Courtney B. Vance

Courtney B. Vance

Acting
Born 1960-03-12Detroit, Michigan, USA

Biography

Courtney Bernard Vance (born March 12, 1960) is an American actor. Vance started his career on the Broadway stage in the original productions of August Wilson's Fences in 1985, John Guare's Six Degrees of Separation in 1990 and Nora Ephron's Lucky Guy in 2013 for which he won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. He is known for his roles in films such as Hamburger Hill (1987), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Preacher's Wife (1996), Cookie's Fortune (1999), Terminator Genisys (2015), and Isle of Dogs (2018). Vance is also known for work on television on shows such as Law & Order: Criminal Intent, where he portrayed Assistant District Attorney Ron Carver. He also guest-starred on Law & Order, Picket Fences, The Closer, Revenge, Scandal, and Masters of Sex. He won acclaim for his portrayal of Johnnie Cochran in the FX limited series The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story (2016) for which he received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. He recently appeared in the HBO television film, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2017), National Geographic's limited series Genius: Aretha (2020), and the HBO drama series Lovecraft Country (2020) the latter of which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. He has been married to actress Angela Bassett since 1997. Vance is on the Board of Directors for The Actors Center in New York City, and is an active supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. In 2019, Vance was appointed as the President of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation.

Movies (64)

Lilo & Stitch
7.2

Lilo & Stitch

2025Movie7.2
Terminator Genisys
6.0

Terminator Genisys

2015Movie6.0
The Hunt for Red October
7.4

The Hunt for Red October

1990Movie7.4
Isle of Dogs
7.8

Isle of Dogs

2018Movie7.8
The Mummy
5.5

The Mummy

2017Movie5.5
Hamburger Hill
6.6

Hamburger Hill

1987Movie6.6
Final Destination 5
6.2

Final Destination 5

2011Movie6.2
Dangerous Minds
7.0

Dangerous Minds

1995Movie7.0
Office Christmas Party
5.7

Office Christmas Party

2016Movie5.7
12 Angry Men
7.7

12 Angry Men

1997Movie7.7
Project Power
6.4

Project Power

2020Movie6.4
Space Cowboys
6.4

Space Cowboys

2000Movie6.4
Ben Is Back
6.6

Ben Is Back

2018Movie6.6
Joyful Noise
6.4

Joyful Noise

2012Movie6.4
The Adventures of Huck Finn
6.2

The Adventures of Huck Finn

1993Movie6.2
Nothing but the Truth
6.9

Nothing but the Truth

2008Movie6.9
Extraordinary Measures
6.3

Extraordinary Measures

2010Movie6.3
The Divide
5.9

The Divide

2012Movie5.9
D-Tox
5.6

D-Tox

2002Movie5.6
Let It Shine
7.0

Let It Shine

2012Movie7.0
The Photograph
6.3

The Photograph

2020Movie6.3
Panther
6.3

Panther

1995Movie6.3
The Last Supper
6.5

The Last Supper

1995Movie6.5
The Tuskegee Airmen
7.1

The Tuskegee Airmen

1995Movie7.1
The Preacher's Wife
5.8

The Preacher's Wife

1996Movie5.8
On Broadway
8.7

On Broadway

2019Movie8.7
Girl Dad
1.0

Girl Dad

2026Movie1.0
Beyond the Law
6.3

Beyond the Law

1993Movie6.3
Holy Matrimony
5.3

Holy Matrimony

1994Movie5.3
Cookie's Fortune
6.4

Cookie's Fortune

1999Movie6.4
Ambushed
5.1

Ambushed

1998Movie5.1
Hurricane Season
6.6

Hurricane Season

2010Movie6.6
The Boys Next Door
6.7

The Boys Next Door

1996Movie6.7
Heist 88
6.7

Heist 88

2023Movie6.7
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
6.3

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

2017Movie6.3
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson
7.2

Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson

2004Movie7.2
The Affair
4.0

The Affair

1995Movie4.0
Between the World and Me
7.9

Between the World and Me

2020Movie7.9
Uncorked
6.1

Uncorked

2020Movie6.1
W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause
6.0

W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause

2026Movie6.0
The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story
9.0

The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story

2000Movie9.0
Nonsense and Lullabyes: Nursery Rhymes
8.0

Nonsense and Lullabyes: Nursery Rhymes

1992Movie8.0
Death Wish

Death Wish

2024Movie
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
5.2

Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives

2003Movie5.2
The Acting Class
6.0

The Acting Class

2000Movie6.0
Henry Louis Gates Jr.: Uncovering America

Henry Louis Gates Jr.: Uncovering America

2019Movie
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays

The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays

2006Movie
Memorial: Letters from American Soldiers
6.3

Memorial: Letters from American Soldiers

1991Movie6.3
Naked City: Justice with a Bullet
4.2

Naked City: Justice with a Bullet

1998Movie4.2
Naked City: A Killer Christmas
3.8

Naked City: A Killer Christmas

1998Movie3.8
Love and Action in Chicago
4.9

Love and Action in Chicago

1999Movie4.9
Blind Faith
6.2

Blind Faith

1998Movie6.2
The Piano Lesson
7.6

The Piano Lesson

1995Movie7.6
Nonsense and Lullabyes: Poems
8.0

Nonsense and Lullabyes: Poems

1992Movie8.0
Percy & Thunder
8.0

Percy & Thunder

1993Movie8.0
Partners of the Heart
7.0

Partners of the Heart

2002Movie7.0
In the Line of Duty: Street War
5.4

In the Line of Duty: Street War

1992Movie5.4
Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad
6.5

Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad

1994Movie6.5
Whitewash: The Clarence Brandley Story
8.0

Whitewash: The Clarence Brandley Story

2002Movie8.0
The Fight
7.3

The Fight

2005Movie7.3
The Groveland Four
9.0

The Groveland Four

2018Movie9.0
First Affair
4.0

First Affair

1983Movie4.0
The Emperor's New Clothes
7.0

The Emperor's New Clothes

1992Movie7.0
Hollywood's Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story

Hollywood's Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story

2020Movie

TV Shows (34)

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
4.9

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

2009Series4.9
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
6.1

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

2015Series6.1
Law & Order
7.3

Law & Order

1990Series7.3
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
7.6

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

2001Series7.6
NOVA
7.0

NOVA

1974Series7.0
The Closer
7.8

The Closer

2005Series7.8
The Jennifer Hudson Show
5.6

The Jennifer Hudson Show

2022Series5.6
The View
4.3

The View

1997Series4.3
Scandal
7.2

Scandal

2012Series7.2
ER
7.8

ER

1994Series7.8
Golden Globe Awards
7.0

Golden Globe Awards

1944Series7.0
American Experience
6.5

American Experience

1988Series6.5
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
7.3

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

2023Series7.3
Sherri
2.6

Sherri

2022Series2.6
Revenge
7.5

Revenge

2011Series7.5
American Crime Story
7.6

American Crime Story

2016Series7.6
The Wild Thornberrys
7.0

The Wild Thornberrys

1998Series7.0
Tamron Hall
4.5

Tamron Hall

2019Series4.5
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
4.2

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

2014Series4.2
Boston Public
7.7

Boston Public

2000Series7.7
Masters of Sex
7.1

Masters of Sex

2013Series7.1
Finding Your Roots
6.5

Finding Your Roots

2012Series6.5
Picket Fences
7.4

Picket Fences

1992Series7.4
thirtysomething
6.3

thirtysomething

1987Series6.3
Genius
7.5

Genius

2017Series7.5
FlashForward
7.0

FlashForward

2009Series7.0
Grotesquerie
7.3

Grotesquerie

2024Series7.3
Any Day Now
7.5

Any Day Now

1998Series7.5
Graceland
7.2

Graceland

2013Series7.2
Lovecraft Country
7.1

Lovecraft Country

2020Series7.1
Amend: The Fight for America
7.1

Amend: The Fight for America

2021Series7.1
61st Street
6.2

61st Street

2022Series6.2
Gary the Rat
7.0

Gary the Rat

2003Series7.0
Hallmark Hall of Fame
8.8

Hallmark Hall of Fame

1951Series8.8