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 well-known for his roles in TV shows like Oz and The Wire. He played Kenny Wangler in Oz and Bodie Broadus in The Wire. He also appeared in the movie Pootie Tang as Froggy. More recently, he was in Surviving Family (2012) and Saints & Sinners.
Contents
About J. D. Williams
Early Life and Education
J. D. Williams was born in Newark, New Jersey. He went to Newark Arts High School, which is a public school for performing arts in Newark. In 2003, he acted in a play called A.M. Sunday at Baltimore's Centerstage theater. He also appeared in many R&B and hip-hop music videos from 2002 to 2005.
Acting Career Highlights
Williams appeared in Homicide: Life on the Street, a TV show created by David Simon. He played a character named Casper in one episode. He also had a small role in The Sopranos episode "46 Long".
He became a regular actor on the HBO show Oz. In this show, he played an inmate named Kenny Wangler for the first four seasons. After Oz, he joined another HBO show called The Wire. There, he played Bodie Broadus, a character who grows in importance throughout the series. To prepare for this role, Williams walked around Baltimore's inner city late at night. He wanted to understand the area better for his character.
Williams has also been in many R&B and hip-hop music videos. Sometimes he played himself, and other times he played characters similar to his roles on TV. In 2012, he had a big role in the movie Surviving Family. He played Bobby, a veteran who had been in the war in Iraq. He also appeared in commercials, including one for FedEx. From 2010 to 2015, he played Dexter in episodes of The Good Wife.
J. D. Williams in Movies
J. D. Williams has acted in many films. Here is a list of some of his movie roles:
| 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 | Video | |
| 2005 | Two Guns | Bill | Video |
| 2007 | 4 Life | Pooh | Video |
| The Second Line | Natt | Short film | |
| 2008 | Cash Rules | Spike (J.D.) | 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 |
J. D. Williams in Television
J. D. Williams has appeared in many television shows. Here are some of his TV roles:
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | New York Undercover | Victor | Episode: "Fade Out" |
| 1997–2000 | Oz | Kenny Wangler | Guest 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 | ... 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 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 in seasons 2, 4, and 6 |
| 2012 | Blue Bloods | Benjamin Banks | Episode: "No Questions Asked" |
| 2014 | The Following | Carlos | Recurring 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 |
J. D. Williams in Video Games
J. D. Williams has also lent his voice to characters in 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
