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Anthony Johnson

Anthony Johnson

Actor · Died September 5, 2021, aged 55 · Compton, California, USA

Anthony Johnson (February 1, 1966 – September 6, 2021), sometimes credited as A. J. Johnson, was an American actor and comedian. He was best known for his role as "Ezal” in the 1995 comedy film Friday. Born in Compton, California, his father Eddie Smith was a stuntman and a co-founder of the Black Stuntmen's Association. Johnson had credited his father for helping him enter the film industry, by getting him to work in film productions. He had also credited the comedian Robin Harris for helping him earlier on in his career as a stand-up comedian and giving him another chance even when he was jeered for his bad performance. Johnson began acting in his early twenties. In 1990, he landed a starring role as E.Z.E. in House Party, after which he started doing stand-up in bars in Los Angeles. He later appeared in Lethal Weapon 3 as a drug dealer and in Menace II Society. His biggest role was in the 1995 comedy Friday, as Ezal, a crackhead and thief. He also appeared in Panther, The Players Club, B*A*P*S, I Got the Hook-Up, Def Jam's How to Be a Player and Repos, and in rap videos: in Dr. Dre's "Dre Day" (1992), he played Sleazy-E, a parody of Eazy-E, and he appeared again as Sleazy-E in the video for Eazy-E's "Real Muthaphuckkin G's" (1993), this time being assaulted.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 31, 1966
Died
September 5, 2021 (aged 55)
From
Compton, California, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 29 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 37 days to Oct 26Down 22% in 30 days

What are Anthony Johnson's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Power and Morality.

Genres

Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 24th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 11th percentile
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Power
23%
Morality
21%
Bonds
18%
Self
16%
Survival
12%
Society
11%
Friendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal4 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass3 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 1 · Dark 5

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 11 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 6 · Intense 4

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 7

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 10 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Trickster: 3 of 4 analyzed roles.

Trickster
3 of 4
Ally
1 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Joyful
6
Absurd
6
Thrilling
4
Dread
3
Other
6

How their films linger

Fun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteInfuriating4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous4
  • 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 Anthony Johnson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Anthony Johnson'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

29 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Boosters LA(2022)

    as Kenny

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • I Got the Hook Up 2(2019)

    as Blue

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Hey, Mr. Postman!(2018)

    as Cousin Tino

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • 5K1(2018)

    as Wash Manager

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Candy(2017)

    as Lollipop

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Recognize(2012)

    as Mouse

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Repos(2006)

    as Tick Tack

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Hittin' It!(2004)

    as Cousin E (as A.J. Johnson)

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Roscoe's House of Chicken n Waffles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Roscoe

  • Sweet Hideaway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Coach

  • On the Edge(2002)

    as Hank Conrad

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • O(2001)

    as Dell

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Baller Blockin'(2000)

    as Fast Eddie

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Hot Boyz(2000)

    as Pee Wee

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • I Got the Hook Up(1998)

    as Blue

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Woo(1998)

    as Doorman

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • The Players Club(1998)

    as L'il Man

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • How to Be a Player(1997)

    as Spootie

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • B*A*P*S(1997)

    as James

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Jamie Foxx Show(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Lil Loc Dawg

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • The Great White Hype(1996)

    as Sultan’s Valet

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Moesha(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as G-Dog

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all shows

  • Panther(1995)

    as Sabu

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Friday(1995)

    as Ezal

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • House Party 3(1994)

    as Butcher

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Menace II Society(1993)

    as Tony

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Martin(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as LaFonne

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Lethal Weapon 3(1992)

    as Drug Dealer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • House Party(1990)

    as E.Z.E.

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 87th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 29 titles from 1990 to 2022; peak year 1997.

Biggest box office

House Party 3 (1994)

$19M worldwide

Highest rated

O (2001)

Midcredits 46th

Most popular right now

B*A*P*S (1997)

Film career

19902022

Peak 1997 · at the high point of their film career. 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
Acting29 of 29: 29 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score27th

By decade

1990s15 · acting2000s8 · acting2010s5 · acting2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 10th · top billed in 0% of 10 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 Anthony Johnson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 26th percentile, the median of all 24; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 19th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

19thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

22ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th13

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 27 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Divisive6
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Mixed15

Most divisive · actor

5K1 (2018)

98th percentile spread · 66% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Menace II Society (1993)

Midcredits 95th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the acting 41/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 62, detractors 22. 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.

Who does Anthony Johnson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Anthony Johnson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Master P shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Producers