Morris Chestnut
{{short description|American actor (born 1969)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Morris Chestnut
| image = Morris Chestnut by Gage Skidmore.jpg
| caption = Chestnut at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2010
| birth_name = Morris Lamont Chestnut
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|1|1|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Cerritos, California, U.S.
| education = California State University, Northridge
| spouse = {{marriage|Pam Byse-Chestnut|1995}}
| children = 2
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1989–present
}}
Morris Lamont Chestnut (born January 1, 1969) is an American actor. He first came to prominence for his role as Ricky in the 1991 film Boyz n the Hood. He has appeared in feature films such as G.I. Jane, The Brothers, Like Mike, Ladder 49, The Game Plan, The Call, and Kick-Ass 2. He has also played Lance Sullivan in The Best Man, reprising the role in the sequel film The Best Man Holiday, and follow-up series The Best Man: The Final Chapters.
His television roles have included Ryan Nichols in ABC's V, Ike Prentiss in Showtime's Nurse Jackie, the lead role of Beaumont Darius Rosewood, Jr. in Fox's Rosewood, Hakeem Rashad in Prime Video's Goliath, and Barrett Cain in Fox's The Resident. He currently plays the title character in the CBS drama series Watson.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/01/watson-morris-chestnut-star-shellock-holmes-cbs-series-1235694168/|title=Morris Chestnut to Star in 'Watson' as Arthur Conan Doyle-Inspired Drama Gets CBS Series Order|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=January 3, 2024|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=January 3, 2024}}
Chestnut has been nominated for six NAACP Image Awards, winning for Nurse Jackie and The Best Man: The Final Chapters. His body of work has seen him receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Early life
Chestnut was born on January 1, 1969, in Cerritos, California,{{cite news|date=January 1, 2004|title=Today's Birthdays|page=D3|newspaper=Toledo Blade}} the son of Morris and Shirley Chestnut.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/morris-chestnut/bio/167225|title=Morris Chestnut|publisher=TVGuide.com|access-date=September 2, 2019}} His mother was a teacher, while his father worked as a medical salesman.{{cite news|last=Perlman|first=Cindy|date=March 18, 2001|title=Morris Chestnut shows his sensitive side in 'The Brothers'|pages=F1; F6|newspaper=Record-Journal}} He studied finance and drama at California State University, Northridge.{{cite news|last=Kiesewetter|first=John|date=October 24, 1992|title='Boyz' star success on TV comedy|page=14|newspaper=Sun Journal}} Chestnut worked as a bank teller prior to being an actor.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2022/film/features/morris-chestnut-boyz-n-the-hood-mentorship-1235212136/|title=Morris Chestnut Reflects on Surviving and Thriving Three Decades in the Business: 'In Hollywood, There's No Blueprint'|last=Longeretta|first=Emily|date=March 23, 2022|website=Variety|access-date=November 13, 2022}}
Career
=''Boys n the Hood'' and breakout=
Chestnut's first professional acting role was as Jason in Freddy's Nightmares – A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series, season 2, episode 19 ("A Family Affair"), which aired on February 18, 1990. His first feature film role was as Ricky Baker in Boyz n the Hood (1991).{{cite news|last=Walentis|first=Al|date=July 16, 1991|title='Boyz N the Hood' an auspicious debut|page=11|newspaper=Reading Eagle}} He followed that up with roles in various TV movies, notably including the Peabody Award winning Disney Channel film The Ernest Green Story, in which he played Ernest Green. Chestnut also appeared in Patti LaBelle's short-lived sitcom Out All Night.{{cite news|last=Wood|first=Bret|date=January 16, 1993|title='Out All Night' has LaBelle and much more|page=2|newspaper=The Dispatch}} His career continued to rise steadily with co-starring roles in standard big-budget studio films such as Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995) with Steven Seagal and Katherine Heigl, and G.I. Jane (1997) with Demi Moore. He was also a regular cast member on C-16, in the role of Special Agent Mal Robinson, from 1997 to 1998.Terrace, Vincent. Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 Through 2007 (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co., 2008), p. 331.
=''The Best Man'' and other films=
In 1999, Chestnut starred in The Best Man with Taye Diggs and Nia Long, as Lance Sullivan, a professional football player on the eve of his wedding.{{cite news|last=Carr|first=Jay|date=October 30, 1999|title=A celebration of friendship|page=6|newspaper=Toledo Blade}} The Best Man earned positive reviews from the press and did well at the box office. For his performance, Chestnut earned an NAACP Image Award nomination.{{cite news|date=December 2, 1999|title=NAACP announces Image Award nominees|page=13B|newspaper=The Michigan Daily}} He again played a football player in Disney's The Game Plan (2007), co-starring opposite Dwayne Johnson.
Chestnut starred in The Brothers (2001), a film centering on the themes of fidelity and success among young Black professionals.{{cite news|last=Ebert|first=Roger|date=March 23, 2001|title=It's All About the Characters|page=4|newspaper=Lakeland Ledger}} That same year, he portrayed Keith Fenton, the love interest of Vivica A. Fox, in the romantic comedy Two Can Play That Game{{cite news|last=Vancheri|first=Barbara|date=September 8, 2001|title=Comedy plays up game between sexes|page=C-7|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}} and appeared as basketball player Tracey Reynolds in 2002 film Like Mike.{{cite news|last=Rickey|first=Carrie|date=July 2, 2002|title=Charismatic Bow Wow goes hoop-hop in 'Like Mike'|page=4B|newspaper=Daily News}} In 2004, he played firefighter Tommy Drake in Ladder 49, opposite John Travolta and Joaquin Phoenix.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1uCCm0TvvG0C&dq=%22Morris+Chestnut%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA134|page=134|title=Screen World: 2005 Film Annual|last1=Monush|first1=Barry|last2=Willis|first2=John|date=April 2006|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|isbn=9781557836670}}
He has worked with Steven Seagal three times: Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995) as his reluctant partner{{cite news|last=Holden|first=Stephen|date=July 17, 1995|title=Once again, Seagal on the spot to save world|page=C5|newspaper=The Spokesman-Review}} and lead male villain in Half Past Dead (2002){{cite news|last=Cherry|first=Nanciann|date=November 15, 2002|title=Seagal entertains with strong cast, lots of action|page=E4|newspaper=Toledo Blade}} and Prince of Pistols (2008).
Chestnut appeared in four films in 2013: Identity Thief, The Call, Kick-Ass 2 (playing Omari Hardwick's character from the first film), and The Best Man sequel The Best Man Holiday, in which he reprised his role as Lance Sullivan, earning him another NAACP Image Award nomination.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/naacp-image-awards-winners-682585/|title=NAACP Image Awards: The Winners|last1=Couch|first1=Aaron|last2=Washington|first2=Arlene|date=February 22, 2014|website=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=November 13, 2022}}
Recent cinema work includes The Perfect Guy, Heist (both 2015) and When the Bough Breaks (2016).
=Television work=
In recent years, the majority of Chestnut's work has been in television.
From 2009 to 2011, Chestnut starred in the ABC science fiction drama V, based on the classic 1983 miniseries. In 2011, he recurred as Luke in the first season of American Horror Story, and in 2013, he joined the cast of Showtime's medical dramedy Nurse Jackie as war veteran Dr. Ike Prentiss, staying for two seasons.{{cite web|url=https://www.boston.com/culture/tv/2013/04/11/nurse-jackie-every-step-she-takes/|title='Nurse Jackie': Every step she takes|last=Gilbert|first=Matthew|date=April 11, 2013|website=Boston.com|access-date=November 13, 2022}} For his performance in the latter, he won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/naacp-image-awards-beyonce-john-legend-win-top-music-honors-5915642/|title=NAACP Image Awards: Beyonce, John Legend Win Top Music Honors|date=February 23, 2014|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 13, 2022}} Shortly afterward, he co-starred in the TNT crime drama Legends opposite Sean Bean.
From 2015 to 2017, Chestnut played the starring role of pathologist Dr. Beaumont "Rosie" Rosewood Jr. in the Fox crime procedural Rosewood,{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2015/09/23/poor-diagnosis-morris-chestnut-plays-crime-solving-pathologist-in-rosewood/|title=Poor diagnosis: Morris Chestnut plays crime-solving pathologist in 'Rosewood'|last=Perigard|first=Mark|date=September 23, 2015|website=Boston Herald|access-date=November 13, 2022}} receiving another NAACP Image nomination as a result.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/naacp-awards-winners-list-image-creed-queen-latifah-1201698809/|title='Straight Outta Compton,' 'Empire,' Michael B. Jordan Top NAACP Image Awards|date=February 5, 2016|website=Variety|access-date=November 13, 2022}}
Chestnut had main roles in the second season of Prime Video's Goliath, and NBC's The Enemy Within. He played cold-hearted neurosurgeon Barrett Cain in seasons three and four of the Fox medical drama The Resident, and appeared as Raymond Dupont in the short-lived Our Kind of People, also for Fox.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/morris-chestnut-lee-daniels-our-kind-of-people-fox-1234953763/|title=Morris Chestnut to Star in Lee Daniels' 'Our Kind of People' for Fox|last=Goldberg|first=Lesley|date=May 17, 2021|website=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=November 13, 2022}}
In 2022, he once again played Lance Sullivan in the Peacock limited series The Best Man: The Final Chapters, winning his second NAACP Image Award. As of 2023, he hosts the OWN docuseries Rebuilding Black Wall Street, produced by Sunwise Media.{{Cite web |last=Bell |first=BreAnna |date=2023-09-06 |title=OWN Unveils 'Rebuilding Black Wall Street' Trailer With Morris Chestnut as Host, Sets Premiere Date (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/own-rebuilding-black-wall-street-trailer-morris-chestnut-premiere-date-1235715033/ |website=Variety}} In 2024, he starred opposite Diarra Kilpatrick in the BET+ mystery-dramedy Diarra from Detroit, and joined the main cast for the second season of Hulu's legal drama Reasonable Doubt.{{cite web |last1=Cordero |first1=Rosy |date=April 17, 2023 |title=Morris Chestnut Boards Onyx Collective's 'Reasonable Doubt' As Hulu Series Lands Season 2 Renewal |url=https://deadline.com/2023/04/morris-chestnut-boards-reasonable-doubt-hulu-series-season-2-renewal-1235328441/ |access-date=16 July 2024 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} For the latter, he earned his sixth NAACP Image Award nomination.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/naacp-image-awards-2025-nominations-nominees-list-1236102733/|title=NAACP Image Awards Nominations: ‘The Piano Lesson’ Leads Film Nods With 14|last=Lewis|first=Hilary|date=January 7, 2025|website=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=January 8, 2025}}
In 2025, Chestnut began starring in the CBS medical-mystery series Watson, playing Dr. Watson from the Sherlock Holmes stories.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/01/watson-morris-chestnut-star-shellock-holmes-cbs-series-1235694168/|title=Morris Chestnut to Star in 'Watson' as Arthur Conan Doyle-Inspired Drama Gets CBS Series Order|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|date=January 3, 2024|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=January 3, 2024}}
Personal life and other work
Chestnut has been married to Pam Byse-Chestnut since 1995. The couple have two children, son Grant and daughter Paige.{{Cite web|url=https://amomama.com/97775-morris-chestnuts-grown-son-shows-shirtle.html|title=Morris Chestnut's grown-up son shows off his shirtless body, posing by the sea in recent photos|last=Carvajal|first=Edduin|date=2019-01-29|website=amomama.com|language=en|access-date=2020-02-24}} Chestnut was raised in the Baptist church, and he is a practicing Christian.{{cite web|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/januaryweb-only/morrischestnut.html|title=Making Marriage Work|first=CHANEL|last=GRAHAM|publisher=Christianity Today|date=January 6, 2009|access-date=June 6, 2019|quote=Chestnut: I was raised in a Baptist church, so I've always been strong in my faith. }}
In 1998, Chestnut won the annual Madden Bowl video game competition.{{cite web |title=EA SPORTS and NFL PLAYERS Present Madden Bowl XVII – Broadcast live on ESPN3.com|url=https://www.ea.com/news/ea-sports-and-nfl-players-present-madden-bowl-xvii |access-date=June 6, 2024|work=EA Sports}}
To prepare to reprise his role as professional football player Lance Sullivan in the movie The Best Man Holiday, Chestnut had to get into shape. His fitness training experience with celebrity fitness trainer Obi Obadike inspired him to become Obadike's co-author on the health and fitness book, The Cut. Published on April 18, 2017, the book contains exercise drills and recipes.{{Cite web|url=https://eurweb.com/2017/04/18/morris-chestnut-and-obi-obadikes-the-cut-lose-up-to-10-pounds-in-10-days-and-sculpt-your-best-body/|title=Morris Chestnut and Obi Obadike's 'The Cut: Lose Up to 10 Pounds in 10 Days|last=Jack|first=Fisher|date=2017-04-18|website=EURweb|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-24}}
People magazine named Chestnut as one of the "Sexiest Men Alive" in 2015.{{Cite web|url=http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2015/11/18/the-weeknd-jussie-smollett-among-peoples-sexiest-men-of-the.html|title=The Weeknd, Jussie Smollett Among People's Sexiest Men of the Year - Music News |publisher=ABC News Radio|language=en|access-date=October 4, 2016}}
In March 2022, Chestnut was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a star that was unveiled in his presence.{{cite news |title=Morris Chestnut gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame |url=https://www.foxla.com/news/morris-chestnut-gets-star-on-hollywood-walk-of-fame |access-date=25 March 2022 |work=KTTV |date=23 March 2022|via=Fox News affiliates}}
In 2024, Chestnut reunited with The Best Man director Malcolm D. Lee, and co-stars Harold Perrineau and Taye Diggs, to found Sable Bourbon, a spirits brand.{{cite web |title=Sable Bourbon|url=https://sablebourbon.com/ |access-date=December 14, 2024|work=Sable Bourbon}}
On December 9, 2024, Chestnut and actress Mindy Kaling announced the nominations for the 82nd Golden Globe Awards.{{cite web |title=NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR 82nd ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBES®|url=https://goldenglobes.com/articles/nominations-announced-for-82nd-annual-golden-globes/ |access-date=December 14, 2024|work=Golden Globes}} At the ceremony itself, Chestnut and Kaley Cuoco presented Best Screenplay award.
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| rowspan=2| 1991
| Ricky Baker | |
| The Last Boy Scout
| Locker Room Kid | |
| 1992
| In the Line of Duty: Street War | Prince Franklin | TV movie |
| 1993
| TV movie |
| 1994
| Harold Lee | |
| rowspan=2| 1995
| Track Anchor | |
| Under Siege 2: Dark Territory
| Bobby Zachs | |
| rowspan=2| 1997
| McCool | |
| Firehouse
| Andre | |
| 1999
| Lance Sullivan | |
| rowspan=4| 2001
| Jackson Smith | |
| Two Can Play That Game
| Keith Fenton | |
| Scenes of the Crime
| Ray | |
| The Killing Yard
| Shango | TV movie |
| rowspan=2| 2002
| Tracy Reynolds | |
| Half Past Dead
| Donny Johnson / 49ner One | |
| 2003
| Travis | |
| rowspan=3| 2004
| Evan Fields | |
| Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid
| Gordon Mitchell | |
| Ladder 49
| Tommy Drake | |
| 2005
| The Cave | 'Top' Buchanan | |
| rowspan=2| 2007
| Travis Sanders | |
| The Perfect Holiday
| Benjamin | |
| 2008
| The Prince of Motor City | Leo Moore | TV movie |
| rowspan=2| 2009
| Dave Johnson | |
| Love in the Nick of Tyme
| Marcelles Wynters | Video |
| 2012
| James Merrill | |
| rowspan=4| 2013
| Detective Reilly | |
| The Call
| Officer Phillips | |
| Kick-Ass 2
| Detective Marcus Williams | |
| The Best Man Holiday
| Lance Sullivan | |
| rowspan=2| 2015
| Dave | |
| Heist
| Derrick 'Dog' Prince | |
| 2016
| John Taylor | |
| 2017
| Himself | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 1990
| Jason Woodman | Episode: "A Family Affair" |
| 1992–1993
| Jeff Carswell | Main Cast |
| rowspan=2| 1994
| Himself/Guest Host | Episode: "Patti LaBelle/Sounds of Blackness/Simple E" |
| Living Single
| Hamilton Brown | Recurring Cast: Season 1 |
| 1997–1998
| Special Agent Mal Robinson | Main Cast |
| 2000
| ER | ICU Nurse Frank 'Rambo' Bacon | Guest Cast: Season 6-7 |
| 2005
| Bones | Agent Oakes | Episode: "The Man in the Wall" |
| 2006
| Himself | Episode: "Xmas in March...." |
| 2009–2011
| V | Ryan Nichols | Main Cast |
| 2011
| Luke | Recurring Cast: Season 1 |
| 2013
| Craig (voice) | Episode: "For Black Eyes Only" |
| 2013–2014
| Dr. Ike Prentiss | Main Cast: Season 5-6 |
| 2014–2015
| Legends | Tony Rice | Main Cast: Season 1, Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| 2015–2017
| Rosewood | Dr. Beaumont Rosewood Jr. | Main Cast |
| 2016–2017
| Himself/Guest Co-Host | Guest Co-Host: Season 28, Recurring Guest Co-Host: Season 29 |
| rowspan=2| 2018
| Himself | Episode: "The Best Man" |
| Goliath
| D.D.A. Hakeem Rashad | Main Cast: Season 2 |
| rowspan=2| 2019
| Beau Mercer | Episode: "Becoming Pauletta" |
| The Enemy Within
| FBI Agent Will Keaton | Main Cast |
| 2019–2021
| Dr. Barrett Cain | Main Cast: Season 3-4 |
| 2021
| Raymond Dupont | Main Cast |
| rowspan=2| 2022
| Celebrity Game Face | Himself | Episode: "Cedric The Entertainer Busts Kevin's Chops" |
| The Best Man: The Final Chapters
| Lance Sullivan | Main Cast |
| 2022–2023
| Rick Barnes | Recurring Cast: Season 5 |
| rowspan=2| 2023
| The Talk | Himself/Guest Co-Host | Recurring Guest Co-Host: Season 13 |
| Rebuilding Black Wall Street
| Himself/Host | Main Host |
| rowspan=2| 2024
| Francois 'Swa' Brickland | Main Cast |
| Reasonable Doubt
| Corey Cash | Main Cast: Season 2 |
| rowspan=2| 2025
| Himself | Episode: "Episode #2.67" |
| Number One on the Call Sheet
| Himself | Episode: "Black Leading Men in Hollywood" |
| 2025–
| Watson | Main Cast |
| class="wikitable"
|+Key |{{Pending|{{dagger|alt=Denotes series/miniseries that have not yet been released}}}} |Denotes series/miniseries that have not yet been released |
=Music videos=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Song ! Artist |
|---|
| 2003 |
Theatrical performances
- Love In The Nick of Tyme (2007)
- What My Husband Doesn't Know (2011)
- The Nutcracker (2013)
Published work
- {{cite book|title=The Cut: Lose Up to 10 Pounds in 10 Days and Sculpt Your Best Body |first=Morris |last=Chestnut |publisher=Hachette Book Group, Inc. |isbn=978-1455565238 |date=2017 }}
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Awards ! Category ! Recipient ! Outcome |
|---|
| 2000
| NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture | {{nom}} |
| rowspan=4| 2014
| rowspan=2| Acapulco Black Film Festival | Acapulco Black Film Festival Award for Best Acting Ensemble | rowspan=3| The Best Man Holiday | {{Won}} |
| Acapulco Black Film Festival Award for Best Actor
| {{nom}} |
| rowspan=5|NAACP Image Award
| NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture | {{nom}} |
| NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
| {{Won}} |
| 2016
| NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series | Rosewood | {{nom}} |
| 2023
| NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special | The Best Man: The Final Chapters | {{Won}} |
| 2025
| NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series | {{nom}} |
References
{{Reflist|33em}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{IMDb name}}
- {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
- [https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800025198 Morris Chestnut] at [https://movies.yahoo.com/ Yahoo! Movies]
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Morris Chestnut
|list =
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special}}
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chestnut, Morris}}
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:California State University, Northridge alumni
Category:Male actors from California
Category:People from Cerritos, California
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:African-American Christians