Michael Potts

Biography

Michael Potts is an American actor who works across theater, television and film. Born in Brooklyn, he grew up in South Carolina and got his start in local plays before studying at the School of Drama at Yale University, inspired by a clip from a 1985 production of August Wilson's Fences. He is known for playing Brother Mouzone on the HBO show The Wire, Slow Drag in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020), and Detective Gilbough during the first season of True Detective. He has also made several appearances on Law & Order, NBC's crime series, including in 2025. On stage, he took part in a Broadway revival of The Piano Lesson in 2022, a performance The Hollywood Reporter called one of the production's highlights, and he played the title role in King Lear at the Ellen Stewart Theater in 2026.

64years old

Turns 65 on September 21in 343 days

Born September 21, 1962Brooklyn
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22

Movie Career

Films: 9
Career span: 28 years1997 to 2025

Genres

Drama78%, 7 films
Crime33%, 3 films
Action22%, 2 films
Biography11%, 1 film
Comedy11%, 1 film

First and latest

Michael Potts movies on Netflix

Highest 2 Lowest2025IMDb rating 5.5as Patrick Bethea
The Piano Lesson2024IMDb rating 6.1as Wining Boy
Rustin2023IMDb rating 6.5as Cleve Robinson
Cicada2020IMDb rating 6.7as Francis
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom2020IMDb rating 6.9as Slow Drag
372016IMDb rating 3.9as Archibald Smith
Let Me Make You a Martyr2016IMDb rating 4.6as Charon
Diggers2006IMDb rating 6.3as South Shell Pot Buyer
Conspiracy Theory1997IMDb rating 6.7as Justice Guard

Best known for

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

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Ma Rainey's Black Bottom2020 Drama, Musicas Slow Drag
IMDb rating 6.979K votes
Conspiracy Theory1997 Action, Crime, Mysteryas Justice Guard
IMDb rating 6.7115K votes
Highest 2 Lowest2025as Patrick Bethea
IMDb rating 5.536K votes
Rustin2023as Cleve Robinson
IMDb rating 6.515K votes
The Piano Lesson2024as Wining Boy
IMDb rating 6.15.8K votes
372016as Archibald Smith
IMDb rating 3.9714 votes
Let Me Make You a Martyr2016as Charon
IMDb rating 4.61.6K votes
Cicada2020as Francis
IMDb rating 6.71.4K votes

Most often with

George C. Wolfe directed two of these films. Four 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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Jeffrey Wright

Glynn Turman

Michael Shamus Wiles

Colman Domingo

George C. WolfeDirector, 2 films

Films together

Jeffrey Wright2 films together, 2023 to 2025
Jeffrey Wright's page
- Highest 2 Lowest2025IMDb rating 5.5Potts as Patrick BetheaWright as Paul Christopher
- Rustin2023IMDb rating 6.5Potts as Cleve RobinsonWright as Rep. Adam Clayton Powell
Glynn Turman2 films together, 2020 to 2023
Glynn Turman's page
- Rustin2023IMDb rating 6.5Potts as Cleve RobinsonTurman as A. Philip Randolph
- Ma Rainey's Black Bottom2020IMDb rating 6.9Potts as Slow DragTurman as Toledo
Michael Shamus Wiles2 films together, 1997 to 2016
Michael Shamus Wiles's page
- Let Me Make You a Martyr2016IMDb rating 4.6Potts as CharonWiles as Father Francis
- Conspiracy Theory1997IMDb rating 6.7Potts as Justice GuardWiles as Cop - Roosevelt Hospital
Colman Domingo2 films together, 2020 to 2023
Colman Domingo's page
- Rustin2023IMDb rating 6.5Potts as Cleve RobinsonDomingo as Bayard Rustin
- Ma Rainey's Black Bottom2020IMDb rating 6.9Potts as Slow DragDomingo as Cutler
George C. WolfeDirector, 2 films, 2020 to 2023
All films by George C. Wolfe
- Rustin2023IMDb rating 6.5Potts as Cleve Robinson
- Ma Rainey's Black Bottom2020IMDb rating 6.9Potts as Slow Drag

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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