Clarke Peters

Biography

Born Peter Clarke in New York City and raised in Englewood, New Jersey, Clarke Peters has lived in the United Kingdom for much of his adult life, working as an actor, writer and director. He moved to London in 1973 and took his first West End musical parts in I Gotta Shoe (1976) and Bubbling Brown Sugar (1977), later appearing there in Guys and Dolls and Chicago. He wrote the book for the revue Five Guys Named Moe, which earned a Tony Award nomination, and won the Theatre World Award for his Broadway performance in The Iceman Cometh (1999). Television viewers know him as Detective Lester Freamon in The Wire and as Mardi Gras Indian chief Albert Lambreaux in Treme. His film work includes Sgt. Ballard in Outland (1981), a silent pimp in Neil Jordan's Mona Lisa (1986) and Nelson Mandela in Endgame (2009). He was nominated for a BAFTA Award for supporting actor for Da 5 Bloods (2020).

74years old

Turns 75 on April 7in 176 days

Born April 7, 1952New York City
Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
Also credited as Peter Clarke and Peter James Clarke

Movie Career

Films: 24
Career span: 43 years1981 to 2024

Genres

Drama75%, 18 films
Thriller25%, 6 films
Comedy21%, 5 films
Crime21%, 5 films
Romance21%, 5 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

Behind the camera
Peters wrote the revue Five Guys Named Moe in 1990, and it earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical.
About the name
Peters changed his name to Clarke Peters after moving to London in 1973, because the actors' union Equity already had a member named Peter Clarke.
A change of course
Before acting took over, Peters sang backup on hits including Joan Armatrading's Love and Affection and Heatwave's Boogie Nights, and formed a soul band called The Majestics in London.
First role
Peters' first West End musical roles, I Gotta Shoe in 1976 and Bubbling Brown Sugar in 1977, came to him with help from his friend Ned Sherrin.

Clarke Peters movies on Netflix

Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.2024IMDb rating 6.2as Reverend Powell Sr.
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody2022IMDb rating 6.6as John Houston
Come Away2020IMDb rating 5.7as Mad Hatter
Da 5 Bloods2020IMDb rating 6.5as Otis
Christmas Under the Stars2019IMDb rating 6.8as Clem Marshwell
Harriet2019IMDb rating 6.8as Ben Ross
The Mandela Effect2019IMDb rating 5.8as Dr. Fuchs
An Acceptable Loss2018IMDb rating 5.6as Phillip
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri2017IMDb rating 8.1as Abercrombie
The Benefactor2015IMDb rating 5.2as Dr. Romano
Grace2014IMDb rating 4.5as Father Michael
The Best of Me2014IMDb rating 6.7as Morgan Dupree
Red Hook Summer2012IMDb rating 5.3as Da Good Bishop Enoch Rouse
Locked In2010IMDb rating 4.7as Frank
Endgame2009IMDb rating 6.2as Nelson Mandela
Nativity!2009IMDb rating 6.5as Studio Boss
Gigantic2008IMDb rating 6.0as Roger Stovall
Marley & Me2008IMDb rating 7.0as Editor
The Poker House2008IMDb rating 6.2as Maurice
Freedomland2006IMDb rating 5.2as Reverend Longway
Notting Hill1999IMDb rating 7.2as 'Helix' Lead Actor
Death Train1993IMDb rating 5.2as Whitlock
Mona Lisa1986IMDb rating 7.3as Anderson
Outland1981IMDb rating 6.6as Ballard

Best known for

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

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Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri2017 Comedy, Crime, Dramaas Abercrombie
IMDb rating 8.1616K votes
Da 5 Bloods2020 Drama, Waras Otis
IMDb rating 6.558K votes
Marley & Me2008as Editor
IMDb rating 7.0177K votes
Harriet2019as Ben Ross
IMDb rating 6.837K votes
The Best of Me2014as Morgan Dupree
IMDb rating 6.782K votes
Outland1981as Ballard
IMDb rating 6.636K votes
Mona Lisa1986as Anderson
IMDb rating 7.320K votes
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody2022as John Houston
IMDb rating 6.627K votes

Most often with

Kasi Lemmons directed two of these films, Spike Lee two. Three actors appear in two 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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Michael Caine

Derek Jacobi

Isiah Whitlock Jr.

Kasi LemmonsDirector, 2 films

Spike LeeDirector, 2 films

Films together

Michael Caine2 films together, 1986 to 2020
Michael Caine's page
- Come Away2020IMDb rating 5.7Peters as Mad HatterCaine as Charlie
- Mona Lisa1986IMDb rating 7.3Peters as AndersonCaine as Mortwell
Derek Jacobi2 films together, 2009 to 2020
Derek Jacobi's page
- Come Away2020IMDb rating 5.7Peters as Mad HatterJacobi as Mr. Brown
- Endgame2009IMDb rating 6.2Peters as Nelson MandelaJacobi as Rudolph Agnew
Isiah Whitlock Jr.2 films together, 2012 to 2020
Isiah Whitlock Jr.'s page
- Da 5 Bloods2020IMDb rating 6.5Peters as OtisWhitlock as Melvin
- Red Hook Summer2012IMDb rating 5.3Peters as Da Good Bishop Enoch RouseWhitlock as Detective Flood
Kasi LemmonsDirector, 2 films, 2019 to 2022
All films by Kasi Lemmons
- Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody2022IMDb rating 6.6Peters as John Houston
- Harriet2019IMDb rating 6.8Peters as Ben Ross
Spike LeeDirector, 2 films, 2012 to 2020
All films by Spike Lee
- Da 5 Bloods2020IMDb rating 6.5Peters as Otis
- Red Hook Summer2012IMDb rating 5.3Peters as Da Good Bishop Enoch Rouse

Box office

What Clarke Peters's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$932 million

13 of the 24 films have a worldwide figure.

13Worldwide figure
3US gross only
3Never in cinemas
5Figure not found

Top grosser

Notting Hill1999'Helix' Lead Actor$364 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 99% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Notting Hill1999as 'Helix' Lead Actor
$364M39.0% of the total
2
Marley & Me2008as Editor
$256M27.4% of the total
3
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri2017as Abercrombie
$163M17.5% of the total
4
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody2022as John Houston
$60M6.4% of the total
5
The Best of Me2014as Morgan Dupree
$36M3.9% of the total
6
Outland1981as Ballard
$17M1.9% of the total
7
Freedomland2006as Reverend Longway
$15M1.6% of the total
8
Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.2024as Reverend Powell Sr.
$12M1.3% of the total