Lakeith Stanfield

LaKeith Lee Stanfield, born August 12, 1991, is an esteemed American actor. He began his acting career significantly with his debut in 'Short Term 12' (2013) that led to his nomination for an Independent Spirit Award. Over the years, his roles in notable films like 'Get Out' (2017), 'Sorry to Bother You' (2018), 'Uncut Gems' (2019), 'Knives Out' (2019), and 'Judas and the Black Messiah' (2021) have earned him further recognition. Especially his role in the lattermost film fetched him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Apart from movies, Stanfield has given notable performances in television series like 'Atlanta' (2016–2022), for which he won a Black Reel Award for Television, and in the horror series 'The Changeling' (2023–present). Stanfield was born and raised in California, where he explored his passion for acting in his high school's drama club. After attending the John Casablancas Modeling and Career Center in Los Angeles, he started auditioning for commercials and began his acting career. His first acting role was in the short film 'Short Term 12', which won the Jury Award for U.S. Short Filmmaking at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. He continued to balance multiple jobs while keeping his dreams of acting alive until a feature-length adaptation of 'Short Term 12' marked his first feature film role. Stanfield's interesting range of roles includes playing civil rights activist Jimmie Lee Jackson in 'Selma' (2014), rapper Snoop Dogg in 'Straight Outta Compton' (2015), and FBI informant William O'Neal in 'Judas and the Black Messiah' (2021). On a personal front, he also performs under the stage name Htiekal and is working on his debut album, titled Self Control, while being a member of the band Moors.