Jeffrey Wright began his distinguished career as a member of John Houseman‘s renowned Acting Company, touring the country performing Shakespeare and honing his craft. His stage breakthrough came with his co-starring role in the original production of “Angels in America” as the nurse Belize, a performance that won him a Tony Award and later an Emmy when Wright reprised it for the 2003 HBO miniseries adaptation.
That Tony win led to Wright starring in the title role of his first major film, “Basquiat,” directed by Julian Schnabel. His powerful performance led to a long and distinguished career as a character actor in film, where he worked with such acclaimed filmmakers as Wes Anderson, Jim Jarmusch and John Singleton. During that time, Wright balanced his career with TV and stage appearances as well, earning a second Tony nomination for 2002’s “Topdog/Underdog,” and three Emmy nominations for his co-starring role in HBO’s sci-fi reboot of “Westworld.”
It was not, however, until 2023 that Wright, at age 57, returned to leading man status with his stellar performance as a frustrated novelist in Cord Jefferson‘s debut film “American Fiction.” His complex portrayal brought Wright some of the best reviews of his career and may turn that career in another direction yet again.
So let’s raise a glass and offer a toast by ranking and counting down, from worst to best, his 12 top screen performances! Our photo gallery above includes “American Fiction,” “Rustin,” “The Batman,” “The French Dispatch,” James Bond films and more.
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