William Jackson Harper is an American actor and playwright who has made remarkable progress on the American stage. William Fitzgerald Harper, aka Lee Daniel, was born on the 8th of February 1980 in Dallas, in Texas, of America. Most famous for his part in the US television show The Good Place as the character Chidi Anagonye. Morover, Harper is another actor with extended experience on the stage as well as in films and television.
William Jackson Harper Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | William Fitzgerald Harper |
| Professional Name | William Jackson Harper |
| Date of Birth | February 8, 1980 |
| Age | 44 years |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Actor, Playwright |
William Jackson Harper Early Life and Education
He was born in Texas, specifically in Garland City. He was educated at Lakeview Centennial High School. He embarked on his acting career while in college at the College of Santa Fe and has since left in 2003. Furthermore, Harper was conceived as William Henry III but chose his stage name William Jackson Harper, where “Jackson” is his mother’s maiden name. This is a compassionate act that embodies the core business of Harper’s existence: family enterprise.
The Begining of Career
Harper got his start in New York’s theater, where he took his first part in 2006’s Vital Theatre Company’s Full Bloom. A play with messages focused on the search for identity among teenagers. Over the year, he secured acclaim for his performances in plays such as Lynn Nottage Ruined (2008. Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Robert Schenkkan All the Way (2014), where he portrayed Stokely Carmichael for a Broadway play.
In 2023, Harper returned to Broadway in the Eboni Booth play Primary Trust; that performance was remarkable and brought him an Obie Award for the Outstanding Performance. His theatrical talent will be well exhibited in the 2024 Broadway reprise of Anton Chekov’s Uncle Vanya, in which he assumes the role of Astrov, an act that earned him a Tony Award nomination.
Breakthrough with The Good Place
Although the actor was gradually creating his theater career and anime. The break-through came to him with the American television series NBC The Good Place (2016-2020). He would play the character of Chidi Anagonye. Who is an easily panicked moral philosophy professor, and he was well loved. His appearance was close to heart, as well as minds, and in 2020. He was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for the best supporting actor in a comedy series.
Considering the fact that at one time Harper was contemplating quitting acting, The Good Place is perfectly positioned to have benefited from his services. This particular moment defined him and pointed out that hard work pays off and does bring change.
William Jackson Harper Film and Television Career
It is remarkable how fluidly Harper has made the switch from stage to screen and in roles that display this actor’s versatility. Early appearances in shows like Law & Order: Criminal Intent had paved the way for greater potential, while The Electric Company simply bridged this phase.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | All Good Things | Moynihan’s Assistant |
| 2012 | That’s What She Said | Harry |
| 2015 | True Story | Zak Rausch |
| 2016 | Paterson | Everett |
| 2018 | They Remain | Keith |
| 2019 | Lost Holiday | Mark |
| Midsommar | Josh | |
| Dark Waters | James Ross | |
| 2020 | David | David |
| The Man in the Woods | Buster Heath | |
| 2021 | We Broke Up | Doug |
| 2023 | Landscape with Invisible Hand | Mr. Campbell |
| Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania | Quaz | |
| TBA | Jodie | Mack Mackenzie |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2007 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Chayne Danforth | Episode: “Self-made” |
| 2009 | Great Performances | Melville | Episode: “Harlem in Montmartre: A Paris Jazz Story” |
| Mercy | David Green | Episode: “I Believe You Conrad” | |
| 2009–2011 | The Electric Company | Danny Rebus | 52 episodes |
| 2010 | Law & Order | Officer Derek Waldron | Episode: “Boy on Fire” |
| 2011 | 30 Rock | Rioter | Episode: “Plan B” |
| 2013 | Unforgettable | Andry Fotre aka Arnold | Episode: “Incognito” |
| 2014 | High Maintenance | Andrew | Episode: “Geiger” |
| 2015 | Person of Interest | Strobel | Episode: “Control-Alt-Delete” |
| The Blacklist | Security | Episode: “Tom Connolly (No. 11)” | |
| 2016 | Deadbeat | Adam | Episode: “Death List Three” |
| 2016–2020 | The Good Place | Chidi Anagonye | Main cast; 53 episodes |
| 2017 | The Breaks | Stephen Jenkins | 3 episodes |
| 2019 | Jack Ryan | Xander | 2 episodes |
| 2020–2021 | American Dad! | TV Reporter, General Store Cashier, Nathaniel (voices) | 3 episodes |
| 2021–2022 | Dogs in Space | Loaf (voice) | 17 episodes |
| 2021 | The Underground Railroad | Royal | 4 episodes |
| Inside Job | Bryan Jacobsen / Bryan Bot (voice) | Episode: “Sex Machina” | |
| Love Life | Marcus Watkins | Main role (season 2) | |
| Death to 2021 | Zero Fournine | Television special | |
| 2022 | The Resort | Noah | Main cast |
| Little Demon | Jimmy (voice) | Episode: “Everybody’s Dying for the Weekend” | |
| 2024 | A Man in Full | Wes Jordan | 6 episodes |
| 2025 | The Morning Show | Ben |
Notable Television Roles
- The Underground Railroad (2021): Jenkins’ Amazon Prime Video miniseries earned Harper a Critics’ Choice Television Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries for his portrayal of Royal.
- Love Life (Season 2, 2021): Harper then auditioned and got the main character of Marcus Watkins for HBO Max’s anthology series .
- The Resort (2022): In this Peacock comedy mystery series, there was usual funny business, which also featured Harper’s acting chops.
William Jackson Harper Film Appearances
Harper’s filmography includes supporting roles in acclaimed films like:
- Took the time to watch a themed movie they greatly enjoyed, directed by their preferred filmmaker, Jim Jarmusch. Released in 2016, the film is titled Paterson.
- He portrayed the arching character of Josh in a small Swedish indie horror film, aka Midsommar, in 2019.
- Dark Waters (2019) is a drama based on a legal drama regarding corporate polluters.
Playwriting: Voice for Social Commentary
It is important to note that all the theatre plays created by Harper are also evidence of his desire to discover social issues. William Jackson Harper play Travisville (2018) examines the forced eviction of a black neighborhood in Dallas during the period of civil rights activism.
In his writing, Harper stands for minorities and reveals social injustice. This has earned him critical acclaim, apart from his acting gigs.
William Jackson Harper Relationship
The talented William Jackson Harper has been in a relationship with actress Ali Ahn. They married while working on the shooting of the performance of Romeo and Juliet in 2012. It can be for certain stated that both of them have found their common interest in narratives as well as the theatre handy in improving their bond.
Still, the choice of the stage name in honor of his mother must be evaluated as a sign of ambition, simple decency, and family orientation of Harper.
William Jackson Harper Awards and Accolades
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Critics’ Choice Television Award | Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | The Good Place | Nominated |
| 2019 | Critics’ Choice Television Award | Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | The Good Place | Nominated |
| 2020 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | The Good Place | Nominated |
| 2021 | Critics’ Choice Television Award | Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries | The Underground Railroad | Nominated |
| 2022 | Critics’ Choice Television Award | Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries | Love Life | Nominated |
| 2023 | Obie Awards | Outstanding Performance | Primary Trust | Won |
| 2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play | Uncle Vanya | Nominated |
| 2024 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance | Uncle Vanya | Nominated |
| 2024 | Lucille Lortel Awards | Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play | Uncle Vanya | Nominated |
| 2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play | Uncle Vanya | Won |
| 2024 | Tony Award | Best Actor in a Play | Uncle Vanya | Nominated |
Since the student began her work, Harper’s articles have been repeatedly nominated and awarded many times.
Highlights Include
- The Good Place gets a Primetime Emmy nomination.
- And this is all for an Obie Award for Outstanding Performance in Primary Trust.
- An Emmy nomination for a different year for his performance in a TV movie titled “Uncle Vanya.”.
- All these achievements are a clear indication of the raw talent, hardworking, and marketable musician Harper is.
Conclusion
William Jackson Harper journey is a masterclass in persistence, versatility, and passion for storytelling. From the stages of New York to the glitz of Hollywood, Harper has proven himself as a force to be reckoned with. Furthermore, As he continues to evolve as an artist, his work reminds us of the power of narrative to entertain, educate, and inspire.
