is a highly regarded rider and trainer in the Rodeo Circuit, including the annual Bill Pickett Rodeol. ​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 1, 1951 (74)
From
Queens, New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor, also writer and producer
Titles
97 on MovieCove · 121 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 12% in 30 days

What are Obba Babatundé's films like?

Across their 44 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 40 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

A split, not a type: Light 16 · Serious 9 · Dark 15

Grounded 29 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 2

Gentle 9 · Charged 21 · Intense 10

Steady 16 · Shifting 23 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced 28 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 7

A split, not a type: Slow burn 21 · Even-paced 19 · Relentless 0

Casual 21 · Engaged 16 · Full focus 3

A split, not a type: Easy watch 15 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 13

Resolved 30 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

18 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 6 of 18 analyzed roles.

Mentor
6 of 18
Shadow
4 of 18
Ally
3 of 18
Trickster
1 of 18
Shapeshifter
1 of 18
Threshold guardian
1 of 18
Hero
1 of 18
Herald
1 of 18
Show the 18 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
23
Melancholic
16
Dread
12
Hopeful
14
Joyful
9
Other
41

How their films end · 8 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet18
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous11
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Obba Babatundé's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 67 of their 97 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (26).

Subscription and free streaming for Obba Babatundé's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

121 credits, 97 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Love the Skin You're In(2025)

    Producer · as Arnold

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • The Christmas Showdown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Jesse

  • Run(2025)

    as President

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films
  • Wrong Place, Wrong Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Captain Green

  • Mississippi Scholar(2024)

    Producer · Writer · as Reginald

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Noble Intentions(2022)

    Writers' Assistant · as Pastor Stevens

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
  • All The Men In My Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Simon Helms

  • The Millennial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Mr. Burke

  • Kiss Me for Christmas(2020)

    as Mr. Porter

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Trigger(2020)

    as Chief Keaton

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
  • Little Fires Everywhere(2020)

    Show 2 episodes · as George Wright

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows
  • Revival! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Nicodemus

  • Jingle Belle(2018)

    as Charles Williams

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Kinky(2018)

    as Mr. Bernard

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
  • Forever(2018)

    Show 2 episodes · as Gregory

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows
  • City of Lies(2018)

    as Chief of Police

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • For the People(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Philip Kaws

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
  • S.W.A.T.(2017)

    Show 26 episodes · as Daniel Harrelson, Sr.

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows
  • Til Death Do Us Part(2017)

    as John Harris

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
  • Pup Star: Better 2Gether(2017)

    as Big Ears (voice)

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
  • Dear White People(2017)

    Show 4 episodes · as Dean Fairbanks

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows
  • The Good Fight(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Danny Quinn

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
  • Detroiters(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mr. Duvet

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows
  • Goliath(2016)

    Show 3 episodes · as Ivan Tillinger

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows
  • The Watcher(2016)

    as Stark

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
  • Pup Star(2016)

    as Big Ears (voice)

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
  • Chicago Med(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. James Coleman

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
  • If I Tell You I Have to Kill You(2015)

    Executive Producer · as Jonathan Black

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films
  • Death's Door(2015)

    as Mesmer

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films
  • Ballers(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as J.D. Pritchard

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows
  • American Bad Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · as Pastor Lovely

  • Lap Dance(2014)

    as Roscoe

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • Kingdom(2014)

    Show 3 episodes · as Detective Gaines

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows
  • Madam Secretary(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as President Silvanus Fabre

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows
  • Enlisted(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as General Murray

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows
  • Haitian Nights(2013)

    Writer · as Iklif

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
  • Angels Around Me(2013)

    Additional Writing · Writer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
  • Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups(2012)

    as Mayor Denny

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • The Last Fall(2012)

    as Larry Armstrong

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire(2012)

    as Vampire Actor #4 (voice)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films
  • Joy Road(2004)

    as Dr. Howard Perkins

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
  • The Trap Door (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Mesmer

  • Trapped: Haitian Nights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Ikliff

  • All-Star Superman(2011)

    as Judge / Bibliobot (voice)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
  • Black Dynamite(2009)

    as Osiris

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
  • Why Am I Doing This?(2009)

    as Cliff

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • I Do... I Did!(2009)

    as Mr. Johnson

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films
  • The Eye(2008)

    as Dr. Haskins

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films
  • Private Practice(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Larry Cannon

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows
  • April Fools(2007)

    as Detective Combs

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
  • Saving Grace(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Doc

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows
  • Cover(2007)

    as Attorney Miller

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • King: Man of Peace in a Time of War (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Narrator

  • Material Girls(2006)

    as Craig

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
  • Psych(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as David Gaffney

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
  • The Celestine Prophecy(2006)

    as Miguel

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Dan Gates

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
  • Kangaroo Jack: G'Day U.S.A.!(2004)

    as Chief Ankamuti (voice)

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
  • After the Sunset(2004)

    as Zacharias

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
  • Boston Legal(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Victor Rivers

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
  • The Manchurian Candidate(2004)

    as Senator Wells

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
  • The Notebook(2004)

    as Band Leader

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
  • NCIS(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Joe Banks

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
  • Oscar's Black Odyssey: From Hattie to Halle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director

  • Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • The Wild Thornberrys Movie(2002)

    as Boko (voice)

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • Everwood(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Jason

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows
  • John Q(2002)

    as Sgt. Moody

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
  • Redeemer(2002)

    as Charles Henderson

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
  • Half & Half(2002)

    Show as Charles Thorne

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
  • How High(2001)

    as Dean Carl Cain

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • One Special Moment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Actor

  • The Visit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Tony

  • Static Shock(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Singer (voice) · as Watch Store Salesman (voice)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows
  • Girlfriends(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Attendant

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows
  • Max Steel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as (voice)

  • The Apartment Complex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Chett

  • Family Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Philip Hamilton

  • Introducing Dorothy Dandridge(1999)

    as Harold Nicholas

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
  • Life(1999)

    as Willie Long

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
  • The Temptations(1998)

    Show 2 episodes · as Berry Gordy

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
  • Dawson's Creek(1998)

    Show 8 episodes · as Howard Green

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows
  • Spy Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Lieutenant Wardell

  • Miss Evers' Boys(1997)

    as Willie Johnson

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
  • The Cherokee Kid(1996)

    as Isom Dart

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
  • That Thing You Do!(1996)

    as Lamarr

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
  • The Tomorrow Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Brian Parish

  • Carpool(1996)

    as Jeffery

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
  • Multiplicity(1996)

    as Paul

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
  • Soul of the Game(1996)

    as Cum Posey

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
  • A Reason to Believe(1995)

    as Prof. Thurman

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • The Net(1995)

    as FBI Agent (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
  • Born to Be Wild(1995)

    as Interpreter

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
  • The Outer Limits(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Joseph Lennox

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
  • Sliders(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Cezanne Brown

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows
  • Fatal Pursuit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Trinidad

  • Friends(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
  • Touched by an Angel(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Carter Evans

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows
  • Chicago Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Charles Ellis

  • M.A.N.T.I.S.(1994)

    as Cornell

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
  • Philadelphia(1993)

    as Jerome Green

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
  • Undercover Blues(1993)

    as Sawyer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
  • The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Mongoose

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
  • Hangin' with Mr. Cooper(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Jameson Walker

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows
  • The Importance of Being Earnest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Lane

  • The Human Factor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Dead Again(1991)

    as Syd

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films
  • The Silence of the Lambs(1991)

    as TV Anchor Man

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
  • The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air(1990)

    Show 2 episodes · as Gordy Berry

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
  • Miami Blues(1990)

    as Blink Willie

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
  • Tales from the Crypt(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Lieutenant Jamison

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
  • Married to the Mob(1988)

    as The Face of Justice

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
  • God Bless the Child(1988)

    as Raymond Watkins

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
  • Leonard Part 6(1987)

    as Bongo Drummer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
  • A Different World(1987)

    Show 1 episode · as Frank Benning

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows
  • Matlock(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Backstage Man

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows
  • Treemonisha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Zodzetrick

  • Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • People Not Places (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Start Without Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Leo

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 120 titles, 118 of them dated from 1980 to 2025; peak year 2005.

Film career

19802025

Peak 2005 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting118 of 120: 114 only acting, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score54thDirecting2 of 120: 1 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting2 of 120: 0 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing1 of 120: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 120: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

120 titles, 4 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 1 of them.

By decade

1980s8 · acting1990s35 · acting2000s31 · 30 acting · 1 crew2010s33 · 32 acting · 3 crew2020s11 · 11 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 11th · top billed in 0% of 30 roles
889808

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

Nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 1997, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Obba Babatundé's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 40th percentile, the median of all 62; across their 40 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 31st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

31stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 40

Approval · how many liked their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 40

Reach · how many have seen their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 40

Midcredits score across 97 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up34
  • 50th to 74th16
  • 25th to 49th26
  • Below 25th21

Shape of the crowd

38 of their 97 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved13
  • Divisive10
  • Cult Classic9
  • Crowd Pleaser38
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed23

Reviewers score the acting 56/100 in their films, across 32 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 36. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Obba Babatundé's work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles5–62 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles24–57 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles31–85 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles26–67 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles10–52 · median 35 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Obba Babatundé work with?

People who share at least 2 of Obba Babatundé's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Chris Stokes shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers