Wren T. Brown

Actor · Born June 11, 1964 (62) · Los Angeles, California, USA

A versatile actor with a deep melodious voice, Wren T. Brown is a fourth-generation Angeleno, and also a fourth-generation theatrical. He is very proud to be in his fourth decade as an actor, producer and director. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Brown is descended from a long line of talented performers, including his father, jazz trumpeter Troy Brown Jr., his paternal grandmother, Bertha McElroy (a dancer at the Cotton Club NYC), and his paternal grandfather, actor-comedian Troy Brown Sr. (5th black actor in Screen Actors Guild). His maternal grandmother, Ruth Givens, was a torch singer and dancer (Cotton Club Los Angeles and movies) and his maternal grandfather, Lee Young Sr., was the first black staff musician in Hollywood (Columbia Pictures 1946) and the drummer and musical director for Nat King Cole. His great-grandfather, Willis Handy Young, was a multi-instrumentalist, teacher and owner of his own Vaudeville troupe at the turn of the 20th century (The New Orleans Strutters). Among Brown's film appearances are: "Beyond the Lights," "Waiting to Exhale," "Heart and Souls," "Under Siege 2: Dark Territory," "The Dinner," "Hollywood Shuffle," "Biker Boyz," "The Importance of Being Earnest," "Midnight Clear" and David Mamet's "Edmond." On television, Brown co-starred as Whoopi Goldberg's brother and comic foil in NBC's "Whoopi" and was a regular in "Flipper: The New Adventures," as well as CBS's "Bless This House." He has also guest-starred or recurred on: "The West Wing," "The Practice," "Touched by an Angel," "Frasier," "Seinfeld," "Charmed," "Star Trek: Voyager," "Eli Stone," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Women's Murder Club," "Everybody Hates Chris," "The Game," "Half & Half" and also starred opposite John Larroquette in Hallmark's "McBride: Tune in for Murder." Recently, Brown has been seen in the award-winning Amazon series, "Transparent" and "Dear White People," "Being Mary Jane," "Grey's Anatomy" (recurring), and as the voice of Virgil Simpson, Homer's Black ancestor on "The Simpsons." Brown will next be seen in the film "Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story" and appears now in Seth MacFarlane's hit sci-fi Hulu series "The Orville: New Horizons" reprising his role of Moclan leader Ambassador Rechik. Some of his theatre credits include: Shakespeare's "As You Like It" (Drama-Logue Award winner), "On Borrowed Time," "Burning Hope," his NAACP Image Award-nominated performance in "Jeffrey's Plan" and, The Public Theatre's "The Gospel at Colonus" at the Delacorte (Sept 2018). Brown has appeared in over 100 commercials and a broad range of voice-over and spoken-word projects including being tapped by multiple Grammy award winner, pianist Billy Childs to recite the classic Langston Hughes poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" on Childs' Grammy Award-nominated album "I've Known Rivers." He narrated The History Channel's "U.S.S. Constellation: Battling For Freedom," The Learning Channel series "Scene of the Crime," and "E! True Hollywood Story" on the life of Diana Ross. He also voiced Disney's Br'er Rabbit for various projects and can currently be heard narrating Laurence Fishburne's "Bronzeville," a 1940s-era Chicago podcast. In his directorial debut, Brown directed over thirty-five actors and actresses in their performances in "Inspired By... The Bible Experience," winner of the 2007 Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year in which he also narrated the book of Matthew. In April 2018, Brown made his theatre directing debut on the Lone Tree Arts Center (Colorado) stage, with August Wilson's cultural classic "Fences." In 1999, Brown made his debut as a producer with the critically acclaimed feature film, "Boesman & Lena" starring Danny Glover and Angela Bassett, followed by Dianne Reeves' concert film of her Grammy Award-winning CD, "In the Moment: Live in Concert." He has produced an array of short films featuring new directors. In 2019 Brown directed "Lady Day at The Emerson Bar & Grill" at Long Beach's International City Theatre and subsequently directed it at Ebony Repertory Theatre in 2020, at the Solvang Festival Theater, in Solvang, CA and at freeFall Theatre in St. Petersburg, Florida in 2021. He most recently directed two productions of "Blues in the Night" in 2021. In 2007, Brown founded Ebony Repertory Theatre (ERT), the first African-American professional Equity theatre company in Los Angeles history where he serves as its producing artistic director from inception to the institution's now-15-year anniversary. ERT, under Brown's leadership, has produced Ovation Award- and NAACP Theatre Award-winning productions of "Two Trains Running,""Crowns,""A Raisin In the Sun," "Fraternity," "Robeson," "The Gospel at Colonus," of which the Los Angeles Times wrote "Theater at its most healing, electrifying and transcendent, 'Colonus' demands attendance" and the hit musical, "Five Guys Named Moe,"which the Los Angeles Times reviewed as "...one of the more entertaining experiences available to humanity..." Brown periodically conducts a six-week entertainment industry seminar through the ERT Performance Lab entitled, "Purpose, Passion & Possibility" as well as being an active cultural/motivational lecturer. Brown formerly served on the board of Antioch University, Los Angeles, the Screen Actors Guild, the Friends of Washington Preparatory High School, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and the Charles R. Drew University.

Biography from IMDb.

Born: June 11, 1964 (62)
From: Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as: Actor
Titles: 46 on MovieCove · 57 credits in all
Links: IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Down 34% in 30 days

What are Wren T. Brown's films like?

Across their 5 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight

Society

30%

Morality

25%

Survival

23%

Self

17%

Bonds

Justice2 Violence2

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 films

ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Earnest

Tone · Sincerity

ironicearnest

Ironic 0 · Wry 1 · Earnest 3

Serious

Tone · Weight

lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 1 · Dark 1

Grounded

Tone · Style

naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

Charged

Feel · Intensity

gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 1 · Intense 2

Steady

Feel · Swings

steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced

Feel · Humor

noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

Even-paced

Demand · Pace

slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 1

Engaged

Demand · Attention

casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Affecting

Demand · Emotional cost

easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 2 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 1

Resolved

Demand · Resolution

resolvedambiguous

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense

Warm

Contemplative

Hopeful

Thrilling

Other

How their films linger

Rousing3 Hopeful2 Thought-provoking2

How their films end · 3 with a twist

Happy1
Bittersweet1
Ambiguous3

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 Wren T. Brown's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 34 of their 46 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Howdy2 titles, show their 2 titles on Howdy
MovieSphere+2 titles, show their 2 titles on MovieSphere+
FOX One1 title, show their title on FOX One
Here TV1 title, show their title on Here TV
Shout! TV1 title, show their title on Shout! TV
Sony Pictures Core1 title, show their title on Sony Pictures Core
UP Faith & Family1 title, show their title on UP Faith & Family

Subscription and free streaming for Wren T. Brown'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

57 credits, 46 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story(2022)
as Clive
Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
The Orville(2017)
Show 3 episodes · as Captain Rechik
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
Dear White People(2017)
Show 1 episode · as Congressman
Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows
Beyond the Lights(2014)
as Pastor Marks
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Transparent(2014)
Show 1 episode · as Herbert
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows
Eli Stone(2008)
Show 1 episode · as Ryan Church
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
Women's Murder Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Show 1 episode · Actor
USS Constellation: Battling for Freedom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
as Narrator
Edmond(2005)
as Preacher
Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
Midnight Clear(2006)
as Dale
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Hellbent(2004)
as Police Captain
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
Grey's Anatomy(2005)
Show 3 episodes · as Michael
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows
McBride: Tune in for Murder(2005)
as Kyle Ward
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Whoopi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Show 22 episodes · as Courtney Rae
Half & Half(2002)
Show 3 episodes · as Professor Marvin Wilkins
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
Grounded for Life(2001)
Show 1 episode · as Officer
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows
Curb Your Enthusiasm(2000)
Show 1 episode · as Dr. Page
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
The West Wing(1999)
Show 1 episode · as 'No' Vote Man
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
Family Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Show 1 episode · Actor
The Dinner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
as Young Brother
Ally McBeal(1997)
Show 1 episode · as Mr. Stone
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows
The Practice(1997)
Show 1 episode · as Attorney Scott Layden
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
Hellraiser: Bloodline(1996)
as Parker
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
Moesha(1996)
Show 1 episode · as Mr. Perry
Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all shows
Waiting to Exhale(1995)
as Minister
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Flipper(1995)
Show 22 episodes · as Quinn Garrett
Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all shows
The Net(1995)
as Trooper
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Under Siege 2: Dark Territory(1995)
as Captain #1
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Star Trek: Voyager(1995)
Show 1 episode · as Kohlar
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
Touched by an Angel(1994)
Show 1 episode · as Tom Larson
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows
Almost Dead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
as Bednarek
I'll Do Anything(1994)
as Floor Manager
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
Frasier(1993)
Show 1 episode · as Keith Bishop
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
Heart and Souls(1993)
as Sgt. Wm. Barclay
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Warlock: The Armageddon(1993)
as Assistant
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
Walker, Texas Ranger(1993)
Show 1 episode · as Lieutenant Shell
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows
Nightmare in the Daylight(1992)
as Nathan Strand
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
The Importance of Being Earnest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
as Algernon Moncrief
The Heroes of Desert Storm(1991)
Actor
Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films
Roc(1991)
Show 1 episode · as Jerald
Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows
Stat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Show 6 episodes · Actor
The Simpsons(1989)
Show 1 episode · as Virgil (voice)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
Seinfeld(1989)
Show 1 episode · as Walker #2
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Actor
Not Another Mistake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
as Brown
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka(1988)
as Big Brim Pimp #2
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
The Night Before(1988)
as Harold
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story(1988)
as Ernie Jackson
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
The Hidden(1987)
as Patrolman
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
Star Trek: The Next Generation(1987)
Show 1 episode · as Transport Pilot
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
A Different World(1987)
Show 1 episode · as Milt
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows
Tour of Duty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
Show 1 episode · as G.I.
L.A. Law(1986)
Show 1 episode · as Marshall
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows
Murder, She Wrote(1984)
Show 1 episode · as Desk Clerk · as Uniformed Policeman
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
Scarecrow and Mrs. King(1983)
Show 1 episode · Actor
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
Knight Rider(1982)
Show 1 episode · as Gang Member #2
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
Knots Landing(1979)
Show 1 episode · as Police Officer
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 86^th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 56 titles from 1979 to 2022; peak year 1995.

Biggest box office

Hellbent (2004)

$183K worldwide

Highest rated

Hellbent (2004)

Midcredits 36^th

Film career

19792022

Peak 1995 · fewer prominent film roles lately. 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.

1988Screen debut· The Night Before

By role

only this rolewith another role

Acting56 of 56 · 56^th

By decade

1970s1 · acting1980s15 · acting1990s24 · acting2000s11 · acting2010s4 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 15th · top billed in 0% of 8 roles

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.

How do Wren T. Brown's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45^th percentile, the median of all 19; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 36^th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

36^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

42^ndpercentile

Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

39^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 46 titles, by percentile

75^th and up14
50^th to 74^th14
25^th to 49^th11
Below 25^th7

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 46 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

Universally Loved7
Divisive1
Cult Classic3
Crowd Pleaser19
Broadly Agreed2
Mixed14

Most divisive · actor

Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (2022)

88^th percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Orville (2017)

Midcredits 88^th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 51. 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.