Erik LaRay Harvey

{{Infobox person

| name = Erik LaRay Harvey

| image = ErikLaRayHarvey-withFan (cropped).jpg

| image_caption = Erik LaRay Harvey in 2019

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1972}}

| birth_place = Bainbridge, Georgia, U.S.

| occupation = Actor

| years_active = 1996–present

|education = New York University {{small|(MFA)}}

}}

Erik LaRay Harvey (born 1972) is an American actor known for his roles as Dunn Purnsley in Boardwalk Empire,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/dunns-violent-boardwalk-empire-exit-20131027|title=Dunn's Violent 'Boardwalk Empire' Exit|author=Sarene Leeds|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=28 October 2013 }} Willis Stryker / Diamondback in Luke Cage, and his role in The Charnel House (2016).{{cite web |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/look-new-luke-cage-photos-reveal-classic-marvel-comics-villain |title=Look: New "Luke Cage" Photos Reveal Classic Marvel Comics Villain |last=Damore |first=Meagan |publisher=Comic Book Resources |date=May 25, 2016 |accessdate=May 25, 2016 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527042058/http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/look-new-luke-cage-photos-reveal-classic-marvel-comics-villain |archivedate= May 27, 2016|url-status=live }}

Early life

Erik LaRay Harvey was drawn into acting when he saw a theatrical performance of The Wiz. In his youth, he aspired to be a dentist.{{cite web| url= http://hydrogen-mag.com/archives/5824| title= The Boardwalker: A Sit Down with Erik LaRay Harvey|work=Hydrogen-mag.com |date= September 4, 2013|accessdate=November 17, 2016}}

Career

Harvey has performed in feature films, television series, and TV movies. Early TV roles include two episodes of Law & Order (1994 and 1998); two episodes of NYPD Blue (1997 and 2003); Now and Again; and Third Watch.{{IMDb name|0367510}} He appears in two additional Law & Order series: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (two episodes; 2003 and 2013) and Law & Order: Criminal Intent (one episode; 2005). Roles in feature films include Twister, The Caveman's Valentine and Rounders.

His two major roles have been on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire as Dunn Purnsley (2011–2013) and the Netflix series Luke Cage as Willis "Diamondback" Stryker.{{cite news| title= Luke Cage Season 2 Finally Gives Us Power Man's Biggest Enemy| work= CBR.com| first= Renaldo |last= Matadeen| publisher= Comic Book Resources | date= June 26, 2018}}