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IMDbPro

Delroy Lindo

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Delroy Lindo in Ransom (1996)
Take a closer look at the various roles Delroy Lindo has played throughout his acting career.
Play clip1:38
Delroy Lindo | Career Retrospective
76 Videos
99+ Photos
On the stage and on the big screen, Delroy Lindo projects a powerful presence that is almost impossible to ignore. Alhough it was not his first film role, his portrayal of the bipolar numbers boss West Indian Archie in Spike Lee's Malcolm X (1992) is what first attracted attention to Lindo's considerable talents. Since then, his star has slowly been on the rise.

The son of Jamaican parents, Lindo was born and raised in Lewisham, England, United Kingdom, until his teens when he and his mother, a nurse, moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A little later, they moved to the United States, where Lindo would graduate from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. After graduation, Lindo landed his first film role, that of an Army sergeant in More American Graffiti (1979). However, he did not appear in another film for ten years. In the meantime, Lindo worked on stage and, in 1982, debuted on Broadway in "Master Harold and the Boys" directed by the play's author, Athol Fugard. In 1988, Lindo earned a Tony nomination for his portrayal of Harald Loomis in Joe Turner's Come and Gone.

Though he was obviously a talented actor with a bright future, Lindo's career stalled. Wanting someone more aggressive and appreciative of his talents, Lindo changed agents (he'd had the same one through most of his early career). It was a smart move, but it was director Spike Lee who provided the boost Lindo's career needed. The director was impressed enough with Lindo to cast him as patriarch Woody Carmichael in Lee's semi-autobiographical comedy Crooklyn (1994).

For Lindo, 1996 was a big year. He landed major supporting roles in six features, including a heavy in Barry Sonnenfeld's Get Shorty (1995), another villainous supporting role in Lee's Clockers (1995), and still another bad guy in Feeling Minnesota (1996). Lest one believe that Lindo is typecast into forever playing drug lords and gangsters, that year he also played baseball player Leroy "Satchel" Paige in the upbeat Soul of the Game (1996) (a.k.a. Baseball in Black and White), for which he won a NAACP Image Award nomination. Since then, the versatile Lindo has shown himself equally adept at playing characters on both sides of the law. In 1997, he played an angel opposite Holly Hunter in Danny Boyle's offbeat romantic fantasy A Life Less Ordinary (1997) and, in 2009, a vengeful cop in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999).

Lindo graduated from San Francisco State University in 2004 with a degree in Cinema.
BornNovember 18, 1952
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornNovember 18, 1952
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Awards
    • 19 wins & 62 nominations

Photos148

Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, and RJ Cyler in The Harder They Fall (2021)
Delroy Lindo, The Kid Mero, and Desus Nice in Mad Moist (2021)
Delroy Lindo in The Good Fight (2017)
Delroy Lindo in The Good Fight (2017)
Delroy Lindo in The Good Fight (2017)
Delroy Lindo and Jonathan Majors in Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Delroy Lindo in Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Delroy Lindo in Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Delroy Lindo and Chadwick Boseman in Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Delroy Lindo, Norm Lewis, Clarke Peters, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Jonathan Majors in Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Christine Baranski, Delroy Lindo, Michael Boatman, and Audra McDonald in The Good Fight (2017)
Christine Baranski and Delroy Lindo in The Good Fight (2017)

Known for:

John Travolta, Danny DeVito, Gene Hackman, and Rene Russo in Get Shorty (1995)
Get Shorty
6.9
  • Bo Catlett
  • 1995
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Da 5 Bloods
6.5
  • Paul
  • 2020
Aaron Eckhart, Stanley Tucci, Delroy Lindo, Hilary Swank, Bruce Greenwood, and DJ Qualls in The Core (2003)
The Core
5.5
  • Brazzelton
  • 2003
Denzel Washington in Malcolm X (1992)
Malcolm X
7.7
  • West Indian Archie
  • 1992

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • Blade
    • In Production
    • 2024
  • Anansi Boys
    • Anansi, Mr. Nancy
    • Post-production
    • TV Mini Series
  • Delroy Lindo and Kerry Washington in Unprisoned (2023)
    Unprisoned
    • Edwin Alexander
    • TV Series
    • 2023
  • The Harder They Fall (2021)
    The Harder They Fall
    • Bass Reeves
    • 2021
  • Christine Baranski and Audra McDonald in The Good Fight (2017)
    The Good Fight
    • Adrian Boseman
    • TV Series
    • 2017–2021
  • LX 2048 (2020)
    LX 2048
    • Donald Stein
    • 2020
  • Da 5 Bloods (2020)
    Da 5 Bloods
    • Paul
    • 2020
  • Presley Richardson in Malicious (2018)
    Malicious
    • Dr. Clark - Parapsychologist
    • 2018
  • This Is Us (2016)
    This Is Us
    • Judge Ernest Bradley
    • TV Series
    • 2017
  • Delroy Lindo, Paula Malcomson, Bill Skarsgård, and Claire van der Boom in Battlecreek (2017)
    Battlecreek
    • Arthur
    • 2017
  • Marvel's Most Wanted (2016)
    Marvel's Most Wanted
    • Dominic Fortune
    • TV Movie
    • 2016
  • Don Johnson, Amber Valletta, Chace Crawford, and Rebecca Rittenhouse in Blood & Oil (2015)
    Blood & Oil
    • Sheriff Tip Harrison
    • TV Series
    • 2015
  • Edgar Ramírez and Luke Bracey in Point Break (2015)
    Point Break
    • Instructor Hall
    • 2015
  • Do You Believe? (2015)
    Do You Believe?
    • Malachi
    • 2015
  • Ethan Hawke, Milla Jovovich, Ed Harris, John Leguizamo, and Dakota Johnson in Cymbeline (2014)
    Cymbeline
    • Belarius
    • 2014
  • Johnny Sequoyah in Believe (2014)
    Believe
    • Dr. Milton Winter
    • TV Series
    • 2014
  • Robot Chicken (2001)
    Robot Chicken
    • Dopey Smurf
    • Scorpion Cashier (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2013

Producer

  • Delroy Lindo and Kerry Washington in Unprisoned (2023)
    Unprisoned
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2023
  • Presley Richardson in Malicious (2018)
    Malicious
    • co-producer
    • 2018
  • Do You Believe? (2015)
    Do You Believe?
    • associate producer
    • 2015
  • Regina King, Delroy Lindo, Laz Alonso, Loretta Devine, Idris Elba, Sharon Leal, Keith D. Robinson, Columbus Short, Lauren London, and Chris Brown in This Christmas (2007)
    This Christmas
    • executive producer
    • 2007

Soundtrack

  • Da 5 Bloods (2020)
    Da 5 Bloods
    • performer: "God Is Love"
    • 2020
  • Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, and Yeardley Smith in The Simpsons (1989)
    The Simpsons
    • performer: "Band on the Run" (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 2002
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos76

Delroy Lindo | Career Retrospective
Clip 1:38
Delroy Lindo | Career Retrospective
Ride-Along:  Superintendent Colvin
Clip 0:52
Ride-Along: Superintendent Colvin
Up -- "The Pursuit"
Clip 1:36
Up -- "The Pursuit"
UP – “Tepui Landing”
Clip 2:11
UP – “Tepui Landing”
Up: 3D BD
Clip 1:05
Up: 3D BD
Up: 3D BD
Clip 1:42
Up: 3D BD
Up: 3D BD
Clip 1:05
Up: 3D BD
Up: 3D BD
Clip 1:24
Up: 3D BD
Up: 3D BD
Clip 1:27
Up: 3D BD
Up: 3D BD
Clip 1:19
Up: 3D BD
Ransom: 15th Anniversary Edition BD
Clip 1:44
Ransom: 15th Anniversary Edition BD
Ransom: 15th Anniversary Edition BD
Clip 1:55
Ransom: 15th Anniversary Edition BD

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
  • Height
    • 6′ 5″ (1.96 m)
  • Born
    • November 18, 1952
    • Eltham, London, England, UK
  • Spouses
      Kathi CoastonMay 16, 1978 - ? (divorced)
  • Children
    • Damiri Lindo
  • Other works
    Title role in "Othello" at the Actor's Theater in Louisville.
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Interview
    • 3 Articles

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Still considers himself British, despite having lived in America since his late teens.
  • Quotes
    [on his films] I'm very proud of my roles. I enjoy the ability to touch millions of people and, in some way, connect with them in ways that I cannot connect with them in my normal, everyday life.
  • Trademarks
      Deep baritone voice

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