Raised in Washington, D.C. by his mother and aunt

Took an acting course in his senior year while pursuing a degree in political science

Still planning to attend law school, took a summer job at a prestigious Washington, D.C. firm

Returning to D.C. after graduation, appeared in several Arena Stage productions

Performed at the Yale Rep and in regional theater

Arena's founder director Zelda Fischandler arranged for him to receive a full scholarship to NYU

Feature acting debut, a bit part in "Presumed Innocent"

TV acting debut, "Separate But Equal" (ABC)

Played a small role in "Jumpin at the Boneyard"

Played celebrated jazz musician, Sidney Bechet in two installments of ABC's "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles"

Originated the role of Belize, Roy Cohn's nurse, in the Broadway play "Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika"

Played The Fool to F Murray Abraham's "King Lear" Off-Broadway

Played da Voice on Broadway in "Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk"

First starring role in a film, "Basquiat"; played the celebrated but doomed graffiti artist

Had featured role as a freed slave involved in the border skirmishes between Missouri and Kansas during the Civil War in "Ride With the Devil"

Garnered attention portraying a flamboyant Dominican drug lord in "Shaft"

Played Marting Luther King Jr in the HBO original "Boycott"

Acted Off-Broadway opposite Don Cheadle in "Topdog/Underdog"; moved to Broadway in 2002 opposite Mos Def

Portrayed Howard Bingham in "Ali"

Recreated his award-winning stage role as nurse Belize in the Mike Nichols-directed adaptation of "Angels in America"; received a SAG nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie (2004)

Starred in the remake of the 1962 thriller "The Manchurian Candidate"

Co-starred with Ben Stiller in "This Is How It Goes," a play by Neil LaBute about an interracial love triangle set in small-town America; performed at the Public Theater in New York

Cast in the HBO original movie "Lackawanna Blues" based on Ruben Santiago-Hudson autobiographical one man show

Co-starred with Bill Murray in Jim Jarmusch's "Broken Flowers"; earned an Independent Spirit Award Nomination for Best Supporting Male

Co-starred with George Clooney and Matt Damon in the geopolitical thriller "Syriana," based on the real-life memoirs of CIA agent Robert Baer; produced by George Clooney

Co-starred in M. Night Shyamalan's "Lady in the Water" with Bryce Dallas Howard and Paul Giamatti

Portrayed Felix Leiter, Bond's long time CIA friend in "Casino Royale" starring Daniel Craig as 007

Co-starred with Bruce Willis in "Live Free or Die Hard" the fourth "Die Hard" sequel

Portrayed former Secretary of State Colin Powell in Oliver Stone's controversial film "W."

Reprised role of Felix Leiter in "Quantum of Solace"; second collaboration with Craig as Bond

Portrayed American blues musician Muddy Waters in the musical biopic "Cadillac Records"