Laurence Fishburne is an actor, playwright, director and producer whose work spans theater, film and television. His screen roles include Morpheus in The Matrix films and Ike Turner in What’s Love Got to Do with It. Onstage, he played Sterling Johnson in August Wilson’s Two Trains Running and later portrayed Thurgood Marshall in the solo play Thurgood. He has also written for the stage and adapted his own work for film.
Born in Augusta, Georgia, in 1961, Fishburne grew up in Brooklyn. He worked professionally as a young actor, appearing in films including Cornbread, Earl and Me and Apocalypse Now. His stage career included work with the Negro Ensemble Company and New York theater productions during the 1980s. Later film roles included Furious Styles in John Singleton’s Boyz n the Hood.
Fishburne made his Broadway debut in Two Trains Running in 1992. His performance earned the Tony for featured actor in a play, along with Drama Desk and Theatre World recognition. He won an Emmy for a guest role in Tribeca in 1993. His portrayal of Ike Turner opposite Angela Bassett in the 1993 film What’s Love Got to Do with It brought an Academy Award nomination at the 1994 ceremony.
In 1999, Fishburne appeared as Morpheus in The Matrix, returning for its two 2003 sequels. His writing and directing work includes Riff Raff and its film adaptation, Once in the Life, released in 2000. He also starred in and executive produced television films, including Miss Evers’ Boys. He shared its 1997 Emmy for outstanding television movie and received a separate acting nomination. His later television work includes playing Thurgood Marshall for HBO and serving as an executive producer of Black-ish.
Fishburne won another acting Emmy in 2020 for his role in #FreeRayshawn. He returned to solo theater in 2024 with Like They Do in the Movies, a show he wrote and performed at the Perelman Performing Arts Center. He has also supported UNICEF’s programs for children. The United Nations Association of New York described his advocacy in a 2022 account, dating his ambassador appointment to 1996.
