Afemo Omilami facts for kids

Afemo Omilami (born December 13, 1950) is an American actor. He has appeared in many movies and TV shows. He is known for playing different kinds of characters.

Early Life

Afemo Omilami was born in Petersburg, Virginia, on December 13, 1950. His name suggests he has ties to the Yoruba community in Nigeria.

Acting Career

Afemo Omilami has been acting since 1979. He has been in many popular films. Some of these include Trading Places (1983) and Glory (1989). He also appeared in The Firm (1993) and Gordy (1995).

He is very well known for his role as the tough Drill Sergeant in the movie Forrest Gump (1994). He also played Charles Campbell in Remember the Titans (2000). Later, he appeared in Ray (2004) and The Blind Side (2009). He was also in the science fiction movie Terminator Genisys (2015).

On television, Afemo Omilami had a regular role as Jimmy Dawes. This was in the show In the Heat of the Night from 1989 to 1993. He has also made guest appearances in many other TV series. These include Miami Vice, The Shield, and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. In 2013, he was nominated for an award. This was the NAACP Image Award for his role in the TV movie Steel Magnolias. More recently, he appeared in Raising Dion.

Personal Life

Afemo Omilami married Elisabeth Williams on September 11, 1985. Elisabeth is also an actress. She is also a minister and a leader in civil rights. They have two children, a son named Awodele and a daughter named Juanita.

Afemo Omilami was good friends with actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd. After Byrd passed away, Omilami spoke about him. He said Byrd was a "devoted father and husband" and a "master of his craft."