- Born
- Birth nameCourtney Bernard Vance
- Height5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
- From studying history at Harvard, and acting at Yale Drama School, to making history in Hollywood, Courtney B. Vance has carefully cultivated an exceptional career that showcases his passion, talent, and intellect. His penchant for successfully finding the dignity and honor in each character exploration has made this Tony and Emmy award-winning actor a powerful presence from the theatrical boards to the silver screen.
Courtney was awarded the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series; the Critics Choice Award for Best Actor in a Movie Made for Television or Limited Series; and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special for his stunning portrayal of Johnnie Cochran in the FX series The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story. He also earned SAG and Golden Globe nominations for his critically acclaimed performance.
Most recently, Courtney co-starred in Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions' Ben is Back, directed by Peter Hedges, alongside Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges. He will also appear as a pivotal character in HBO's upcoming drama horror series Lovecraft Country and wrapped production on the Netflix film, Uncorked, with Niecy Nash and Mamoudou Athie. The film is a father-son story inspired by the family of Prentice Penny, Insecure EP and showrunner. Also, Courtney has been announced as joining the cast of the Universal/Will Packer romantic drama, The Photograph, with Issa Rae and LaKeith Stanfield, directed by Stella Meghie.
Other credits include his Tony Award winning performance in Nora Ephron's Lucky Guy and noteworthy films such as The Hunt for Red October, The Preacher's Wife, Space Cowboys, and Terminator Genisys.
Courtney and his wife, actress Angela Bassett co-wrote the book, FRIENDS: A LOVE STORY. The inspirational book is their personal love story and chronicles their story about healthy relationships. A native of Detroit, Michigan, he is a proud Ambassador for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. He resides in Southern California with his wife and their twins, Bronwyn Golden and Slater Josiah.- IMDb Mini Biography By: SAG-AFTRA Foundation Official Site Bio
- SpouseAngela Bassett(October 12, 1997 - present) (2 children)
- ChildrenBronwyn Golden VanceSlater Josiah Vance
- ParentsConroy VanceLeslie Vance
- Gender / Gender identityMale
- Race / EthnicityBlack / African American
- He and his wife, Angela Bassett, became the parents of twins a daughter Bronwyn Golden and son Slater Josiah, who were born on January 27, 2006, in California through a surrogate.
- Graduated from Harvard University.
- Received a Tony Award (his first win after three nominations) for the Broadway play "Lucky Guy," in which he co-starred with Tom Hanks and Richard Masur.
- Release of the book, "Friends: A Love Story" by Courtney and his wife, Angela Bassett.
- A 1986 graduate of Yale Drama school.
- I've done a lot of Shakespeare as a young man. I was involved with Shakespeare and Company.
- I've done a lot of movies, but my favorite was 'Blind Faith.'
- When I got out of Yale Drama School, I was completely broke.
- The life of an editor is not a glamorous one. You're a fixer, you make things better.
- I've done a lot of theater, and I know that it's a different audience each time who doesn't know the story, and we have to tell it.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content