J. D. Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
J. D. Williams
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|---|---|
| Born |
Darnell Williams
May 22, 1978 Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Known for | "Bodie Broadus" in The Wire and Kenny Wangler in Oz |
Darnell "J. D." Williams (born May 22, 1978) is an American actor. He is famous for his main roles in TV shows like Oz on HBO, where he played Kenny Wangler. He also starred in The Wire as Bodie Broadus. You might also know him from the movie Pootie Tang, where he played Froggy. He has appeared in other shows like The Good Wife and Saints & Sinners.
Contents
Early life and Education
J. D. Williams was born in Newark, New Jersey. He went to Newark Arts High School. This was a special public school in Newark for students interested in performing arts.
Acting Career Highlights
Williams has had many interesting roles throughout his acting career. He has appeared in both TV shows and movies.
Early TV Appearances
One of his first TV roles was in Homicide: Life on the Street. This show was based on a book by David Simon, who later created The Wire. Williams also had a small part in The Sopranos episode "46 Long".
Major TV Roles
He became a regular cast member on the show Oz. In Oz, he played an inmate named Kenny Wangler for the first four seasons.
Later, he joined the cast of The Wire. He played Bodie Broadus, a character who grew up on the streets of Baltimore. Williams was eight years older than the character he played.
He also appeared as Dexter in episodes of The Good Wife. Dexter was a lieutenant for a character named Lemond Bishop. From 2016 to 2022, he was a main cast member in the show Saints & Sinners.
Movie Roles
In 2001, Williams played Froggy in the movie Pootie Tang. In 2012, he had a big supporting role in the independent film Surviving Family. He played Bobby, who was the main character's ex-boyfriend. His character was a veteran of the war in Iraq who had been injured. In 2018, he starred as Kayvon in the movie Blood Brother.
Music Videos and Commercials
J. D. Williams has also been in many R&B and hip-hop music videos. He has also appeared in commercials, including one for FedEx where he played a delivery man.
Filmography
Movies
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Death Riders | Buzz Saw | |
| 1999 | The 24 Hour Woman | Toy Store Clerk | |
| 2001 | Pootie Tang | Froggy | |
| Popcorn Shrimp | Bubba | Short film | |
| Snipes | J.D. | ||
| 2002 | Mr. ..... | Abe | |
| Durdy Game | Little Man | Direct-to-video | |
| 2005 | Two Guns | Bill | Direct-to-video |
| 2007 | 4 Life | Pooh | Direct-to-video |
| The Second Line | Natt | Short film | |
| 2008 | Cash Rules | Spike (J.D.) | Direct-to-video |
| 2009 | Falling Awake | D-Money | |
| 2010 | Code Blue | Wicked | |
| 2011 | Happy New Year | Jerome | |
| Shanghai Hotel | Thump | ||
| After Hours: The Movie | D.C. | ||
| 2012 | Zoo | Red | |
| Surviving Family | Bobby | ||
| 2013 | Chinese Puzzle | The Bartender | |
| The Lost Book Of Rap | Hassen | Short film | |
| 2014 | An American in Hollywood | Dorian | |
| Cymbeline | Quarry Cop 2 | ||
| Shelter | ... | ||
| 2016 | Guns and Grams | BK | |
| The Choir | Police Officer | Short film | |
| 2017 | Served Film | Uncle Q | Short film |
| 2018 | Blood Brother | Kayvon | |
| Clipped Wings, They Do Fly | Toby Johnson | ||
| 2019 | The Probe | Stink | TV movie |
| 2020 | One Sweet Night | Ossian Sweet | Short film |
| 2021 | Bruiser | Malcolm | Short film |
Television Shows
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | New York Undercover | Victor | Episode: "Fade Out" |
| 1997–2000 | Oz | Kenny Wangler | Guest role in seasons 1-2, main cast in seasons 3-4 |
| 1998 | Law & Order | 2nd Kid | Episode: "Castoff" |
| 1999 | The Sopranos | Special K | Episode: "46 Long" |
| Trinity | Malik | Episode: "Breaking In, Breaking Out, Breaking Up, Breaking Down" | |
| Homicide: Life on the Street | Damon 'Casper' Kelly | Episode: "The Why Chromosome" | |
| Third Watch | Pee Wee | Episode: "Welcome to Camelot" | |
| 2000 | Sex and the City | Sweet Sauce | Episode: "No Ifs, Ands or Butts" |
| 2001 | 100 Centre Street | William Floyd | Episodes: "Bobby & Cynthia" & "Queenie and Joe" |
| Big Apple | Derrick | Episode: "A Ministering Angel" | |
| 2002–06 | The Wire | Preston 'Bodie' Broadus | Recurring cast in seasons 1-2, main cast in seasons 3-4 |
| 2007 | The Kill Point | Marshall O'Brien, Jr./Mr. Cat | Main cast |
| 2009 | Nite Tales: The Series | Rapper | Episode: "Trapped" |
| 2010–11 | Detroit 1-8-7 | Pup Clemmons | Episodes: "Royal Bubbles/Needle Drop" & "Stone Cold" |
| 2010–15 | The Good Wife | Dexter Roja | Recurring cast in seasons 2, 4, and 6 |
| 2012 | Blue Bloods | Benjamin Banks | Episode: "No Questions Asked" |
| 2014 | The Following | Carlos | Recurring cast in season 2 |
| Black Box | George | Recurring cast | |
| 2015 | Deadbeat | Frank | Episode: "The Polaroid Flasher" |
| 2016 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Detective Anton Jefferson | Episodes: "Manhattan Transfer" & "Unholiest Alliance" |
| The Night Of | Trevor Williams | Recurring cast | |
| 2016–22 | Saints & Sinners | Jabari Morris | Main cast |
| 2020 | Manifest | Walter | Episode: "Coordinated Flight" |
| 2024 | BMF | J-Pusha | Recurring cast Season 3 |
Video Games
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The Warriors | Additional Soldier |
| True Crime: New York City | ||
| 2008 | Midnight Club: Los Angeles | Henry |
See also
In Spanish: J. D. Williams para niños
