Charles S. Dutton
A graduate of The Yale School of Drama, Charles S. Dutton has a career spanning theater, television and film, and is one of the few actors to earn Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for the same role. He created the lead roles in three of August Wilson’s early plays: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Jo Turners’ Come and Gone, and The Piano Lesson. He received multiple award nominations, including the Tony for Best Actor for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and The Piano Lesson. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for The Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation of The Piano Lesson.
Dutton starred in and executive produced the Fox comedy/drama Roc, produced by HBO, for which he received several NAACP Image Award nominations. He has numerous television credits, including the miniseries The Murder of Mary Phagan, The 60’s, Deadlock, and Aftershock. His episodic appearances include House, The Sopranos and the HBO series Oz, among others. He won Emmy’s for his guest starring roles in Without a Trace and The Practice.
He is a veteran of numerous feature films such as Q & A, Alien 3, Menace II Society, Rudy, A Low Down Dirty Shame, Cry, the Beloved Country, Nick of Time, A Time to Kill, Get on the Bus, Cookie’s Fortune (for which he received an Independent Spirit Award nomination), Gothika, and Secret Window. He just completed starring in the new John Sayles film Honeydripper.
He made his directorial debut in 1997 with the HBO movie First Time Felon. He also directed the award winning HBO miniseries The Corner, for which he received a 2001 Best Director Emmy. His feature film directorial debut was the 2004 Paramount film Against the Ropes. Most recently he directed multiple episodes of the 2006 season of the Showtime series Sleeper Cell, for which he has been nominated for a DGA award.
I’ve had the HUGE HONOR of working with Mr. Dutton before and He gave me inspiration, which has helped me in my career. I am an actor, director, model, writer, film maker/editor and photographer. I was just starting out as an actor, when fate allowed us to do a staged reading together at the “National Black Theatre Festival,” called “Happy Anniversary Punk,” written by Michael Ajakwe’ Jr. Mr. Dutton gave me words of encouragement which have helped me to coach young actors, directors, film makers, etc. I am always thrilled to know that people who have helped to inspire me, are continuing to inspire, through thier hard work and efforts. Thank you Mr. Dutton; you always have a friend willing to lend a hand, in me.
Comment by Alvin O. Mitchell — February 18, 2008 @ 12:39 am