Keith Powell facts for kids

Keith Powell (born August 12, 1979) is a talented American actor, writer, and director. He is best known for playing the character James "Toofer" Spurlock on the popular TV show 30 Rock. Keith also created and starred in his own web series called Keith Broke His Leg, which won him several awards in 2016.

Early Life and School Days

Keith Powell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Later, his family moved to California. He finished high school at St. Mark's High School in Wilmington, Delaware. After high school, Keith went to New York University. He earned a special degree called a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Tisch School of the Arts in 2001.

Keith Powell's Career Journey

Keith Powell has had a busy career in acting, directing, and writing. He has worked in theater, television, and film.

Early Theater Work

Keith used to be the Producing Artistic Director for a summer theater group. This group was called Contemporary Stage Company in Wilmington, Delaware. He helped create many plays in New York. He also directed plays for Equalogy, a group that uses theater to promote social change.

As an actor, Keith has performed in many plays. Some of his theater roles include Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth. He also appeared in many TV commercials.

Breaking into Television and Film

In 2007, Keith started working on the TV show 30 Rock. He played a recurring character at first. He also filmed a pilot for a show called Judy's Got A Gun, but it wasn't picked up. So, Keith returned to 30 Rock and became a regular cast member. He stayed on the show for many years.

In 2008, Keith launched his own web series. It was called Keith Powell Directs a Play. This series showed his funny attempts at directing a play. In 2009, he was a guest on a VH1 show. He also played a Tuskegee Airman in the movie Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.

Recent Projects and Directing

In 2014, Keith had a recurring role on the TV series About a Boy. He played Richard, who was a friend and business manager. He also appeared in the final season of The Newsroom.

In 2015, Keith created, wrote, directed, and starred in his web series Keith Broke His Leg. This series was a big success. It won several Indie Series Awards, including Best Comedy Series. Keith also won Best Actor in a Comedy for his role.

Keith started directing television shows in 2018. His first TV directing job was for an episode of the NBC show Superstore.

Personal Life

In October 2013, Keith Powell married Jill Knox. She is a visual artist. In 2019, they welcomed their first child, a daughter. In 2021, they had a second child, a boy. Keith and Jill live in Los Angeles with their children.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles