{{Short description|American actor (born 1976)}} thumb|'''McKinley Freeman at EssenceFest 2025.''' '''McKinley Freeman''' (born June 9, 1976) is an American actor and producer. He has appeared in films and on television series, including the starring role of Derek Roman in the drama series ''Hit the Floor'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=35 Gorgeous Pics of 'Hit the Floor' Hunks McKinley Freeman & Rob Riley to Jump Start Your Day |url=https://www.essence.com/love/35-gorgeous-photos-hit-floor-hunks-mckinley-freeman-and-rob-riley-jumpstart-your-day/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Essence |language=en-US}}</ref> portraying the role of Dominic in the OWN's drama TV series ''Queen Sugar'', and playing the character Lewis in Hulu's ''Reasonable Doubt''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=McKinley Freeman - Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/mckinley_freeman |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2014-11-18 |title=Meet the Cast: McKinley Freeman |url=https://tvone.tv/14409/meet-the-cast-mckinley-freeman/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=TV One |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Rosario |first=Alexandra Del |date=2021-04-06 |title=‘Queen Sugar’ Adds Tammy Townsend As Series Regular; Trio Tapped To Recur, Nine Directors Set For Season 6 Of OWN Drama |url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/queen-sugar-tammy-townsend-nine-directors-four-actors-added-season-6-own-1234728481/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Han |first=Angie |date=2022-09-26 |title=‘Reasonable Doubt’ Review: Hulu’s Legal Drama Is a Soapy Good Time |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/reasonable-doubt-hulu-emayatzy-corinealdi-1235225219/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Early life == Freeman earned a BS in finance at University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. In 2004 while working at IBM as a Business Development Manager, he auditioned for ''All My Children'' and ended up getting the role.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2017-05-04 |title=McKinley Freeman brings 'Illicit' to Chicago, where career began |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2017/5/4/18376000/mckinley-freeman-brings-illicit-to-chicago-where-career-began |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2016-03-04 |title=Actor McKinley Freeman of VH1's Hit the Floor Shares What He Did to Taylor Paige |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/actor-mckinley-freeman-of_b_9387288 |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref>
== Career == After working on the soap opera ''All My Children'', he later made appearances on shows such as ''ER'', ''CSI: Miami'', and ''Criminal Minds''. In 2007, he starred as the role Airborne Soldier in the comedy film ''Delta Farce''.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Delta Farce |url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/delta-farce/cast/2030350332/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}</ref> In 2009, Freeman became a regular, playing Tony Dane on the ABC's series ''Samantha Who?'' Afterwards, he took on some acting roles for a few soap opera series, such as ''Days of Our Lives'', and ''General Hospital''. In 2012, he landed an acting spot on ''End of Watch''.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=The Scoop: 9 Things You Never Knew About 'Hit The Floor' Star McKinley Freeman |url=https://www.vh1.com/news/fzfbms/9-things-mckinley-freeman |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127105338/https://www.vh1.com/news/fzfbms/9-things-mckinley-freeman |url-status=live |archive-date=November 27, 2022 |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=www.vh1.com |language=en}}</ref> Freeman became a series regular, starring as the character Derek Roman in the drama series ''Hit the Floor''. After three seasons, he left and became a series regular for ''Daytime Divas'' and ''If Loving You Is Wrong''.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=The Pulse of Entertainment - July 19, 2019 |url=http://www.thepulseofentertainment.com/id626.html |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=www.thepulseofentertainment.com}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" />
== Personal life == Freeman stays healthy by practicing a variety of forms of boxing, kickboxing and martial arts, such as Bojuka, Jeet Kune Do, and Muay Thai. He also works with the Covenant House and the Boys & Girls Club of America, while focusing on using his basketball skills in order to help children.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Maddison |first=Jacqueline |date=2016-01-22 |title=Hollywood Star: McKinley Freeman |url=https://www.beverlyhillsmagazine.com/hollywood-star-mckinley-freeman/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Beverly Hills Magazine |language=en}}</ref>
==Filmography==
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes ! Refs |- | 2004 | ''Pop Rocks'' | TV Host | TV movie | <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20211203225611/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/546747/pop-rocks#overview Pop Rocks (2004) - Turner Classic Movies (tcm.com)]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=McKinley Freeman |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/McKinley-Freeman/362278/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=www.blu-ray.com}}</ref> |- | 2006 | ''McBride: Requiem'' | Uniformed Officer | TV movie |<ref>{{Cite web |title=McBride: Requiem |url=http://digiguide.tv/programme/Film/McBride-Requiem/665177/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=digiguide.tv |language=en}}</ref> |- |rowspan="2"| 2007 | ''Delta Farce'' | Airborne Soldier | | <ref name=":6" /> |- | ''Sharpshooter'' | Andre | TV movie | <ref>{{Cite web |title=Sharpshooter |url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/sharpshooter/cast/2000059039/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}</ref> |- | 2008 | ''Good Behavior'' | Mountain Man | TV movie | <ref>{{Cite web |title=Good Behavior (2008) |url=https://www.avclub.com/film/reviews/good-behavior-2008 |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=The A.V. Club |language=en}}</ref> |- | 2010 | ''10 Years Later'' | Darrell Litner | | <ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-06-06 |title=10 Years Later Movie Review - Dances With Films |url=https://www.shockya.com/news/2011/06/05/10-years-later-movie-review-dances-with-films/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Shockya.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":11" /> |- |rowspan="2"| 2011 | ''Hallelujah'' | Lyndon | TV movie | <ref>{{Cite web |title=Hallelujah |url=http://www.saltypopcorn.co.uk/movies/hallelujah |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=www.saltypopcorn.co.uk |language=en-GB}}</ref> |- | ''Waking Madison'' | Henry | | <ref>{{Citation |title=Waking Madison - DVD Netflix |url=https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Waking-Madison/70121717 |access-date=2022-11-27}}</ref> |- |rowspan="2"| 2012 | ''Blue-Eyed Butcher'' | Constable | TV movie | <ref name=":10">{{Cite web |title=Mckinley Freeman |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/9241852%7C0/Mckinley-Freeman/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191103054518/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/9241852%7C0/Mckinley-Freeman/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 3, 2019 |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Turner Classic Movies |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":11">{{Cite web |title=Search results for All Products : |url=https://www.moviesunlimited.com/search?cr=McKinley%20Freeman%7C929770&mod=AP |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=www.moviesunlimited.com}}</ref> |- | ''End of Watch'' | Williams | | <ref name=":7" /> |- |rowspan="2"| 2013 | ''Crosstown'' | LB | | <ref name=":12">{{Cite web |date=2017-06-30 |title=Spotlight On McKinley Freeman |url=https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/spotlight-mckinley-freeman/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Soap Opera Digest |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | ''Jaded the Series'' | Eric | Video | <ref>{{Cite web |title=Jaded Series |url=http://jadedtheseries.com/about1.html |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=jadedtheseries.com}}</ref> |- | 2014 | ''A Second Chance Christmas'' | Malcolm | TV movie |<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-12-11 |title=Interview with Actor McKinley Freeman |url=https://lasentinel.net/interview-with-actor-mckinley-freeman.html |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Los Angeles Sentinel |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | 2016 | ''The Best Thanksgiving Ever'' | The Hammer | | <ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch Best Thanksgiving Ever {{!}} Prime Video |url=https://www.amazon.com/Best-Thanksgiving-Ever-Jay-Seals/dp/B07HLR5F5Q |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=www.amazon.com}}</ref> |- |rowspan="2"| 2017 | ''Hometown Hero'' | Mitch | TV movie | <ref>{{Citation |title=Hometown Hero (TV) (2016) |url=https://www.filmaffinity.com/us/film722695.html |language=en |access-date=2022-11-27}}</ref> |- | ''Message From a Mistress'' | Jackson Clinton | | <ref>{{Cite web |title=Vudu - Watch Movies |url=https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/details/Message-From-a-Mistress/858243 |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=www.vudu.com}}</ref> |- |rowspan="3"| 2019 | ''I Got the Hook Up 2'' | Detective Freeman | | <ref>{{Cite web |title=I Got the Hook Up 2 (2019) {{!}} DREAM13Media |url=https://media.dream13.com/i-got-the-hook-up-2-2019/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | ''Loved to Death'' | Jackson | | <ref name=":8" /><ref name=":10" /> |- | ''If Not Now, When?'' | Jackson | | <ref>{{Cite web |title=If Not Now, When? - Movies on Google Play |url=https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/If_Not_Now_When?id=b_cyqxERzLQ.P&hl=en_US&gl=US |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=play.google.com |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | 2020 | ''Illicit'' | Lance | | <ref>[https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/illicit/umc.cmc.49u6drl0lekgtgqquidm5um4c Illicit | Apple TV]</ref> |}
=== Television === {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes ! Refs |- | 2004 | ''All My Children'' | McKinley Freeman | Episode: "September 16, 2004" | <ref name=":9" /><ref name=":12" /> |- |rowspan="3"| 2005 | ''ER'' | Flight Medic | Episode: "Here and There" | <ref name=":14">{{Cite web |last=Randolph |first=Elizabeth |date=2022-10-04 |title=Is McKinley Freeman Married? ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Fans Want to Know |url=https://www.distractify.com/p/mckinley-freeman-married |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Distractify |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | ''CSI: Miami'' | MDPD Uniform | Episode: "Recoil" | <ref name=":13">{{Cite web |title=McKinley Freeman {{!}} TVmaze |url=https://www.tvmaze.com/people/9437/mckinley-freeman |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=www.tvmaze.com}}</ref> |- | ''Over There'' | MDPD Uniform | Episode: "Roadblock Duty" | <ref name=":15">{{Cite web |title=McKinley Freeman: Movies, TV, and Bio |url=https://www.amazon.com/prime-video/actor/McKinley-Freeman/nm1859988/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=www.amazon.com}}</ref> |- |rowspan="3"| 2006 | ''In Justice'' | Ray Estevez | Episode: "Victims" | <ref name=":16" /> |- | ''Close to Home'' | William Harding | Episode: "Still a Small Town" | <ref name=":16">{{Cite web |title=McKinley Freeman |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mckinley-freeman/credits/3030424315/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}</ref> |- | ''Boston Legal'' | Entertainment Lawyer | Episode: "Spring Fever" | <ref name=":15" /> |- | 2007 | ''Criminal Minds'' | Agent Franks | Episode: "The Big Game" | <ref>{{Cite web |title=McKinley Freeman |url=https://www.listal.com/mckinley-freeman |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=www.listal.com}}</ref> |- | 2008–11 | ''Days of Our Lives'' | Evan Sayers | Regular Cast | <ref name=":17">{{Cite web |last=Moseley |first=Dr Eunice |date=2019-07-20 |title=The Pulse of Entertainment: Truvillion and Freeman Tackle the Truth in TV One’s ‘Loved to Death’ |url=https://eurweb.com/2019/07/20/the-pulse-of-entertainment-truvillion-and-freeman-tackle-the-truth-in-tv-ones-loved-to-death/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=EURweb |language=en-US}}</ref> |- |rowspan="3"| 2009 | ''Samantha Who?'' | Tony Dane | Recurring Cast: Season 2 | <ref>[https://tv.apple.com/us/episode/my-best-friends-boyfriend/umc.cmc.37hzbnay6kakx3bo1awds97bd?showId=umc.cmc.61camw07j6nla4pvzn1dcl9sk My Best Friend's Boyfriend - Samantha Who? (Season 2, Episode 10) | Apple TV]</ref> |- | ''NCIS'' | Marine Sergeant Ross Barnes | Episode: "Code of Conduct" | <ref name=":0" /> |- | ''General Hospital'' | Det. Roy Williams | Regular Cast | <ref name=":13" /><ref name=":5" /> |- | 2010 | ''Look'' | Zach | Recurring Cast | <ref>{{Cite web |title=Look |url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/look/cast/1030398840/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}</ref> |- |rowspan="2"| 2011 | ''The Protector'' | Patrick 'Trick' Purcell | Episode: "Safe" | <ref>[http://orma.iasfbo.inaf.it:7007/~mauro/TV/PDF/ENDED/PROTECT.pdf PROTECT.pdf (inaf.it)]</ref> |- | ''The Closer'' | Agent Burns | Episode: "Relative Matters" | <ref name=":17" /> |- | 2012 | ''The Client List'' | Client 1 | Episode: "Life of Riley" | <ref>{{Citation |title=The Client List: Season 1, Episode 7 |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the-client-list/s01/e07 |language=en |access-date=2022-11-27}}</ref> |- |rowspan="2"| 2013 | ''Major Crimes'' | Agent Burns | Episode: "Backfire" | <ref name=":17" /> |- | ''Bones'' | Coach Davis McIntyre | Episode: "The Spark in the Park" | <ref name=":9" /> |- | 2013–18 | ''Hit the Floor'' | Derek Roman | Main Cast | <ref name=":1" /><ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite web |title='Hit the Floor' Star McKinley Freeman Has Special 'Suits' Connection to Meghan Markle (Exclusive) |url=https://www.etonline.com/media/videos/hit-the-floor-star-mckinley-freeman-has-special-suits-connection-to-meghan-markle |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Entertainment Tonight |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Daniels |first=Sharifa |date=2013-05-27 |title=Gentlemen’s Corner: McKinley Freeman Talks ‘Hit The Floor’ and Gives Workout Advice to Women |url=https://www.vibe.com/features/vixen/gentlemens-corner-mckinley-freeman-talks-hit-the-floor-and-gives-workout-advice-to-women-280083/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=VIBE.com |language=en-US}}</ref> |- |rowspan="2"| 2015 | ''Switched at Birth'' | Brad Ziff | Episode: "We Mourn, We Weep, We Love Again" | <ref name=":14" /> |- | ''In-Between'' | Nick | Recurring Cast | |- | 2016 | ''Relationship Status'' | Scotty | Recurring Cast | <ref>{{Cite web |last=Jarvey |first=Natalie |date=2016-01-07 |title=Milo Ventimiglia, James Frey to Debut New Series on Verizon’s Go90 (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/milo-ventimiglia-james-frey-debut-852829/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> |- |rowspan="3"| 2017 | ''Scandal'' | Sean Campbell | Episode: "Head Games" | <ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-04-18 |title='Scandal' Hires 'Hit the Floor' Alum McKinley Freeman for Guest Role (Exclusive) |url=https://www.thewrap.com/scandal-books-hit-the-floor-alum-mckinley-freeman-for-guest-role/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":13" /> |- | ''Daytime Divas'' | Shawn Robinson | Main Cast | <ref name=":12" /> |- | ''If Loving You Is Wrong'' | Deon | Recurring Cast: Season 2, Guest: Season 3 | <ref name=":12" /> |- | 2018 | ''9-1-1'' | Burglar | Episode: "Let Go" | <ref name=":16" /> |- | 2019 | ''American Soul'' | Ike Turner | Episode: "Proceed with Caution" | <ref>{{Cite web |last=M |first=Sheila |date=2019-04-10 |title=TV Recap: American Soul - This Is Your Dream ... |url=https://popculturereview.com/tv-recap-american-soul-this-is-your-dream/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Pop Culture Review |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | 2019–2021 | ''Titans'' | Justin Cole | Guest: Season 2, Recurring Cast: Season 3 | <ref>{{Cite web |title=Melissa De Sousa, McKinley Freeman set for recurring roles on Fox’s Our Kind Of People |url=https://www.blackfilmandtv.com/tvnews/melissa-de-sousa-mckinley-freeman-set-for-recurring-roles-on-fox-our-kind-of-people |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=BlackFilmandTV.com |language=en-US}}</ref> |- |rowspan="2"| 2020 | ''Pump'' | Jared | Main Cast | <ref>{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Kellie |date=2019-07-11 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Ray J Stars In New Scripted Show 'Pump' W/ Jennifer Freeman, Michael Jai White & McKinley Freeman |url=https://thejasminebrand.com/2019/07/11/exclusive-ray-j-stars-in-new-scripted-show-pump-w-jennifer-freeman-michael-jai-white-mckinley-freeman/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=theJasmineBRAND |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | ''Into the Dark'' | Nate | Episode: "Good Boy" | <ref>[https://press.hulu.com/shows/into-the-dark/bios/mckinley-freeman/ Into The Dark | Hulu]</ref> |- |rowspan="2"| 2021–22 | ''Our Kind of People'' | Nate Robinson | Recurring Cast | <ref>{{Cite web |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=2021-10-06 |title='Our Kind Of People': Melissa De Sousa & McKinley Freeman Join Fox Drama As Recurring |url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/our-kind-of-people-melissa-de-sousa-mckinley-freeman-fox-drama-series-recurring-1234850956/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | ''Queen Sugar'' | Dominic Bachard | Recurring Cast: Season 6–7 | <ref>{{Cite web |title=OWN Announces Queen Sugar Season 6 New Cast Members & Directorial Team |url=https://www.blackfilmandtv.com/tvnews/own-announces-queen-sugar-season-6-new-cast-members-directorial-team |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=BlackFilmandTV.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch Queen Sugar - Stream Online {{!}} OWN |url=https://www.oprah.com/sp/queen-sugar.html |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Oprah.com}}</ref> |- | 2022–present | ''Reasonable Doubt'' | Lewis Stewart | Main Cast | <ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Baldwin |first=Kristen |last2=Greenblatt |first2=Leah |last3=September 30 |first3=Darren Franich |last4=EDT |first4=2022 at 10:00 AM |title='Smile' lays out horror bait, 'Bros' is rom-com bliss, and 'Andor' requires some patience |url=https://ew.com/movies/movie-reviews/bros-smile-andor-reasonable-doubt-gods-creatures-musts-misses/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=2021-11-10 |title=Onyx Collective on Hulu Series ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Casts Tim Jo, McKinley Freeman, Angela Grovey (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/onyx-collective-on-hulu-reasonable-doubt-cast-tim-jo-mckinley-freeman-angela-grovey-1235109307/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":14" /> |}
== Awards and nominations == {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Awards !Category !Recipient !Outcome |- |2013 |California Film Awards |Diamond Award - Best Actor |''Greencard Warriors'' |Winner<ref name=":12" /> |}
== References == <!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. --> {{reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|1859988}} * [https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/mckinley_freeman McKinley Freeman] at Rotten Tomatoes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Freeman, McKinley}} Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:20th-century African-American male actors Category:20th-century American male actors Category:21st-century African-American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors