Full Name
Wendell Pierce
Job Title
Actor
Speaking At
Speaker Bio
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, Mr. Pierce was also praised for his starring role of “Antoine Baptiste” on David Simon’s critically acclaimed series, TREMÉ. He currently stars as ‘James Greer’ in Amazon’s international hit series TOM CLANCY’S JACK RYAN, alongside John Krasinski, as well as in the “Kendall’s Story” episode of the new anthology series, ACCUSED, airing on Fox. Pierce stars as Captain C.W. Wagner, a charismatic and revered NYPD leader in the hit CBS drama, ELSBETH, based on the character featured in THE GOOD WIFE and THE GOOD FIGHT, and in season three of the popular Starz Power universe’s RAISING KANAN as Ishmael “Snaps” Henry. He was recently cast as the character Perry White, editor of The Daily Planet, in the forthcoming James Gunn’s SUPERMAN feature film.
Mr. 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, Wendell’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, Wendell 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, Wendell is the recipient of several awards, including the 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.
Wendell is co-owner of Equity Media, the new 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. Wendell 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.
Mr. 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, Wendell’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, Wendell 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, Wendell is the recipient of several awards, including the 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.
Wendell is co-owner of Equity Media, the new 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. Wendell 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.
