Harold Perrineau (born Harold Williams) is an American actor best known for his roles on Lost, The Matrix films and games, Oz, Sons of Anarchy, and Romeo + Juliet.
Biography
Perrineau was born in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, New York, on August 7, 1963, as Harold Williams. At some point, he decided to pursue an acting career. He legally changed his surname to his mother Sylvia's maiden name, after discovering there was already a Harold Williams in the Screen Actors Guild. Perrineau studied music and theatre at the Shenandoah University, but did not graduate. His first role was as a recurring dancer in the TV series adaptation of the 1980 hit film Fame, which he played from 1986 to 1987. In 1989, he was cast in the world premiere of Fame's stage adaptation, titled Fame: The Musical and held at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Early in his career, Perrineau portrayed the character of Mercutio in Romeo + Juliet, the 1996 film adaptation and modernization of William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet In 2004, Perrineau was cast in one of his most well-known roles, that of Michael Dawson on the ABC-produced hit adventure-drama series Lost. His character was temporarily written off when he left the island setting with his son at the end of the series' second season, and did not appear in the third season. Perrineau rejoined the main cast for the show's fourth season, but the character was killed off in the season finale. He made one guest-star appearance in the sixth and final season.
Perrineau later took the role of Link in The Matrix film series. He also starred in 30 Days of Night: Dark Days, the 2008 music video "Yes We Can", voiced the titular character in the anime series adaptation of Marvel's Blade comic-book series, and the fifth season of Sons of Anarchy as the antagonist Damon Pope. In addition, Perrineau starred as Stevie, the bass player, in the TBS comedy series Wedding Band, which ran from 2012 to 2013. He made his Broadway debut in the Roundabout Theatre Company production of The Cherry Orchard, which ran from September to December 2016. In his personal life, Perrineau married a woman named Brittany Robinson and had three daughters with her. His eldest, Aurora, followed in her father's footsteps and became an actress.
On Criminal Minds
Perrineau portrayed Calvin Shaw, a disgraced former FBI agent convicted of murdering a confidential informant. The recurring character becomes a confidante for Spencer Reid during his imprisonment at Millburn Correctional Facility in Season Twelve.
Filmography
- I'm Not Here (2017) - Santana
- Without Ward (2017) - Lord Voraz Esquire
- Claws - 10 episodes (2017) - Dean Simms
- Criminal Minds - 5 episodes (2017) - Calvin Shaw
- Stephanie (2017) - Leader
- Goliath - 6 episodes (2016) - Judge Roston Keller
- The Mysteries of Laura (2016) - Charles Baptiste
- Poor Richard's Almanack (2016) - Matt
- Meet Me at a Funeral (2015) - Jeffrey
- Constantine - 12 episodes (2014-2015) - Manny
- Z Nation (2014) - Hammond
- Sabotage (2014) - Jackson
- Growing Up Fisher (2014) - Fred
- J.Cole: She Knows (ft. Amber Coffman & Cults) (2014) - Dad
- HitRECord on TV (2014) - Unknown Character (segment "The Edge of Space")
- The Championship Rounds (2013) - Darryl
- The Best Man Holiday (2013) - Julian
- Sexy Evil Genius (2013) - Marvin Coolidge
- Go for Sisters (2013) - Wiley
- Snitch (2013) - Jeffery Steele
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2013) - Brian Traymor
- Wedding Band - 10 episodes (2012-2013) - Stevie
- Zero Dark Thirty (2012) - Jack
- Sons of Anarchy - 8 episodes (2012) - Damon Pope
- Taking the Edge Off (2012) - Unknown Character
- Georgia - 3 episodes (2012) - Michael
- Phineas and Ferb - 2 episodes (2012) - Additional Voices (voice)
- Sunset Stories (2012) - Harold
- Transit (2012) - Losada
- Blade - 12 episodes (2011) - Blade/Eric "Blade" Brooks (English version, voice)
- Seeking Justice (2011) - Jimmy
- The Whole Truth (2010) - Paul Braun
- 30 Days of Night: Dark Days (2010) - Todd
- Case 219 (2010) - Franklyn Bonner
- CSI: NY (2010) - Reggie Tifford
- Lost - 63 episodes (2004-2010) - Michael Dawson
- The Killing Jar (2010) - Smith
- The Unusuals - 10 episodes (2009) - Detective Leo Banks
- Felon (2008) - Lieutenant Jackson
- Your Name Here (2008) - Rich
- Ball Don't Lie (2008) - Jimmy
- Gardens of the Night (2008) - Orlando
- Lost: Missing Pieces - 5 episodes (2007-2008) - Michael Dawson (uncredited)
- Demons (2007) - Mitch
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2007) - Reverend Alistair Rhodes
- Garfield Gets Real (2007) - Husband (voice)
- 28 Weeks Later (2007) - Flynn
- The Matrix Online (2005) - Link (voice)
- Matrix Revolutions (2003) - Link
- Dead Like Me (2003) - Aroun Levert
- Spider-Man (2003) - Louis "Turbo Jet" Wyler (voice)
- Enter the Matrix (2003) - Link (voice)
- The Matrix Reloaded (2003) - Link
- Oz - 55 episodes (1997-2003) - Augustus Hill
- On_Line (2002) - Moe Curley
- A Day in Black and White (2001) - Unknown Character
- Prison Song (2001) - Uncle Cee
- Someone Like You... (2001) - Fantasy Sequence Tour Guide - (uncredited)
- Overnight Sensation (2000) - Experienced PA (credited as Harold Perrineau Jr.)
- Woman on Top (2000) - Monica Jones (credited as Harold Perrineau Jr.)
- Saturday Night Live (1999) - Augustus Hill (uncredited)
- The Best Man (1999) - Julian Murch
- Macbeth in Manhattan (1999) - Chorus
- The Tempest (1998) - Ariel
- Lulu on the Bridge (1998) - Bobby Perez
- Come to (1998) - Joseph
- Living Single (1997) - Walter Jackson
- ER (1997) - Isaac Price
- The Edge (1997) - Stephen
- Romeo + Juliet (1996) - Mercutio
- Blood and Wine (1996) - Henry
- New York News - 2 episodes (1995) - Benny
- Flirt (1995) - Men's Room Man # (credited as Harold Perrineau Jr.)
- Smoke (1995) - Rashid Cole (credited as Harold Perrineau Jr.)
- The Cosby Mysteries (1994) - Junior Vansen
- Law & Order - 2 episodes (1990-1993) - Kenny Rinker/Jordan Hill (credited as Harold Perrineau Jr.)
- I'll Fly Away - 8 episodes (1991-1993) - Robert Evans (credited as Harold Perrineau Jr.)
- The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (1991) - Singer
- King of New York (1990) - Thug Leader
- CBS Schoolbreak Special (1990) - Curtis
- The Cosby Show (1989) - Scott (credited as Harold Perrineau Jr.)
- Shakedown (1988) - Tommie (credited as Harold Perrineau Jr.)
- Fame - 18 episodes (1986-1987) - Dancer
LINKS
For an up-to-date filmography, see here.