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Carl Lumbly

Carl Lumbly

Actor · Born August 14, 1951 (75) · Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Carl Winston Lumbly (born August 14, 1951) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as television's first black superhero in M.A.N.T.I.S., Dick Hallorann in Doctor Sleep, NYPD detective Marcus Petrie on the CBS police drama Cagney & Lacey, CIA agent Marcus Dixon on the ABC espionage drama series Alias, and as the voice of J'onn J'onnz / Martian Manhunter in the animated series Justice League, Static Shock, and Justice League Unlimited, all part of the DC Animated Universe. As a reference to his voice work as J'onn, Lumbly portrayed J'onn J'onnz's father, M'yrnn, on The CW's Arrowverse on Supergirl from 2017 until 2019. He also plays Isaiah Bradley, the first Black super-soldier, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) and the film Captain America: Brave New World (2025). He was married to Vonetta McGee from 1987 until her death in 2010.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 14, 1951 (75)
From
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
81 on MovieCove · 110 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 155 days to Oct 26Down 31% in 30 days

What are Carl Lumbly's films like?

Across their 34 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Biography5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 84th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Animation3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 93rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Animation movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 31st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary 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
Bonds
25%
Morality
24%
Self
21%
Power
11%
Society
9%
Survival
9%
Ideas
1%
Justice16 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity10 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 28 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 18 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 3 · Charged 19 · Intense 6

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

Steady 13 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 23 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 8 · Engaged 17 · Full focus 3

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 3 · Affecting 16 · Heavy 9

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

Resolved 22 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

13 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 4 of 13 analyzed roles.

Mentor
4 of 13
Ally
4 of 13
Hero
3 of 13
Threshold guardian
1 of 13
Shadow
1 of 13
Show the 13 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
23
Hopeful
12
Thrilling
9
Melancholic
11
Warm
8
Other
22

How their films linger

Hopeful17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet21
  • Ambiguous1

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 Carl Lumbly's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 57 of their 81 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (18).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Carl Lumbly'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

110 credits, 81 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Exorcist: Martyrs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    Actor

  • The Life of Chuck(2024)

    as Sam Yarbrough

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Captain America: Brave New World(2025)

    as Isaiah Bradley

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Obliterated(2023)

    Show 6 episodes · as James Langdon

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • The Fall of the House of Usher(2023)

    Show 8 episodes · as C. Auguste Dupin

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • I'm Charlie Walker(2022)

    as Willie

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Marvel Studios' 2021 Disney+ Day Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Isaiah Bradley (archive footage)

  • The Falcon and the Winter Soldier(2021)

    Show 3 episodes · as Isaiah Bradley

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Doctor Sleep(2019)

    as Dick Halloran

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool(2019)

    as Miles Davis (voice)

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • God Friended Me(2018)

    Show 2 episodes · as Alphonse

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Altered Carbon(2018)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lukas Imani

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Chi(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Walter Dion Burkes

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • S.W.A.T.(2017)

    Show 3 episodes · as Saint

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • A Cure for Wellness(2016)

    as Mr. Wilson

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • This Is Us(2016)

    Show 2 episodes · as Abe Clarke

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Bunnicula(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Lead Prison Guard / Vampire Bat (voice)

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Love Twice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Rodrigo

  • Supergirl(2015)

    Show 15 episodes · as Myr'nn J'onzz

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Zoo(2015)

    Show 6 episodes · as Delavenne

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • Justice League: Gods and Monsters(2015)

    as Silas Stone (voice)

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • UnREAL(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Henry Carter

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Quitters(2015)

    as Dr. Weiss

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Returned(2015)

    Show 5 episodes · as Pastor Leon Wright

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Justice League: Doom(2012)

    as Martian Manhunter (voice)

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Young Justice(2010)

    Show 3 episodes · as M'aatt M'orzz (voice)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Black Panther (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Uncle S'Yan

  • Black Panther(2010)

    Show 6 episodes · as Uncle S'Yan (voice)

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Nominated (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Ray Cowan

  • NCIS: Los Angeles(2009)

    Show 4 episodes · as Charles Langston

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Batman: The Brave and the Bold(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Tornado Champion / Tornado Tyrant (voice)

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • The Alphabet Killer(2008)

    as Dr. Ellis Parks

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Immigrants (L.A. Dolce Vita)(2008)

    as Splits Jackson

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Chuck(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Ty Bennett

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation(2007)

    as Samuel Nujoma

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Kurt Walling

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Battlestar Galactica(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Lt. Danny 'Bulldog' Novacek

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Other Voices (voice)

  • Justice League Unlimited(2004)

    Show 39 episodes · as J'onn J'onzz (voice)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Justice League: Starcrossed(2004)

    as J'onn J'onzz (voice)

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Warming by the Devil's Fire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Narrator

  • Cold Case (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Cordell Baker (2008)

  • NCIS(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Beau Hindley

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Justice League: Paradise Lost (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter (voice)

  • Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property(2003)

    as Nat Turner - Gray

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Sounder(2003)

    as The Father

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Just a Dream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as J.M. Hoagland

  • Justice League(2001)

    Show 50 episodes · as J'onn J'onzz (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Justice League: Secret Origins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as J'onn J'onzz (voice)

  • Alias(2001)

    Show 105 episodes · as Marcus Dixon

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Night Visions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Dan (segment "A View Through the Window")

  • Kate Brasher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 7 episodes · as Jackson Turner

  • Static Shock(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Anansi (voice) · as Martian Manhunter (voice)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Men of Honor(2000)

    as Mac Brashear

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Little Richard(2000)

    as Bud Penniman

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Color of Friendship(2000)

    as Ron Dellums

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The West Wing(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeff Breckenridge

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

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

    Show 1 episode · as Tom Calloway

  • Border Line(1999)

    as Detective Mollo

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Family Guy(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Loan Officer (voice)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Batman Beyond(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Stalker (voice) · as Stalker / Officer Williams (voice)

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • The Wild Thornberrys(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Red Colobus Monkey (voice) · as Tumbulu (voice)

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

  • Any Day Now (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • How Stella Got Her Groove Back(1998)

    as Judge Spencer Boyle

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • The Wedding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Lute McNeil

  • Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero(1998)

    as Additional Voices (voice)

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Buffalo Soldiers(1997)

    as John Horse

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • EP Daily (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Ditchdigger's Daughters(1997)

    as Donald Thornton

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • EZ Streets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 8 episodes · Actor

  • Superman: The Animated Series(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Alterus (voice) · as Mayor (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Colonel William Marcus (voice)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Nightjohn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Nightjohn

  • America's Dream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Cal (segment "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black")

  • Cagney & Lacey: The Return(1994)

    as Marcus Petrie

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Touched by an Angel(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Willis Thompson

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • ER(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Graham Baker

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Chicago Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael Johnson

  • M.A.N.T.I.S.(1994)

    Show 22 episodes · as Dr. Miles Hawkins

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all shows

  • On Promised Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Floyd Ween

  • M.A.N.T.I.S.(1994)

    as Dr. Miles Hawkins

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Out of Darkness(1994)

    as Addison

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • SeaQuest 2032(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Lamm

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • The X-Files(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Marcus Duff

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • TriBeCa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

  • South Central(1992)

    as Ali

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Going to Extremes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 17 episodes · as Dr. Michael Norris

  • Back to the Streets of San Francisco(1992)

    as Charlie Walker

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Eyes of a Witness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Mambulu

  • Brother Future(1991)

    as Denmark Vessy

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • To Sleep with Anger(1990)

    as Junior

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Pacific Heights(1990)

    as Lieutenant Lou Baker

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Moe's World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Actor

  • Everybody's All-American(1988)

    as Narvel Blue

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • American Experience(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Judgment in Berlin(1988)

    as Edwin Palmer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8(1987)

    as Bobby Seale

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • The Bedroom Window(1987)

    as Quirke

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • L.A. Law(1986)

    Show 6 episodes · as Earl Williams

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • The Gospel at Colonus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Theseus

  • The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension(1984)

    as John Parker

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Cagney & Lacey(1981)

    Show 106 episodes · as Mark Petrie

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Cagney and Lacey: The Pilot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Mark Petrie

  • Caveman(1981)

    as Bork

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Lifepod(1981)

    as Keshah

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Undercover with the KKK(1979)

    as Rev. Lowell

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Escape from Alcatraz(1979)

    as Inmate

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Taxi(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Customer #2

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • The Jeffersons(1975)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Great Performances (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Theseus

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 109 titles, 108 of them dated from 1971 to 2025; peak year 2018.

Biggest box office

Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

$415M worldwide

Highest rated

Justice League Unlimited (2004)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Cagney & Lacey (1981)

Film career

19712025

Peak 2018 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 5 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
Acting109 of 109: 109 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score71st

By decade

1970s5 · acting1980s12 · acting1990s37 · acting2000s26 · acting2010s21 · acting2020s7 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 8% of 25 roles
81910111

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.

How do Carl Lumbly's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 57th percentile, the median of all 40; across their 28 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 52nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Approval · how many liked their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Reach · how many have seen their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 28

Midcredits score across 81 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up35
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th19
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

33 of their 81 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved13
  • Cult Classic5
  • Crowd Pleaser33
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed27

Most divisive · actor

I'm Charlie Walker (2022)

87th percentile spread · 39% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Young Justice (2010)

Midcredits 98th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 22 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 44. 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 Carl Lumbly's work okay for kids?

Across up to 10 MovieCove titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs heavier than most films and alcohol & drugs lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore8 titles34–67 · median 52 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity10 titles10–45 · median 27 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity8 titles10–53 · median 27 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs8 titles6–39 · median 16 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense8 titles15–64 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most 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 Carl Lumbly work with?

People who share at least 2 of Carl Lumbly's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Kevin Conroy shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles