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Billy Dee Williams

Billy Dee Williams

27 movies on Netflix

Biography

Billy Dee Williams is an American actor, painter, and novelist who grew up in Harlem and made his Broadway debut as a child in The Firebrand of Florence (1945). After studying painting, he returned to acting to pay for supplies and appeared in his first film, The Last Angry Man (1959). The television movie Brian's Song (1971) brought him national attention and an Emmy nomination. In the 1970s he starred in Lady Sings the Blues (1972) and Mahogany (1975), and in 1980 he began playing Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back (1980), a role he reprised in Return of the Jedi (1983) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019). His other film credits include Nighthawks (1981) and Batman (1989), and he voiced Two-Face in The Lego Batman Movie (2017). On television he had recurring roles in Gideon's Crossing, Dynasty, and General Hospital, and he received three NAACP Image Awards and an NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award.

89years old

Turns 90 on April 6in 179 days

  • Born New York City
  • Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
  • Also credited as William December Williams Jr.

Movie Career

Films
27
Career span
51 years1971 to 2022

Genres

First and latest

Photos

  • Billy Dee Williams, photo 1 of 3
  • Billy Dee Williams, photo 2 of 3
  • Billy Dee Williams, photo 3 of 3

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Did you know?!

  1. A first

    In The Empire Strikes Back, the 1980 film, Billy Dee Williams took the part of Lando Calrissian. That casting made him the first African-American actor to appear in the Star Wars series.

  2. A role that slipped away

    Williams was set to reprise Harvey Dent in Batman Returns, but the character was deleted and replaced with Max Shreck; Joel Schumacher later hired Tommy Lee Jones for Two-Face in Batman Forever.

  3. Beyond film

    Williams recorded a jazz LP for Prestige Records in 1961 titled Let's Misbehave, which took its name from its second track. The album contained the first vocal recording of "A Taste of Honey," written by Bobby Scott and Ric Marlow.

Billy Dee Williams movies on Netflix

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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  1. The Empire Strikes Back1980 Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fias Lando Calrissian

    IMDb rating 8.71.5M votes

  2. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi1983 Action, Adventure, Fantasyas Lando Calrissian

    IMDb rating 8.31.2M votes

  3. Batman1989as Harvey Dent

    IMDb rating 7.5436K votes

  4. Nighthawks1981as Sgt. Matthew Fox

    IMDb rating 6.324K votes

  5. The Lego Batman Movie2017as Two-Facevoice

    IMDb rating 7.3198K votes

  6. The Ladies Man2000as Lester

    IMDb rating 5.215K votes

  7. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker2019as Lando Calrissian

    IMDb rating 6.3551K votes

  8. Brian's Song1971as Gale Sayers

    IMDb rating 7.59.7K votes

Most often with

Chris McKay directed two of these films, Sidney J. Furie two. Two actors appear in six of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Carrie Fisher, 6 films togetherSee the 6 films with Carrie FisherAnthony Daniels, 6 films togetherSee the 6 films with Anthony DanielsMark Hamill, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Mark HamillHarrison Ford, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Harrison FordJames Earl Jones, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with James Earl JonesSeth Green, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Seth GreenChris McKayDirector, 2 filmsSee the 2 films by Chris McKaySidney J. FurieDirector, 2 filmsSee the 2 films by Sidney J. Furie

Films together

Box office

What Billy Dee Williams's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$3.1 billion

15 of the 27 films have a worldwide figure.

Of the 27 films: 15 worldwide figure; 2 us gross only; 5 never in cinemas; 5 figure not found.

  • 15Worldwide figure
  • 2US gross only
  • 5Never in cinemas
  • 5Figure not found

Top grosser

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker2019as Lando Calrissian$1.1 billion

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 98% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

  1. 1
    Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker2019as Lando Calrissian
    $1.1B35.1% of the total
  2. 2
    Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi1983as Lando Calrissian
    $573M18.7% of the total
  3. 3
    The Empire Strikes Back1980as Lando Calrissian
    $538M17.6% of the total
  4. 4
    Batman1989as Harvey Dent
    $411M13.5% of the total
  5. 5
    The Lego Batman Movie2017as Two-Face (voice)
    $312M10.2% of the total
  6. 6
    Undercover Brother2002as Gen. Warren Boutwell
    $42M1.4% of the total
  7. 7
    The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings1976as Bingo Long (P)
    $33M1.1% of the total
  8. 8
    Nighthawks1981as Sgt. Matthew Fox
    $20M0.7% of the total
Lady Sings the Blues (1972), $19.7 millionThe Ladies Man (2000), $13.7 millionWoo (1998), $8.0 millionI Am Not Your Negro (2017), $7.1 millionThe Conversation (1974), $4.8 millionHit! (1973), $80,103Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror (2006), $25,900

$53.5 millionfrom the other 7 films with a worldwide figure, 2% of the total

Awards

Two awards and honors.

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Billy Dee Williams's awards and nominations, grouped by award
YearAwardFilmResult
Other honors
1984Black Filmmakers Hall of FameWon
Star on Hollywood Walk of FameHonored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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