Date Of Birth

July 30, 1961

Biography

Award-winning actor Laurence Fishburne was born on July 30, 1961 in Augusta, Georgia. He graduated from the Lincoln Square Academy in New York and started acting at an early age.

At age 12, Laurence Fishburne began his acting career with a portrayal of Joshua Hall in the ABC soap One Life to Live in 1968. He also played a young boy, Wilford Robinson, in 1975’s Cornbread, Earl and Me. He was credited as Larry Fishburne for his role in Apocalypse Now, where he was cast by Francis Ford Coppola. He was hired by Coppola once again for roles in 1983’s crime drama Rumble Fish, 1984’s The Cotton Club and the war romance Gardens of Stone. Laurence Fishburne also had a recurring role in the TV series Pee-wee’s Playhouse as Cowboy Curtis. He also appeared in one episode of M*A*S*H* and Strike Force in 1982.

In the 1980s, he worked on stage, being cast in Short Eyes and Loose Ends, both produced at the Second Stage Theatre in New York. The 1990s opened up more opportunities for Fishburne when he played Jimmy Jump in the controversial King of New York. He was also cast in Boyz N The Hood. He won the Tony Award in 1992 for his stage performance in August Wilson’s play Two Trains Running. This was followed by an Emmy Award for his role in the short-lived series TriBeCa. His first Oscar nomination was achieved for his portrayal of Ike Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It?

Laurence Fishburne also stars in Searching for Bobby Fischer, Higher Learning, Bad Company, Just Cause and Othello, all in 1995. In 1999, he was given the role he became famous for, as Morpheus in the blockbuster The Matrix, with Keanu Reeves. He returned for his role in the sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. He has also acted alongside Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible III. Fishburne has also lent his voice to characters in the movies Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.

He was honored with the Harvard Foundation Artist of the Year Award in 2007 for his prowess as an actor and entertainer with humanitarian pursuits. Laurence Fishburne is also an ambassador for UNICEF, and was awarded the key to the city of Cambridge Massachusetts. “Laurence Fishburne Day” is celebrated on February 24.

In 2013, Fishburne became a series regular on NBC’s Hannibal as Agent Jack Crawford.

Place of Birth

Augusta, Georgia, USA

Birth Name

Laurence John Fishburne III

Gender

Male

Fun Facts

Spouse:
Gina Torres (20 September 2002 – present)
Hajna O. Moss (1985 – 199?) (divorced)

Children, with Moss; Son: Langston (b. 1987), daughter: Montana (b. 1991).

Daughter, with Torres; Delilah, born June 2007.

He changed his name from Larry to Laurence in his films in 1991.

Studied acting at the Lincoln Square Academy in New York.

His deal for The Matrix (1999) sequels was for a reported $15 million 3.75% of the gross.

Character on CSI: Ray Langston, is taken from the name of his oldest son.

Awards

Nominated for Oscar. Another 17 wins & 21 nominations.

1994: (nominated) Academy Awards, USA
Best Actor in a Leading Role
for: What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993)

1997: (won) Emmy Awards
Outstanding Made for Television Movie
for: Miss Evers’ Boys (1997) (TV)
Shared with: Robert Benedetti (executive producer), Kern Konwiser (co-producer), Peter Stelzer (co-producer), Derek Kavanagh (producer),
Kip Konwiser (producer)

1993: (won) Emmy Awards
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
for: “Tribeca” (1993)

Filmography

2013: Hannibal
2013: The Colony
2011: Contagion
2010: The Last Full Measure – Harold Hunter
2010: 4Chosen – Ralph Menar
2009: Red Soil – Officer Francis Tompson
2009: Black Water Transit – Jack
2009: Armored – Baines
2008-2011: “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” – Dr. Raymond Langston
2008: Tortured – Archie Green
2008: 21 – Cole Williams
2006: Bobby – Edward Robinson
2006: Five Fingers – Ahmat
2006: Mission: Impossible III – Theodore Brassel
2006: Akeelah and the Bee – Dr. Larabee
2005: Assault on Precinct 13 – Marion Bishop
2003: The Matrix Revolutions – Morpheus
2003: Mystic River – Sgt. Whitey Powers
2003: The Matrix Reloaded – Morpheus
2003: Biker Boyz – Smoke
1999: The Matrix – Morpheus
1997: Hoodlum – Bumpy Johnson
1997: Event Horizon – Captain Miller
1996: Fled – Charles Piper
1995: Othello – Othello
1995: Just Cause – Sheriff Tanny Brown
1995: Higher Learning – Professor Maurice Phipps
1993: Searching for Bobby Fischer – Vinnie
1991: Boyz n the Hood – Furious Styles
1991: Class Action – Nick Holbrook
1990: Cadence – Roosevelt Stokes
1990: King of New York – Jimmy Jump
1988: Red Heat – Lt. Charlie Stobbs
1988: School Daze – Dap
1987: Gardens of Stone – Sgt. Flanagan
1985: The Color Purple – Swain
1983: Rumble Fish – Midget
1982: Death Wish II – Cutter
1980: Willie & Phil – Wilson

Nickname

Fish, Larry

Height

6′ 0.5″ (1.84 M)

Quotes

-I think of myself as being a relatively intelligent man who is open to a lot of different things and I think that questioning our purpose in life and the meaning of existence is something that we all go through at some point.

-I certainly believe that being in contact with one’s spirit and nurturing one’s spirit is as important as nurturing one’s body and mind. We are three dimensional beings: body, mind, spirit.