Morris Chestnut
8.8Acting

Morris Chestnut

Jan 1, 1969 - Cerritos, California, USA

Morris Lamont Chestnut is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles as teenage father Ricky Baker in the 1991 film Boyz n the Hood, groom-to-be Lance Sullivan in the 1999 film The Best Man, as NBA star Tracy Reynolds in the 2002 film Like Mike, and as the Visitor Ryan Nichols in the TV series V (2009).

His first professional acting role was as Jadon in Freddy's Nightmares: A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series in the episode "A Family Affair" (season 2, episode 19) which aired on February 18, 1990.

His first feature film role was as Ricky Baker in Boyz n the Hood (1991). He followed with roles in various TV movies. Chestnut also played a role on Patti LaBelle's short-lived sitcom Out All Night. His career continued to rise steadily with co-starring roles in standard big-budget studio films like Under Siege 2 (1995) and G.I. Jane (1997). In 1998, he won the annual Madden Bowl video game competition.

In 1999, he starred in The Best Man with Taye Diggs and Nia Long in which he played a professional football player on the eve of his wedding. He reprised his role in Best Man Holiday. For both of his performances, he earned NAACP Image Award nominations. He then starred in The Brothers (2001), another film centering on the themes of fidelity and success among urban professionals. He has worked with Steven Seagal three times in Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, Half Past Dead and Prince of Pistols.

He starred In Two Can Play That Game (2001), Breakin' All the Rules (2004), and Ladder 49 (2004). He again played a football player in The Game Plan (2007). He produced and starred in the film Not Easily Broken (2009). He starred as Ryan Nichols in the TV series reboot of V (2009). He then appeared in the films Think Like a Man (2012), and, in 2013, the films Identity Thief, Kick-Ass 2, and The Call.

In 2013, he joined the cast of HBO's Nurse Jackie, playing war veteran Dr. Ike Prentiss. The following year, he won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. In 2015, Morris Chestnut played Derrick Dog Prince in the movie Heist; and People magazine named him as one of the "Sexiest Men Alive" in 2015. He then starred in the films The Perfect Guy (2016) and When the Bough Breaks (2017).

He played the lead role of pathologist Dr. Beaumont Rosewood Jr. in the series Rosewood, receiving another NAACP image Award nomination. He had recurring roles in the TV series Legends, The Enemy Within, and Our Kind of People. He had a starring guest role on the medical drama The Resident.

Credits

Cast

Media
Movie1991Boyz n the HoodRicky Baker
Movie2002Half Past DeadDonald Robert Johnson
Movie1995Under Siege 2: Dark TerritoryBobby Zachs
Movie2003ConfidenceTravis
Movie1997G.I. JaneMcCool
Movie2004Ladder 49Tommy Drake
Movie2001The BrothersJackson Smith
Movie2004Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood OrchidGordon Mitchell
Movie2002Like MikeTracey Reynolds
Movie2002Scenes of the CrimeRay
Movie2012Think Like a ManJames
Movie1995Higher LearningTrack Anchor
Movie2001Two Can Play That GameKeith Fenton
Movie2005The CaveTop Buchanan
Movie2007The Perfect HolidayBenjamin Armstrong
Movie1991The Last Boy ScoutLocker Room Kid
Movie2007The Game PlanTravis Sanders
Movie2009Not Easily BrokenDave Johnson
Movie1999The Best ManLance Sullivan
Movie2004Breakin' All the RulesEvan
Movie2013Kick-Ass 2Detective Marcus Williams
Movie1994The InkwellHarold Lee
Movie2013Identity ThiefDetective Reilly
Movie2013The Best Man HolidayLance Sullivan
Movie2013The CallOfficer Paul Phillips
Movie1996FirehouseAndre
Movie2008The Prince of Motor CityLeo Moore
Movie2015The Perfect GuyDave King
Movie2022Halloween in HollywoodSelf
Movie2016When the Bough BreaksJohn Taylor
Movie2015HeistDog
Movie2001The Killing YardShango
Movie1992In the Line of Duty: Street WarPrince Franklin
Movie1993The Ernest Green StoryErnest Green
Movie2017Girls TripMorris Chestnut
Movie2003Friendly Fire: Making of an Urban LegendSelf
Movie2011The Enduring Significance of 'Boyz n the Hood'Self
Movie2006The N WordSelf
Movie2020Saving OurSelves: BET COVID-19 Relief EffortSelf
TV Show2011American Horror StoryLuke6
TV Show2005BonesAgent Oakes1
TV Show1993Living Single2
TV Show1988LIVE with Kelly and MarkSelf3
TV Show1994ERFrank 'Rambo' Bacon2
TV Show1992Out All NightJeff Carswell20
TV Show2009VRyan Nichols22
TV Show2014LegendsTony Rice12
TV Show2008The Wendy Williams Show1
TV Show1997C-16: FBIMal Robinson13
TV Show2021Our Kind of PeopleRaymond Dupont12
TV Show2015RosewoodBeaumont Rosewood Jr.44
TV Show2018All AmericanRick Barnes4
TV Show2023Rebuilding Black Wall StreetSelf - Host6
TV Show2022The Jennifer Hudson ShowSelf2
TV Show2019The Kelly Clarkson Show3
TV Show2003Jimmy Kimmel Live!Self1
TV Show2016GoliathHakeem Rashad8
TV Show2019The Enemy WithinWill Keaton13
TV Show2025WatsonDr. John Watson14
TV Show2009Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenSelf - Guest5
TV Show1988LIVE with Kelly and MarkSelf - Guest2
TV Show2024Diarra from DetroitSwa8
TV Show2022The Best Man: The Final ChaptersLance Sullivan8
TV Show1996The Daily ShowSelf1
TV Show2005American Dad!Craig (voice)1
TV Show2018The ResidentBarrett Cain30
TV Show2014The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonSelf1
TV Show2022Reasonable DoubtCorey Cash10
TV Show2015The Late Show with Stephen ColbertSelf1
TV Show2022SherriSelf - Guest2
TV Show2024After MidnightSelf1
TV Show2025Number One on the Call SheetSelf1
TV Show1944Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Presenter1

Crew

Media
Movie2010TakersExecutive ProducerProduction
Movie2016When the Bough BreaksExecutive ProducerProduction
Movie2009Not Easily BrokenExecutive ProducerProduction
Movie2020SpellProducerProduction
TV Show2025WatsonExecutive ProducerProduction