Keith David

Biography

Keith David is an American actor known for a resonant bass voice and a long career across film, stage, television and voice work. Born in Harlem and raised in Corona, Queens, he trained at the High School of Performing Arts and Juilliard and toured with John Houseman's The Acting Company before playing Childs opposite Kurt Russell in John Carpenter's The Thing (1982). His film credits include Platoon (1986), They Live (1988), Dead Presidents (1995), Armageddon (1998), There's Something About Mary (1998), Pitch Black (2000), The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), Cloud Atlas (2012), The Nice Guys (2016) and Nope (2022). He has voiced Goliath in Gargoyles, Dr. Facilier in The Princess and the Frog (2009) and the Cat in Coraline (2009), and won an Emmy for his narration of Ken Burns's The War. On stage, his performance in Jelly's Last Jam brought a Tony Award nomination, and in 2026 he was honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

70years old

Turns 71 on June 4in 234 days

Born June 4, 1956New York City
Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20

Movie Career

Films: 117
Career span: 46 years1980 to 2026

Genres

Comedy41%, 48 films
Action33%, 39 films
Drama29%, 34 films
Adventure17%, 20 films
Crime16%, 19 films

First and latest

Photos

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First role
Keith David got his start touring with John Houseman's The Acting Company in 1980-81, performing A Midsummer Night's Dream and Waiting for Godot, and less than two years later he starred as Childs opposite Kurt Russell in John Carpenter's The Thing.
Early training
Keith David was part of Group 8 at the Juilliard School's Drama Division, where he studied from 1975 to 1979 and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1979.

Keith David movies on Netflix

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice2026IMDb rating 6.2as Sosa
Spider-Man: Brand New Day2026IMDb rating 8.0as Narrator of Spider Video (voice)
Portal to Hell2025IMDb rating 5.4as Mr. Bobshank
Shelby Oaks2025IMDb rating 5.3as Morton Jacobson
Sneaks2025IMDb rating 3.9as O.G. (voice)
Mufasa: The Lion King2024IMDb rating 6.6as Masego (voice)
A Snowy Day in Oakland2023IMDb rating 5.3as Mr. Monroe
Heist 882023IMDb rating 5.3as Buddha Ray
Catwoman: Hunted2022IMDb rating 5.6as Tobias Whale
Entergalactic2022IMDb rating 7.4as Mr. Rager (voice)
From the Shadows2022IMDb rating 3.9as Dr. Leonard Bertram
In Search of Tomorrow2022IMDb rating 7.7as Self - Interviewee
Nope2022IMDb rating 6.8as Otis Haywood Sr.
Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story2022IMDb rating 6.0as Ink Williams
Unplugging2022IMDb rating 4.4as Gil
Black as Night2021IMDb rating 4.5as Babineaux
Pups Alone2021IMDb rating 3.4as The Wise Bartender
The Gateway2021IMDb rating 4.9as Terry
The Seventh Day2021IMDb rating 4.6as Father Louis
In Search of Darkness - Part II2020IMDb rating 7.9as Self - Interviewee
21 Bridges2019IMDb rating 6.7as Deputy Chief Spencer
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror2019IMDb rating 7.5as Himself
In Search of Darkness2019IMDb rating 8.0as Self - The Thing, They Live
The Wedding Year2019IMDb rating 5.6as Preston
You Might Be the Killer2019IMDb rating 5.9as Sheriff James
Night School2018IMDb rating 5.6as Gerald
Sharon 1.2.3.2018IMDb rating 4.5as Tyrone
Tales from the Hood 22018IMDb rating 4.4as Portifoy Simms
Savage Dog2017IMDb rating 5.0as Valentine
Nina2016IMDb rating 5.4as Clifton's Father
Range 152016IMDb rating 4.0as Colonel Holloway
The Nice Guys2016IMDb rating 7.4as Older Guy
Field of Lost Shoes2015IMDb rating 5.8as Old Judge
Huevos: Little Rooster's Egg-Cellent Adventure2015IMDb rating 5.8as Don Alfonso (voice)
Secrets of the Magic City2014IMDb rating 6.5as Mr. Daniels
Assault on Wall Street2013IMDb rating 6.0as Freddy
Don't Pass Me By2013IMDb rating 5.3as David Knox
Free Birds2013IMDb rating 5.8as Chief Broadbeak (voice)
Frog Kingdom2013IMDb rating 3.5as Frog King (voice)
Sons of Liberty2013IMDb rating 3.6as Nathan Reynolds
Cloud Atlas2012IMDb rating 7.3as Kupaka / Joe Napier / An-kor Apis / Prescient
Smiley2012IMDb rating 3.3as Diamond
Snowflake, the White Gorilla2011IMDb rating 4.3as Anvil (voice)
The Greening of Whitney Brown2011IMDb rating 5.3as Clerk
The Inheritance2011IMDb rating 2.9as Uncle Melvin
Chain Letter2010IMDb rating 4.1as Detective Jim Crenshaw
Chasing 30002010IMDb rating 6.3as Officer L.
Death at a Funeral2010IMDb rating 5.7as Reverend Davis
Lottery Ticket2010IMDb rating 5.1as Sweet Tee
Something Like a Business2010IMDb rating 3.7as Sebastian
Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming2010IMDb rating 4.2as Terry Harris
Against the Dark2009IMDb rating 3.1as Lt. Waters
All About Steve2009IMDb rating 4.8as Corbitt
Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia2009IMDb rating 4.8as Cmdr. Scott Boytano
Coraline2009IMDb rating 7.8as The Cat (voice)
The Butcher2009IMDb rating 5.3as Larry Cobb
The Princess and the Frog2009IMDb rating 7.2as Dr. Facilier (voice)
First Sunday2008IMDb rating 4.7as Judge B. Bennet Galloway
Justice League: The New Frontier2008IMDb rating 6.8as The Centre (voice)
My Mom's New Boyfriend2008IMDb rating 5.3as FBI Chief Conrad
Superhero Movie2008IMDb rating 4.8as The Chief of Police
The Fifth Commandment2008IMDb rating 4.6as Max 'Coolbreeze' Templeton
Delta Farce2007IMDb rating 3.7as Sgt. Kilgore
If I Had Known I Was a Genius2007IMDb rating 4.7as Dad
The Last Sentinel2007IMDb rating 3.6as Col. Norton / Gun Voice 2
Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil2006IMDb rating 4.5as MCPO Scott Boytano
Forbidden Fruits2006IMDb rating 3.6as Rev. Walters
The Oh in Ohio2006IMDb rating 5.5as Coach Popovitch
Dirty2005IMDb rating 5.5as Captain Spain
Mr. & Mrs. Smith2005IMDb rating 6.5as Father
Transporter 22005IMDb rating 6.3as Stappleton
Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London2004IMDb rating 4.6as CIA Director
The Chronicles of Riddick2004IMDb rating 6.6as Imam
The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury2004IMDb rating 6.5as Abu 'Imam' al-Walid (voice)
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson2004IMDb rating 8.3as Narrator (voice)
Agent Cody Banks2003IMDb rating 5.2as CIA Director
Head of State2003IMDb rating 5.5as Bernard Cooper
Hollywood Homicide2003IMDb rating 5.4as Leon
Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip2003IMDb rating 7.9as Narrator (voice)
Kaena: The Prophecy2003IMDb rating 6.0as Voxem (voice)
29 Palms2002IMDb rating 4.7as The Sheriff
Barbershop2002IMDb rating 6.4as Lester Wallace
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within2001IMDb rating 6.4as Council Member #1 (voice)
Novocaine2001IMDb rating 5.8as Detective Lunt
Pitch Black2000IMDb rating 7.0as Abu 'Imam' al-Walid
The Replacements2000IMDb rating 6.7as Lindell
Where the Heart Is2000IMDb rating 6.7as Moses Whitecotten
Armageddon1998IMDb rating 6.7as General Kimsey
There's Something About Mary1998IMDb rating 7.1as Mary's Dad
Executive Target1997IMDb rating 4.7as Lamar
Murder, She Wrote: South by Southwest1997IMDb rating 7.3as Algric Bartles
Princess Mononoke1997IMDb rating 8.3as Okkoto / Narrator (voice)
Vanishing Point1997IMDb rating 5.7as Warren Taft
Volcano1997IMDb rating 5.6as Police Lieutenant Ed Fox
Eye for an Eye1996IMDb rating 6.2as Martin
Johns1996IMDb rating 6.3as Homeless John
Blue in the Face1995IMDb rating 6.6as Jackie Robinson
Clockers1995IMDb rating 6.9as André the Giant
Dead Presidents1995IMDb rating 6.9as Kirby
The Quick and the Dead1995IMDb rating 6.5as Sgt. Cantrell
Reality Bites1994IMDb rating 6.6as Roger
The Puppet Masters1994IMDb rating 5.9as Alex Holland
The Last Outlaw1993IMDb rating 6.1as Lovecraft
Article 991992IMDb rating 6.2as Luther Jermoe
Final Analysis1992IMDb rating 5.9as Detective Huggins
Marked for Death1990IMDb rating 5.9as Max
Men at Work1990IMDb rating 5.9as Louis Fedders
Always1989IMDb rating 6.4as Powerhouse
Bird1988IMDb rating 7.1as Buster Franklin
Braddock: Missing in Action III1988IMDb rating 5.0as Embassy Gate Captain
Off Limits1988IMDb rating 6.2as Maurice
Stars & Bars1988IMDb rating 4.8as Eugene Teagarden
They Live1988IMDb rating 7.2as Frank
Hot Pursuit1987IMDb rating 5.8as Alphonso
Platoon1986IMDb rating 8.0as King
The Thing1982IMDb rating 8.2as Childs
The Pirates of Penzance1980IMDb rating 7.9as Pirates and Police

Best known for

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

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The Thing1982 Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fias Childs
IMDb rating 8.2536K votes
Mr. & Mrs. Smith2005 Action, Comedy, Crimeas Father
IMDb rating 6.5603K votes
They Live1988as Frank
IMDb rating 7.2167K votes
Coraline2009as The Catvoice
IMDb rating 7.8306K votes
Platoon1986as King
IMDb rating 8.0477K votes
The Nice Guys2016as Older Guy
IMDb rating 7.4425K votes
Pitch Black2000as Abu 'Imam' al-Walid
IMDb rating 7.0266K votes
The Princess and the Frog2009as Dr. Faciliervoice
IMDb rating 7.2190K votes

Most often with

Jesse V. Johnson directed four of these films, David A. Weiner three and John Carpenter two. Loretta Devine appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Loretta Devine

Eric Roberts

Danny Trejo

Kevin Hart

John C. McGinley

Bokeem Woodbine

Jesse V. JohnsonDirector, 4 films David A. WeinerDirector, 3 films

John CarpenterDirector, 2 films

Films together

Loretta Devine5 films together, 2008 to 2023
Loretta Devine's page
- A Snowy Day in Oakland2023IMDb rating 5.3David as Mr. MonroeDevine as Jeanette
- Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror2019IMDb rating 7.5David as HimselfDevine as Himself
- Death at a Funeral2010IMDb rating 5.7David as Reverend DavisDevine as Cynthia
- Lottery Ticket2010IMDb rating 5.1David as Sweet TeeDevine as Grandma
- First Sunday2008IMDb rating 4.7David as Judge B. Bennet GallowayDevine as Sister Doris
Eric Roberts4 films together, 1992 to 2021
Eric Roberts's page
- Pups Alone2021IMDb rating 3.4David as The Wise BartenderRoberts as CEO Bill
- Assault on Wall Street2013IMDb rating 6.0David as FreddyRoberts as Lawyer Patterson
- The Butcher2009IMDb rating 5.3David as Larry CobbRoberts as Merle Hench
- Final Analysis1992IMDb rating 5.9David as Detective HugginsRoberts as Jimmy Evans
Danny Trejo4 films together, 1990 to 2021
Danny Trejo's page
- Pups Alone2021IMDb rating 3.4David as The Wise BartenderTrejo as Vinnie P
- Range 152016IMDb rating 4.0David as Colonel HollowayTrejo as Zombie Trejo
- Delta Farce2007IMDb rating 3.7David as Sgt. KilgoreTrejo as Carlos Santana
- Marked for Death1990IMDb rating 5.9David as MaxTrejo as Hector
Kevin Hart4 films together, 2008 to 2018
Kevin Hart's page
- Night School2018IMDb rating 5.6David as GeraldHart as Teddy
- Death at a Funeral2010IMDb rating 5.7David as Reverend DavisHart as Brian
- Something Like a Business2010IMDb rating 3.7David as SebastianHart as JoJo
- Superhero Movie2008IMDb rating 4.8David as The Chief of PoliceHart as Trey
John C. McGinley4 films together, 1986 to 1996
John C. McGinley's page
- Johns1996IMDb rating 6.3David as Homeless JohnMcGinley as Danny Cohen
- The Last Outlaw1993IMDb rating 6.1David as LovecraftMcGinley as Wills
- Article 991992IMDb rating 6.2David as Luther JermoeMcGinley as Dr. Rudy Bobrick
- Platoon1986IMDb rating 8.0David as KingMcGinley as Sgt. O'Neill
Bokeem Woodbine4 films together, 1995 to 2009
Bokeem Woodbine's page
- The Butcher2009IMDb rating 5.3David as Larry CobbWoodbine as Chinatown Pete
- The Fifth Commandment2008IMDb rating 4.6David as Max 'Coolbreeze' TempletonWoodbine as Miles Templeton
- The Last Sentinel2007IMDb rating 3.6David as Col. Norton / Gun Voice 2Woodbine as Anchilles
- Dead Presidents1995IMDb rating 6.9David as KirbyWoodbine as Cleon
Jesse V. JohnsonDirector, 4 films, 2007 to 2017
All films by Jesse V. Johnson
- Savage Dog2017IMDb rating 5.0David as Valentine
- The Butcher2009IMDb rating 5.3David as Larry Cobb
- The Fifth Commandment2008IMDb rating 4.6David as Max 'Coolbreeze' Templeton
- The Last Sentinel2007IMDb rating 3.6David as Col. Norton / Gun Voice 2
David A. WeinerDirector, 3 films, 2019 to 2022
All films by David A. Weiner
- In Search of Tomorrow2022IMDb rating 7.7David as Self - Interviewee
- In Search of Darkness - Part II2020IMDb rating 7.9David as Self - Interviewee
- In Search of Darkness2019IMDb rating 8.0David as Self - The Thing, They Live
John CarpenterDirector, 2 films, 1982 to 1988
All films by John Carpenter
- They Live1988IMDb rating 7.2David as Frank
- The Thing1982IMDb rating 8.2David as Childs
Also four films together2 more actors
- Tracy MorganDeath at a Funeral (2010), First Sunday (2008), Superhero Movie (2008) and Head of State (2003)
- John CarpenterIn Search of Tomorrow (2022), In Search of Darkness - Part II (2020), In Search of Darkness (2019) and The Thing (1982)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Keith David's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$7.4 billion

62 of the 116 films have a worldwide figure.

62Worldwide figure
5US gross only
16Never in cinemas
1Streaming, short cinema run
32Figure not found

Top grosser

Spider-Man: Brand New Day2026Narrator of Spider Video$2.5 billion

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 71% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Spider-Man: Brand New Day2026as Narrator of Spider Video (voice)
$2.5B33.4% of the total
2
Mufasa: The Lion King2024as Masego (voice)
$723M9.7% of the total
3
Armageddon1998as General Kimsey
$554M7.5% of the total
4
Mr. & Mrs. Smith2005as Father
$487M6.6% of the total
5
There's Something About Mary1998as Mary's Dad
$370M5.0% of the total
6
The Princess and the Frog2009as Dr. Facilier (voice)
$271M3.7% of the total
7
Coraline2009as The Cat (voice)
$186M2.5% of the total
8
Princess Mononoke1997as Okkoto / Narrator (voice)
$177M2.4% of the total