Wendell Pierce


Wendell Edward Pierce is an American actor. He is known for his roles in HBO dramas such as Detective Bunk Moreland in The Wire and trombonist Antoine Batiste in Treme, as well as portraying James Greer in Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, as high-powered attorney Robert Zane in Suits, and as Michael Davenport in Waiting to Exhale. Pierce also had roles in the films Malcolm X, Ray, and Selma. Pierce performed the lead role of Willy Loman in the 2019 production of Death of a Salesman on the West End in London at the Piccadilly Theatre.

Early life

Pierce was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, one of three sons of a teacher and a decorated World War II veteran who worked as a maintenance engineer. His father's segregated Army unit helped Marines win the Battle of Saipan in 1944. Pierce has said of his father's experience: "When the country wasn't loving my father, my father was loving his country. It's the ultimate act of patriotism."
Pierce was raised in the black middle-class community of Pontchartrain Park, the first African-American post-war suburb. His father, along with many black veterans, moved into the neighborhood after returning home from the war. The neighborhood was wiped out during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, including Pierce's family home, which was flooded by 14 feet of water.
Pierce graduated in 1981 from both Benjamin Franklin High School and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. In 1981, Pierce was named a Presidential Scholar of the Arts. As a young actor, he appeared in The Winter's Tale at the Tulane Shakespeare Festival. He produced and hosted Think About It, a youth-themed talk show, for the local NBC affiliate station, and also hosted a weekly jazz show on WYLD-FM Radio called Extensions from Congo Square.
He then attended the Juilliard School's Drama Division from 1981 to 1985, where he graduated as a member of Group 14 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Career

Pierce has been in over 30 films, appeared in nearly 50 television shows and has performed in dozens of stage productions. He worked on the HBO dramas The Wire and Treme. He appeared in as "J. Jenks".
For his role in Treme, Pierce learned to play the trombone, though he relied on "sound double" Stafford Agee of the Rebirth Brass Band. Agee played off-camera for Pierce, syncing his trombone with Wendell's motions for authenticity.
Pierce was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead for his portrayal of "Joe" in Four, playing a married, closeted gay man who steps out on his family with a young white man he met online. The film was released on September 13, 2013, around the same time that The Michael J. Fox Show debuted on NBC, in which Pierce played Michael J. Fox's character's boss until the show's cancellation some five months later.
From 2015 to 2017, Pierce starred, alongside Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon, in a revival of the sitcom The Odd Couple on CBS, playing the role of Teddy.

Stage

Pierce has been in numerous stage productions. He was lauded for his performance as Holt Fay in Queenie at the John F. Kennedy Center. He has performed on Broadway in staged productions of The Piano Lesson, Serious Money and The Boys of Winter. He has performed off-Broadway in The Cherry Orchard, Waiting for Godot, and Broke-ology, performed at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
Other performances include Cymbeline, The Good Times Are Killing Me, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Tis Pity She's a Whore, and Ms. Ever's Boys performed at the ACT Theatre.
Pierce is also a theater producer, having produced the Broadway show, Clybourne Park. The show was nominated for four Tony Awards and won the Tony Award for Best Play in 2012.
In 2015, Pierce returned to the stage to star in the Billie Holiday Theatre production of Jackie Alexander's Brothers from the Bottom in New York.
In 2019, Pierce starred in the acclaimed Arthur Miller play Death of a Salesman at the Young Vic Theatre in London, and its successful transfer to the West End. For this performance, he received a nomination for the Olivier Award for Best Actor.

Radio

In 2009, Pierce became the host of the nationally syndicated, Peabody Award-winning radio program, Jazz at Lincoln Center, which features live recordings from Jazz at Lincoln Center's House of Swing.

Music

In 2016, Pierce started appearing in several albums recorded in New Orleans. He recorded a song with Delfayeo Marsalis, Kermit Ruffins, in his latest album, "A Beautiful World", and Stanton Moore in With You In Mind.

Business and philanthropy

Pierce considers himself a "true capitalist" and a "classic entrepreneur."
In 2013, Fast Company named Pierce one of the "100 Most Creative People in Business."

Pontchartrain Park Community Development Corp.

Pierce started the non-profit, Pontchartrain Park Community Development Corp., to build new affordable solar and geothermal homes in the area for families displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

Sterling Farms

Inspired in part by Michelle Obama's initiative to bring more supermarkets to food deserts, where residents lack easy access to fresh produce, Pierce, along with partners Troy Henry and James Hatchett, started a chain of grocery stores named Sterling Farms in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans in 2012. Sterling Farms also has a convenience store division called Sterling Express. The stores are named after Sterling Henry, his business partner's father who ran a pharmacy for about 40 years in the Lower Ninth Ward.

Personal life

Pierce describes himself as "tri-coastal", splitting his time among Los Angeles, New York City, and New Orleans. He is a supporter of the New Orleans Saints, and locals have nicknamed him "Saints Wendell". He is also an avid supporter of St. Patrick's Athletic FC.
Pierce attended the 2012 Democratic National Convention, was one of President Barack Obama's top campaign fundraisers in 2012, and once escorted Gwen Ifill to a White House State Dinner.
When first cast in The Wire, Pierce and his castmates doubted the show would be a hit: "I remember the first time we all sat around and watched the pilot. We all turned to each other and said, 'Man, I don't think this shit is going anywhere.'"
On Sunday, May 15, 2016, Pierce was arrested and charged with simple battery for an alleged attack against a female Bernie Sanders supporter outside Atlanta Loews Hotel. He was booked and released on $1,000 bond from Fulton County Jail. Pierce subsequently completed a pre-trial diversion program, including counselling and community service, resulting in dismissal of the charge. Pierce has been a vocal supporter of Hillary Clinton and was on the board of Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a campaign created by the Clinton Foundation.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987Vietnam War StoryFrenchEpisode: "The Pass"
1989A Man Called HawkDerrick WestEpisode: "Never My Love"
1988–1989The EqualizerDr. WolffEpisodes: ""The Last Campaign" and "Starfire"
1990Capital NewsConrad White13 episodes
1991General Motors Playwrights TheaterSergeant KellyEpisode: "Avenue Z Afternoon"
1991The 10 Million Dollar GetawayParnell "Stacks" EdwardsTV movie
1991I'll Fly AwayCharlesEpisode: "Coming Home"
1992Law & OrderChief Ola-Gimju NwakaEpisode: "Consultation"
1992Unnatural PursuitsCabbieEpisode: "I Don't Do Cuddles"
1993StrappedTV movie
1995Law & OrderJerome BryantEpisode: "Rage"
1995New York NewsJesusEpisode: "The Using Game"
1996New York UndercoverDr. Anthony FisherEpisode: "Bad Blood"
1996Never Give Up: The Jimmy V StoryJohn SaundersTV movie
1996–1997MoloneyDA Calvin Patterson5 episodes
1997413 HopeTaffyPilot episode
1997The Advocate's DevilJustinTV movie
1997–1999The Gregory Hines ShowCarl Stevenson20 episodes
1999The ExpertDr. WorseleyPilot episode
1999Law & OrderMr. Wade"Disciple"
1998–2000The Brian Benben ShowKevin La Rue7 episodes
2000God, the Devil and BobVoice role
Episodes: "In the Beginning" and "Date from Hell"
2000Third WatchOfficer Conrad "Candyman" Jones5 episodes
2000City of AngelsNorbert GrimlyEpisode: "Straight Flush"
2001My Wife and KidsDr. BoucherPilot episode
2000–2001The Weber Show/CursedWendell Simms17 episodes
2002GirlfriendsAnthony JacksonEpisode: ""
2002–2008The WireDet. William "Bunk" Moreland54 episodes
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
2004Judging AmyHarry Benton"Sins of the Father"
2004Law & OrderRoger Porter"Gunplay"
2004'Dr. Richard LinkEpisodes: "" and ""
2006Close to HomeSam CarterEpisode: ""
2007Life SupportSlickTV movie
2007The Wire: The ChroniclesDet. William "Bunk" MorelandEpisode: "2000: Bunk and McNulty"
2007–2008Numb3rsWilliam Bradford4 episodes
2008Women's Murder ClubBill SchroederEpisode: "Father's Day"
2008In Plain SightDr. Warren McBride/Warren MorrisEpisode: ""
2008House of PayneJeffrey LucasEpisodes: "The Last Supper" and "We've Come this Far by Faith: Part 2"
2009Fear ItselfWiilbur Orwell"Something with Bite"
2009HawthorneMichael SchillingEpisode: "Trust Me"
2009Drop Dead DivaNeal DavidEpisode: "Grayson's Anatomy"
2010Tim & Eric Awesome ShowDetectiveEpisode: ""
2010–2013TremeAntoine Batiste36 episodes
2013–2019SuitsRobert ZaneRecurring role
36 episodes
2013–2014The Michael J. Fox ShowHarris GreenRegular cast
22 episodes
2014–2015Ray DonovanRonald KeithRecurring role
11 episodes
2015–2017The Odd CoupleTeddyRegular cast
38 episodes
2015The Night ShiftWaltEpisode: "Moving On"
2016'Coach CalhounLive TV musical
2016ConfirmationClarence ThomasTV movie
2016Pickle and PeanutDr. CraigVoice only
Episode: "Night Shift/Scalped"
2017ArcherVerlVoice only
Episode: "Archer Dreamland: Jane Doe"
2017-presentChicago P.D.Alderman Ray Price10 episodes
2018Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.Detective Lee Tucker3 episodes
2018–presentJack RyanJames GreerRegular cast