Wendell Pierce has established himself as a prolific award-winning actor with a body of work on stage, television, and film for more than three decades. Universally hailed for his portrayal of ‘Det. Bunk Moreland’ on HBO’s groundbreaking series THE WIRE, Pierce was also praised for his starring role of “Antoine Baptiste” on David Simon’s critically acclaimed series, TREMÉ. He has starred as ‘James Greer’ in Amazon’s international hit series TOM CLANCY’S JACK RYAN, alongside John Krasinski, for which he received an NAACP Image Award nomination, as well as in the “Kendall’s Story” episode of the Fox anthology series, ACCUSED. He most recently starred as Perry White, editor of The Daily Planet, in James Gunn’s SUPERMAN feature film, in Marvel’s THUNDERBOLTS, and in Spike Lee’s HIGHEST 2 LOWEST opposite Denzel Washington, which premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
Pierce currently stars as Captain C.W. Wagner, a charismatic and revered NYPD leader in the hit CBS drama, ELSBETH, for which he received an AAFCA TV Honor and the Critics Choice Celebration of Black Cinema and Television Actor Award, and in the popular Starz Power universe’s RAISING KANAN as Ishmael “Snaps” Henry. And on stage, Pierce will debut as “Othello” in Simon Godwin’s Shakespeare Theatre Company production in Washington DC in the Spring 2026.
Pierce returned to Broadway in 2022 for a limited engagement to reprise his portrayal of “Willy Loman” in DEATH OF A SALESMAN after receiving a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play in London for the West End production. He has been nominated for his first performance Tony Award in the Best Actor in a Leading Actor in a Play category and a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play. He made his Broadway debut as “Boy Willie” in August Wilson’s PIANO LESSON. His other Broadway credits include Carol Churchill’s SERIOUS MONEY and John Pielmeier’s BOYS OF WINTER. Other theater credits include COST OF LIVING (Williamstown, 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Drama), BROKEOLOGY (Lincoln Center), ‘TIS PITY SHE’S A WHORE, CYMBELINE, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, TARTUFFE (New York Shakespeare Festival), WAITING FOR GODOT, THE CHERRY ORCHARD (Classical Theater of Harlem), and THE OEDIPUS CYCLE (Theatre Herod Atticus, Athens).
In film, Pierce’s wide-ranging work includes Ava Duvernay’s SELMA, Taylor Hackford’s RAY, Spike Lee’s MALCOLM X and GET ON THE BUS, Forest Whittaker’s WAITING TO EXHALE, Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winner CLEMENCY, and the Bounce Original Film DON’T HANG UP, for which he received an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Male Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Limited Series, to name a few.
On television, Pierce is recognized as “Robert Zane” on USA Network’s SUITS, and had recurring roles on Showtime’s RAY DONOVAN and NBC’s CHICAGO PD. He appeared in HBO’s award-winning CONFIRMATION as “Clarence Thomas” and BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME, based on the #1 New Times bestseller by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
A Juilliard alum and a 1981 White House Presidential Scholar in the Arts, Pierce is the recipient of an Obie Award for Sustained Excellence in the Theater, the Tribeca Film Festival Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of “Rev. Tillman” in the drama BURNING CANE, for which he also received Independent Spirit and Gotham award nominations; a Tony Award as a producer of CLYBOURNE PARK; and Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Image Award for his role of ‘Slick’ in the HBO drama, LIFE SUPPORT, opposite Queen Latifah.
Pierce is co-owner of Equity Media, the ownership group of WBOK 1230AM, a 70-year-old legacy Black talk radio station in New Orleans and the oldest Black-owned radio station in Louisiana. Pierce is the author of his memoir titled The Wind in the Reeds. In 2023, he received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, The Juilliard School, and the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
Please note: Biographies are based on information provided to the CSOA by the artists or their representatives. More current information may be available on websites of the artists or their management.
