Coby Bell

{{Infobox person

| name = Coby Bell

| image = Coby Bell at New York Comic Con 2017.jpg

| caption = Bell at the 2017 New York Comic Con

| image_size =

| birth_name = Coby Scott Bell

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|5|11}}

| birth_place = Orange County, California, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| other_names = Colby Bell, Cobins Robins Rue

| alma_mater = San Jose State University

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Actor
musician
songwriter}}

| years_active = 1997–present

| spouse = Aviss Pinkney-Bell (2001-present)

| children = 4

}}

Coby Scott Bell (born May 11, 1975) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Jesse Porter on the USA Network original series Burn Notice and professional football player Jason Pitts on The CW/BET comedy-drama The Game. He also co-starred as police officer Tyrone "Ty" Davis, Jr. on the NBC drama Third Watch and as Aaron in the Amazon original series Mad Dogs.

Early life and career

Bell was born in Orange County, California, to a white mother and a black father, Broadway actor Michael Bell. Before he began acting, Bell attended San Jose State University, where he graduated with honors.{{cite web|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/print/CTVShows/20031104/thirdwatch-bios-Bell/20031104?hub=TopShows&subhub=PrintStory|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123221558/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/print/CTVShows/20031104/thirdwatch-bios-Bell/20031104?hub=TopShows&subhub=PrintStory|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 23, 2009|title=Coby Bell—Third Watch|publisher=ctv.ca|access-date=October 15, 2008}} He began his career with a few minor roles in various shows including The Parent 'Hood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, ER and Smart Guy, before landing a thirteen episode stint as Patrick Owen in L.A. Doctors.

In 1999, Bell landed the role of Officer Ty Davis, Jr. on the NBC drama Third Watch. He was one of only five original cast members to remain on the show throughout its entire six-season run on NBC. During the series' run, he co-starred in Safe, a critically acclaimed play co-written by Third Watch co-star Anthony Ruivivar. The play co-starred Third Watch actors Jason Wiles and Yvonne Jung. He appeared in a Third Watch edition of the American version of The Weakest Link.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/dvd-news/Joy-Sets-Watch-9207.aspx|title=The Joy of Sets: Third Watch, Learn and Listen!|date=February 6, 2008|publisher=tvguide.com|access-date=October 15, 2008}}

In 2005, just months after Third Watch ended its run, Bell landed a recurring role on the UPN comedy series Half & Half as Glen Stallworth, a San Francisco firefighter who is originally set up on a date with main character Mona, but winds up falling for her mother, Phyllis (played by actress Telma Hopkins). Despite appearing in only three episodes, Bell's character was mentioned and referenced throughout the show's fourth and final season. {{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

In 2006, Bell starred in and co-produced an independent film called Drifting Elegant. The project marked his debut as a producer. That same year, Bell guest-starred in an episode of the UPN comedy series Girlfriends in an episode entitled "The Game", which served as the pilot episode for the CW comedy-drama series of the same name. Bell stars as Jason Pitts, the captain of the fictional San Diego Sabers football team. He reprised Jason Pitts in a recurring role when The Game, which was cancelled in 2009, returned on BET in January 2011.{{cite news|url=http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/nov/17/these-stars-know-how-to-win-the-game|title=These stars know how to win the 'Game'|last=Madden Toby|first=Mekeisha|date=November 7, 2007|newspaper=The Ventura County Star|access-date=October 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123140405/http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/nov/17/these-stars-know-how-to-win-the-game/|archive-date=January 23, 2009|url-status=dead}} In June 2010, Bell joined the cast of the USA Network series Burn Notice as former counter-intelligence agent Jesse Porter.{{cite news|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i0215407931edfdd78c96ef2eee6cc763|title='Third Watch' actor joins 'Burn Notice'| work=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|date=March 8, 2010|access-date=May 9, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bvnewswire.com/2010/03/10/the-game-coby-bell--burn-notice/|title=Coby Bell|access-date=January 4, 2010|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923195537/http://www.bvnewswire.com/2010/03/10/the-game-coby-bell--burn-notice/|url-status=dead}}

Bell played Agent Turner on the Marvel Studios series The Gifted from 2017–2019.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/fox-marvel-series-bryan-singer-watch-teaser-1202421542/|title=Fox Greenlights Marvel Action Series 'The Gifted' From Bryan Singer & Matt Nix – Watch First Teaser|last=Wagmeister|first=Elizabeth|work=Variety|date=May 9, 2017|access-date=May 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510021104/http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/fox-marvel-series-bryan-singer-watch-teaser-1202421542/|archive-date=May 10, 2017|url-status=live}} In 2020, Bell was cast as Captain Larry James, a Texas Ranger Captain, in the CW western crime drama series Walker reboot.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/02/coby-bell-co-star-the-cws-walker-texas-ranger-reboot-1202870446/|title=Coby Bell To Co-Star In The CW's 'Walker, Texas Ranger' Reboot|last=Petski|first=Denise|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=February 28, 2020|access-date=February 28, 2020}}

Personal life

Bell is married to Aviss Pinkney-Bell and has four children, three girls and one boy, who are two sets of twins.{{cite web|url=http://cw27.com/bios/9.5235.html|title=Coby Bell: On-air Personalities|publisher=cw27.com|access-date=October 15, 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://www.essence.com/news_entertainment/entertainment/articles/afatherslovecelebritydads|title=A Father's Love – Celebrity Dads|last=Robertson|first=Regina|publisher=essence.com|access-date=October 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081215095036/http://www.essence.com/news_entertainment/entertainment/articles/afatherslovecelebritydads|archive-date=December 15, 2008|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.bvnewswire.com/2009/04/17/coby-bell-welcoming-twins-for-the-second-time-around?icid=webmail|title=Coby Bell: Welcoming Twins For The Second Time Around|author=Karu F. Daniels|date=April 17, 2009|access-date=April 21, 2009|publisher=AOL, LLC|work=Blackvoices Newswire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708110129/http://www.bvnewswire.com/2009/04/17/coby-bell-welcoming-twins-for-the-second-time-around?icid=webmail|archive-date=July 8, 2011|url-status=dead}}

In addition to acting, Bell is also a musician and songwriter in a reggae band.{{cite web|title=Coby Bell|url=https://www.bet.com/tag/m6274c/coby-bell|publisher=BET|access-date=27 March 2014}} He also serves as a mentor to underprivileged youths in the Big Brothers of America.{{cite web|url=http://cwtv.com/shows/the-game/cast/coby-bell|title=Coby Bell as Jason Pitts|publisher=cwtv.com|access-date=October 15, 2008}}

Filmography

=Movies=

class="wikitable"
style="background: #CCCCCC;" \| Year ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" \| Film ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" \| Role ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" \| Notes
2005 \| Dream Street \| \| Credited as Colby Bell
2006 \| Drifting Elegant \| Renny Lyles \| Producer
2007 \| Showdown at Area 51 \| Jude \|
rowspan=2\|2008 \| Ball Don't Lie \| Dreadlock Man \|
Flowers and Weeds \| Tyler \| Voice role

class="wikitable"

style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Year

! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Film

! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Role

! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Notes

2005

| Dream Street

| Credited as Colby Bell

2006

| Drifting Elegant

| Renny Lyles

| Producer

2007

| Showdown at Area 51

| Jude

rowspan=2|2008

| Ball Don't Lie

| Dreadlock Man

Flowers and Weeds

| Tyler

| Voice role

=Television=

class="wikitable"
style="background: #CCCCCC;" \| Year ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" \| Title ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" \| Role ! style="background: #CCCCCC;" \| Notes
rowspan=3\|1997 \| The Parent 'Hood \| Devigian \| Episode: "Father Wendell"
Buffy the Vampire Slayer \| Young Man \| Episode: "Reptile Boy"
ER \| Brett Nicholson \| Episode: "Good Touch, Bad Touch"
1997–1998 \| Smart Guy \| Garret / Anthony Williams \| Episodes: "The Dating Game", "Most Hated Man on Campus"
1998–1999 \| L.A. Doctors \| Patrick Owen \| Recurring role; 13 episodes
1999 \| A.T.F. \| Agent Dinko Bates \| Television movie
1999–2005 \| Third Watch \| Officer Tyrone "Ty" Davis Jr. \| Main role; 130 episodes
2005 \| Half & Half \| Glen \| 3 episodes
2006 \| Girlfriends \| Jason Pitts \| Episode: "The Game"
2006–2015, 2021–2022 \| The Game \| Jason Pitts \| Main role (seasons 1–3, 6–9); recurring role (seasons 4–5, 10–11)
2007 \| CSI: Miami \| Tony Decker \| Episode: "Kill Switch"
2009–2013 \| Burn Notice \| Jesse Porter \| Main role (seasons 4–7)
2010, 2015, 2020 \| Archer \| Conway Stern \| Episodes: "Diversity Hire", "Three to Tango", "Bloodsploosh"
2014 \| Hot in Cleveland \| Baz \| Episode: "Auction Heroes"
rowspan=2\|2016 \| Mad Dogs \| Aaron \| 5 episodes
Cruel Intentions \| Pascal Barrett \| Television film
rowspan=2\|2017 \| The Quad \| Mr. Briggs \| 2 episodes
Hand of God \| C.O.A. Remiel \| 3 episodes
2017–2019 \| The Gifted \| Jace Turner \| Main role
2019–2020 \| SEAL Team \| Warrant Officer Glen Mack \| 3 episodes
2020 \| Lucifer \| Sam Chavez \| 2 episodes
2021–2024 \| Walker \| Captain Larry James \| Main role
2025 \| Poppa's House \| David \| 2 episodes

class="wikitable"

style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Year

! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Title

! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Role

! style="background: #CCCCCC;" | Notes

rowspan=3|1997

| The Parent 'Hood

| Devigian

| Episode: "Father Wendell"

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

| Young Man

| Episode: "Reptile Boy"