Richard Brooks (actor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Brooks
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| Born |
Richard L. Brooks
December 9, 1962 |
| Education | Interlochen Center for the Arts |
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| Years active | 1983–present |
Richard L. Brooks (born December 9, 1962) is an American actor, singer, and director. He is known for playing interesting characters on TV.
You might know him as the unique bounty hunter Jubal Early in the space-western show Firefly. He also played assistant district attorney Paul Robinette in the popular NBC drama Law & Order for many years. Later, he even came back to that show as a defense lawyer! Since 2013, he has starred as Patrick Patterson in the BET drama series, Being Mary Jane.
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Early Life and Education
Richard Brooks was born and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. From a young age, he loved the arts. He studied acting, dance, and singing at the Interlochen Academy of Arts in Michigan.
After his studies in Michigan, he moved to New York City. There, he continued to learn and improve his acting skills at the Circle in the Square Professional Theater School.
Acting Career Highlights
While living in New York, Richard Brooks performed in a play called Fences by August Wilson. This play helped him become well-known and respected in the acting world.
He then moved to Los Angeles and started getting roles on television shows like Hill Street Blues. He also appeared in TV movies such as Badge of the Assassin (1985). Soon, he began working in bigger movies like Teen Wolf (1985) and Shocker (1989). He also played a character named OD in the movie 84C MoPic (1989).
Becoming a TV Star
In the 1990s, Richard Brooks became very popular because of his role as Paul Robinette on the hit show Law & Order. This role made him a familiar face to many TV viewers. During this time, he kept acting in movies, TV shows, and on stage.
After appearing in movies like The Substitute and The Crow: City of Angels (both 1996), Brooks decided to try something new: directing! He directed a movie called Johnny B Good (1998). This film is about a young man who changes his life for the better after losing his memory.
He returned to TV in 1999 for the series G vs E. In 2001, he made a guest appearance on NYPD Blue.
Fan Favorite Roles
One of Richard Brooks's most memorable roles was as the bounty hunter Jubal Early in the TV series Firefly. His performance in the final episode, "Objects in Space", earned him many fans.
He also worked with actor Nathan Fillion (who was also in Firefly) on the show Drive, where he played Detective Ehrle.
Recent Work
In 2013, Richard Brooks began starring as Patrick Patterson in the BET series Being Mary Jane. He also appeared in Person of Interest and played Warden Gregory Wolfe in The Flash.
From 2019 to 2020, he played Dwight Wise in the show Bosch. He also starred as Augustus Barringer on the UMC network comedy The Rich and the Ruthless from 2017 to 2021. More recently, he appeared in Abbott Elementary and 9-1-1.
Other Talents
Besides acting and directing, Richard Brooks is also a singer! He started his own production company called Flat Top Entertainment LLC. At the start of the 2000s, he released his first solo R&B music album, called Smooth Love, on his own record label, Flat Top Records.
In 2013, he played a very important historical figure, Frederick Douglass, in the PBS series The Abolitionists.
Awards and Nominations
Richard Brooks's work has been recognized!
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Digital Daytime Drama Series | The Rich and the Ruthless | Nominated |
