Blair Underwood is popular as an American actor who has been in the film business since 1985 when he made his debut in the musical, Krush Groove. He is perhaps best known for his outstanding performance in the TV series L.A. Law which was aired on NBC from the late 80s to early 90s. More so, his movie exploits spilled over into the 2000s as he landed a notable role in Rules of Engagement and a few years later, Tyler Perry featured him in Madea’s Family Reunion. The years that followed to date are marked with a series of laudable acts by the Hollywood star which has earned him several Golden Globe nominations, a Grammy award as well as 6 NAACP Image Awards, and of course, contributed to keeping his wealth afloat.

Blair Underwood’s Early Success On The TV Show L.A Law

Blair Underwood made his debut in the 1985 movie Krush Groove in which he played Russell Walker. The following year, he made an appearance in the crime drama, Downtown, and went on to appear on The Cosby Show which gained him a lot of attention during that time. Subsequently, he was seen making appearances in TV series like One Life to Live, 21 Jump Street, Downtown and Scarecrow and Mrs. King among others.

However, his biggest role at that time was in  L.A Law in which he portrayed the character of Jonathan Rollins in 146 episodes. The TV series which ran from 1986 to 1994 won a total of 15 Emmy Awards out of which 4 was for the Best Outstanding Drama Series. Its reception was also very good as many film critics considered it a masterpiece and it was reported that some law professors make reference to it at that time while teaching their students. The United States also witnessed an upsurge in the number of applicants who wanted to study law as the film inspired many to go and study law. Blair also landed a Golden Globe nomination for his role in the TV series sometime in 1991.

In the 90s, Blair got cast in a couple of other popular films like Murder in Mississippi, a crime drama which got a little above average approval by those who have seen it according to the film rating site, Rotten Tomatoes. For his role in the crime drama, he received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special. Blair was also seen in the 1996 films like Soul of the Game and Set it Off for which he got NAACP Image Award nominations. More so he won another NAACP Image Award for his appearance in Mama Flora’s Family which was released in 1998 even though the film was not a critically acclaimed production as it had a mixed reception.

Continued Success and Notable Appearances In The 2000s

Blair Underwood was then seen in Rules of Engagement in 2000 portraying the character Capt. Lee exceptionally well and it earned him yet another NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture. However, the movie got a mixed reception and has grossed about $71.7 million in the box office on a budget of $60 million. During the same period, Underwood appeared in the TV series, City of Angels portraying the role of Dr. Ben Turner which earned him a lot of praise from critics as well as another NAACP Image Award.

The year 2003 was also a good one for the talented actor who starred in 5 episodes of unforgettable HBO TV series Sex and the City as the boyfriend of one of the show’s female lead. He got a nomination from NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. The series is also notable for winning 7 Emmy Awards out of 50 nominations and 8 Golden Globe Awards out of 24 nominations. Blair’s appearance in the 2008 film, In Treatment which was a critically acclaimed movie according to Metacritic, which gave it a 76% score on its site, got the actor his second Golden Globe nomination.

The prolific actor is also a Critics’ Choice Television Award nominee under the category of Best Supporting Actor in a movie/miniseries for his appearance in the 2014 film, Trip to Bountiful. The movie which was an adaptation of a 1953 stage play of the title is notable for winning numerous awards for its Broadway rendition including a Tony Award for Best Actress back in 1954.

Making His MARVEL Debut In Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Recent Works

One of his recent works which have further sealed his celebrity status is Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D produced by Marvel Studios. It aired between 2014 to 2016 and was met by mostly rave reviews. Many critics loved the movie especially its season 7 and on film rating sites like Rotten Tomatoes, the season was given a 100% rating.

More so, he can be seen in other productions like After Party, Quantico, the film Juanita and TV series like When They See Us and Dear White people. As of 2020, Blair’s filmography had included works like, Bad Hair, a horror-comedy produced by Justin Simien and the Netflix miniseries which has received a 53% rating since its release in January 2020.

It is also known that the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D star who has evolved over the years has earned for himself a spot on the list of the most influential black actors in Hollywood. This recognition was given to the talented actor for his notable film appearances during the course of his career. Reports have it that he had received paychecks as much as $120,000 for some of the TV shows he has appeared in. In recent times, the star actor is believed to sit on an impressive net worth of $10 million.

The Actor’s Marriage To Wife, Desiree Dacosta Spans Over 2 Decades

On the family front, Blair Underwood has been married to his sweetheart, Desiree Dacosta for over 2 decades now, as the pair tied nuptial knots on September 17th, 1994. The actor has been very appreciative of his wife and has spoken openly about his wife’s support towards his career as well as being a great mum to their 3 children, Paris, Blake, and Brielle who are a spitting image of the actor.

In spite of the actor’s busy schedule which involves him shooting films around the world, he makes sure to make out time for his family. His social media platforms feature photos of him taking his family on vacation. One of such (pictured above) was in 2018 when he took the whole family to Peru. To date, the Underwoods remain a tightly knitted family and Blair and Desiree’s long-standing marriage is considered one of the longest unions in Hollywood.

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