{{Short description|American actor (born 1962)}} {{Use American English|date=November 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} {{BLP sources|date=April 2013}} {{Infobox person | name = Michael Potts | image = Michael Potts (2018 crop).jpg | caption = Potts in 2018 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|9|21}} | birth_place = New York City, U.S. | alma_mater = Yale School of Drama | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1990–present | known_for = Brother Mouzone in ''The Wire''<br>Mafala Hatimbi in ''The Book of Mormon'' }} '''Michael Potts''' (born September 21, 1962) is an American actor. He has appeared on stage, on television and in motion pictures.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Carter |first=Gayle Jo |date=February 14, 2014 |title=VIP: Michael Potts' triple threat status was 'meant to be' |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/weekend/entertainment/2014/02/14/vip-michael-potts-triple-threat-status-was-meant-to-be/5455945/ |access-date=December 9, 2023}}</ref>
== Early years == Potts, who is of African American heritage, was born on September 21, 1962 in Brooklyn, New York City and grew up in South Carolina. He got his start participating in church and local plays. His inspiration to attend the School of Drama at Yale University<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bonazzo |first=John |date=February 10, 2017 |title=Michael Potts Tackles the 'Particular Humanity' of August Wilson's 'Jitney' |work=The Observer |url=https://observer.com/2017/02/august-wilson-jitney-broadway-michael-potts/ |access-date=December 9, 2023}}</ref> came from watching a clip of the 1985 production of August Wilson's play ''Fences'', starring James Earl Jones and Courtney B. Vance.
== Acting career == Potts is best known for playing the roles of Brother Mouzone in the HBO hit show ''The Wire'', Mafala Hatimbi in the musical ''The Book of Mormon'', and Slow Drag in ''Ma Rainey's Black Bottom''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McPhee |first=Ryan |date=December 17, 2020 |title=Meet the Band: Michael Potts, Colman Domingo, and Glynn Turman on August Wilson, Chadwick Boseman, and the Commoditization of Black Art |work=Playbill |url=https://playbill.com/article/meet-the-band-michael-potts-colman-domingo-and-glynn-turman-on-august-wilson-chadwick-boseman-and-the-commoditization-of-black-art |access-date=December 9, 2023}}</ref> He also played Detective Gilbough in the first season of ''True Detective''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Riesman |first=Abraham Josephine |date=March 7, 2014 |title=True Detective's Papania and Gilbough on McConaughey's Chain-Smoking and Method Acting |work=Vulture |url=https://www.vulture.com/2014/03/true-detective-papania-gilbough-interview.html |access-date=December 9, 2023}}</ref>
Potts appeared in the 2022 Broadway revival of ''The Piano Lesson'',<ref>{{Cite news |last=Evans |first=Greg |date=April 26, 2022 |title=Broadway's 'The Piano Lesson' Adds Trai Byers, Ray Fisher, April Matthis & Michael Potts To Cast |work=Deadline |url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/piano-lesson-broadway-trai-byers-ray-fisher-april-matthis-michael-potts-cast-1235009919/ |access-date=December 9, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Canfield |first=David |date=2024-11-27 |title=Michael Potts Is the Secret Weapon of ‘The Piano Lesson.’ He’s Gotten Used to That |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/michael-potts-piano-lesson-the-wire-always-great-awards-insider |access-date=2026-04-01 |website=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}</ref> in a performance which ''The Hollywood Reporter'' called one of the highlights of the production.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rooney |first=David |date=October 13, 2022 |title=August Wilson's 'The Piano Lesson' Theater Review: Samuel L. Jackson Soars in a Broadway Revival That Only Intermittently Hits the Right Notes |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/august-wilsons-piano-lesson-theater-review-1235241145/ |access-date=December 26, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref>
Potts has appeared on the NBC crime series ''Law & Order'' several times, most recently in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-10 |title=Why You Recognize Law & Order Guest Star Michael Potts, Who Played a Defense Attorney |url=https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/law-and-order-guest-star-michael-potts-attorney-the-wire-true-detective |access-date=2026-04-01 |website=NBC |language=en-US}}</ref>
From January 23 to February 8, 2026, Potts played the title role in the play ''King Lear'' at the Ellen Stewart Theater.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shaw |first=Helen |date=2026-02-05 |title=A Stunning ‘King Lear’ That Reveals, Finally, a King in Full |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/theater/king-lear-michael-potts-la-mama.html |access-date=2026-04-01 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Other cast members included Tony Torn, in a work directed by Karin Coonrod with collaborators Frank London and Oana Botez. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Rabinowitz |first=Chloe |title=Michael Potts, Tom Nelis and More to Star in KING LEAR at LaMaMa |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/Michael-Potts-Tom-Neli-and-More-to-Star-in-KING-LEAR-at-LaMaMa-20260113 |access-date=2026-04-01 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |+Key | style="background:#FFFFCC;"| {{dagger|alt=Not yet released}} |Denotes works that have not yet been released |}
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ ! Year ! Name ! Role ! Notes |- | 1990 | ''Halloween Night'' | Bill | Also known as ''The Damning'',<br> ''DeathMask'', and ''Hack-o-Lantern'' |- | 1995 | ''Hackers'' | Tow Truck Driver | |- | rowspan="2"| 1997 | ''The Peacemaker'' | DOE Haz-mat Tech #1 | |- | ''Conspiracy Theory'' | Justice Guard | |- | 2000 | ''Black People Hate Me and <br>They Hate My Glasses'' | | Short film |- | 2006 | ''Diggers'' | South Shell Pot Buyer | |- | 2008 | ''Jocasta'' | Oedipus | |- | 2013 | ''Mom'' | Andy | |- | 2016 | ''37'' | Archibald Smith | |- | 2017 | ''Let Me Make You a Martyr'' | Charon | |- | rowspan="2"| 2018 | ''Here and Now'' | Ray | |- | ''Change in the Air'' | Professor Hoffman | |- | rowspan="2"| 2020 | ''Cicada'' | Francis | |- | ''Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'' | Slow Drag | |- | rowspan="2"| 2022 | ''Measure of Revenge'' | Detective Eaton | |- | ''Rounding'' |Dr. Emil Harrison | |- | 2023 | ''Rustin'' | Cleveland Robinson | |- | 2024 | ''The Piano Lesson'' | Wining Boy | |- | rowspan="2"| 2025 | ''Highest 2 Lowest'' | Patrick Bethea | |- | ''Out of Order'' | Jerry | |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ ! Year ! Name ! Role ! Notes |- | rowspan="2"| 1996 | ''The West'' | Voice | TV miniseries |- | ''NYPD Blue'' | Mel | Episode: "Yes, We Have No Cannolis" |- | 1997 | ''Thomas Jefferson'' | Isaac (voice) | TV special<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/39/Michael-Potts.html|title=Michael Potts Biography ((?)-)|website=www.filmreference.com}}</ref> |- | 1997–2010, 2025 | ''Law & Order'' | Reggie Dobbs / Lester Wilkes / Malcolm Young / <br>Stokes's Attorney / Defense Attorney Kenneth Lowell | 5 episodes |- | 1998 | ''Trinity'' | Detective Jackson | Episode: "No Secrets" |- | 1999 | ''Cosby'' | Floyd | Episode: "The Wedding" |- | 2001 | ''Oz'' | Reinhardt | Episode: "Medium Rare" |- | 2003–2004 | ''The Wire'' | Brother Mouzone | 7 episodes |- | 2004 | ''The Jury'' | Dr. Bertand | Episode: "Three Boys and a Gun" |- | rowspan="2"| 2009 | ''Flight of the Conchords'' | Nigel Saladu | Episode: "New Cup" |- | ''Bored to Death'' | Yusef | Episode: "The Alanon Case" |- | 2010 | ''Damages'' | Horatio Emanuel | 3 episodes |- | 2012 | ''Royal Pains'' | Mr. Burman | Episode: "After the Fireworks" |- | 2012–2016 | ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' | IAB Sergeant Cole Draper | 6 episodes |- | 2013 | ''Nurse Jackie'' | Mediator | 2 episodes |- | rowspan="4"| 2014 | ''Blue Bloods'' | Thorton Mead | Episode: "Manhattan Queens" |- | ''True Detective'' | Detective Maynard Gilbough | 8 episodes |- | ''Matador'' | Moktar Zola | Episode: "Code Red Card" |- | ''White Collar'' | David | Episode: "Return to Sender" |- | rowspan="3"| 2015 | ''Allegiance'' | Unknown | 2 episodes |- | ''Gotham'' | Sid Bunderslaw | 3 episodes |- | ''Show Me a Hero'' | Walt Henderson | 5 episodes |- | 2015–2016 | ''Person of Interest'' | Travers | 2 episodes |- | rowspan="2"| 2016 | ''BrainDead'' | Dr. Daudier | Episode: "The Insanity Principle: How Extremism in Politics<br> Is Threatening Democracy in the 21st Century" |- | ''Madam Secretary'' | Senator Fred Reynolds | 3 episodes |- | 2017 | ''The Blacklist'' | Iniko | Episode: "The Forecaster (No. 163)" |- | rowspan="3"| 2018 | ''Taken'' | Hanson | Episode: "Password" |- | ''Elementary'' | Doctor Peter Hanson | Episode: "Pushing Buttons" |- | ''Random Acts of Flyness'' | Director | Episode: "What are your thoughts on raising free black children?" |- | 2019 | ''She's Gotta Have It'' | Joseph Petiport | Episode: "#NationTime" |- | rowspan="2"| 2020 | ''Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector'' | Dr. Arthur Wasden | Episode: "What Lies Beneath" |- | ''God Friended Me'' | King Omari | Episode: "The Princess and the Hacker" |- | 2021 | ''Prodigal Son'' | Dr. Brandon Marsh | 2 episodes |- | rowspan="3"| 2022 | ''Bull'' | Judge Nolan | Episode: "The Other Shoe" |- | ''The First Lady'' | Fraser C. Robinson III | 6 episodes<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/06/the-first-lady-rosalind-chao-michael-potts-donna-lynn-champlin-recur-showtime-anthology-series-1234775082/|title='The First Lady': Rosalind Chao, Michael Potts & Donna Lynne Champlin To Recur On Showtime Anthology Series|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=June 14, 2021|access-date=August 9, 2021}}</ref> |- | ''The Good Fight'' | Bill Goate | Episode: "The End of Football" |- | 2022–2023 | ''East New York'' | Goody Gaines | 4 episodes |- | 2023 | ''FBI'' | Agent Bruce Ellis | Episode: "Imminent Threat: Part Two" |- | 2025 | ''The Irrational'' | Nnamdi Adesina | Episode: "Another Man's Treasure" |- | rowspan="2"| 2026 | ''Best Medicine'' | Gilbert Carlisle | 5 episodes |- | ''Nemesis'' | James Sealey | 8 episodes |}
===Video games=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ ! Year ! Name ! Role ! Notes |- | 2005 | ''The Warriors'' | Cyrus | Voice |}
===Theatre credits=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ ! Year ! Production ! Role ! Category ! Theatre ! Notes |- | rowspan="2"| 1994 | ''The America Play'' | Brazil | rowspan="4" | Off-Broadway | Public Theater | |- | ''Rent'' | Benjamin Coffin III | New York Theatre Workshop | Workshop |- | 1996 | ''Overtime'' | Gratiano | Manhattan Theatre Club | |- | 1997 | ''Mud, River, Stone'' | David Bradley | Playwrights Horizons Theatre | |- | 1998 | ''The Rivals'' | Sir Lucius O'Trigger | rowspan="2" | Regional | Williamstown Theatre Festival | |- | 1999 | ''A Cup of Coffee'' | Julius Snaith | Yale Repertory Theatre | |- | rowspan="3"| 2000 | ''Arms and the Man'' | Nicola | rowspan="3"| Off-Broadway | Gramercy Theatre | |- | ''Joe Fearless (A Fan Dance)'' | Ray and Doctor | Atlantic Theatre | |- | ''Brooklyn Bridge'' | | National Arts Club | Staged reading |- | rowspan="2"| 2001 | ''Romeo and Juliet'' | Benvolio | Los Angeles | Ahmanson Theatre | |- | ''Once Around the City'' | Rudy | rowspan="2"| Off-Broadway | Second Stage Theatre | |- | 2002 | ''Twelfth Night'' | Feste | Delacorte Theatre | |- | 2003 | ''Highway Ulysses'' | Ensemble | Regional | American Repertory Theatre | |- | 2005 | ''Lennon'' | Ensemble | rowspan="2"| Broadway | Broadhurst Theatre | |- | 2006–2007 | ''Grey Gardens'' | Brooks Sr./Brooks Jr. | Walter Kerr Theatre | |- | 2007 | ''Richard III'' | Buckingham | rowspan="2"| Off-Broadway | rowspan="2"| Classic Stage Company | |- | 2008 | ''The Tempest'' | Alonso | |- | 2011–2013 | ''The Book of Mormon'' | Mafala Hatimbi | Broadway | Eugene O'Neill Theatre | |- | 2016 | ''Cabin in the Sky'' | Little Joe Jackson | Off-Broadway | City Center Theatre | |- | rowspan="2"| 2017 | ''Jitney'' | Turnbo | rowspan="4"|Broadway | Samuel J. Friedman Theatre | |- | ''1984'' | Charrington | Hudson Theatre | |- | 2018–2019 | ''The Prom'' | Mr. Hawkins | Longacre Theatre | |- | 2022–2023 | ''The Piano Lesson'' | Wining Boy | Ethel Barrymore Theatre | <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/ray-fisher-trai-byers-michael-potts-april-matthis-the-piano-lesson-broadway-1235136312/|title=Ray Fisher Joins Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington in Cast of Broadway's 'The Piano Lesson'|website=The Hollywood Reporter|last=White|first=Abbey|date=April 27, 2022|access-date=May 12, 2022}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2"| 2026 | ''King Lear'' | King Lear | rowspan="2"| Regional | La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club | |- | ''Windfall'' | Henri "Mr. Mano" Tamaño | Steppenwolf Theatre Company | |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|Michael Potts (actor)}} * {{IMDb name|0693446|Michael Potts}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Potts, Michael}} Category:1962 births Category:Living people 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 Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:American male film actors Category:American male stage actors Category:American male voice actors Category:American male musical theatre actors Category:David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University alumni