Biographie
Hill Harper, a distinguished actor in film, television, and theater, stars in the popular CBS drama series CSI: NY (2004). He plays Dr. Sheldon Hawkes, a reserved coroner who left a promising surgical career following the tragic loss of two patients. This February, he will lead in the HBO film Lackawanna Blues (2005), adapted from Ruben Santiago-Hudson's acclaimed stage play. Recently, People magazine named Harper one of their "Sexiest Men Alive" (2004).
Before CSI: NY, Harper co-starred as a determined undercover FBI agent on CBS's The Handler (2003), alongside Emmy nominee Joe Pantoliano. This role garnered him a 2004 Golden Satellite Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. He also received an NAACP Image Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his work on the CBS series City of Angels (2000).
Harper earned critical praise for his role in the independent film The Visit (2000), directed by Jordan Walker-Pearlman. The film tells the story of two brothers reunited when the younger, HIV-positive sibling (Harper) faces death row for a crime he likely did not commit. Daily Variety described his performance as "riveting," leading to a Best Actor nomination from the Independent Spirit Awards. He reunites with Walker-Pearlman for the upcoming independent film Constellation (2005), which explores the lives and relationships of a Southern family.
His recent film projects include the lead in Love, Sex and Eating the Bones (2003), featured at the Toronto International, Palm Springs, and Pan African film festivals. The film won Best Canadian First Feature Film at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival and both Best Feature and Audience Favorite at the 2004 Pan African Film Festival. Harper also completed work on America Brown (2004), showcased at the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival. His other film credits include Loving Jezebel (1999), The Nephew (1998) with Pierce Brosnan, The Skulls (2000) with Joshua Jackson, In Too Deep (1999) alongside Omar Epps, LL Cool J, and Nia Long, Beloved (1998), Hav Plenty (1997), He Got Game (1998) with Denzel Washington, and Get on the Bus (1996). Additional films include Zooman (1995) with Louis Gossett Jr., Charles S. Dutton, and CCH Pounder, Full Court Press with Ellen Burstyn and Taye Diggs, and One Red Rose (1995), which he also co-wrote, for Showtime.
On television, Harper has appeared in numerous guest roles. He had recurring appearances on Showtime's Soul Food (2000) and guest-starred on HBO's The Sopranos (1999). He starred in the CBS mini-series Mama Flora's Family (1998) and the UPN comedy-drama Live Shot (1995). Other guest appearances include ER (1994), NYPD Blue (1993), Murder One (1995), The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), and Married... with Children (1987).
Harper’s theater work includes off-Broadway productions such as Your Handsome Captain, Freeman, and David Mamet’s American Buffalo. He also completed a leading role in Jessica Hagedorn’s Dogeaters at New York’s Joseph Papp Public Theatre.
Harper graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, earned a J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School, and holds a Master’s in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government. He is a full-time member of Boston’s Black Folk’s Theater Company, one of the nation’s oldest and most esteemed African-American traveling theater groups. Harper’s Bazaar noted, “You might expect Hill Harper to be the next actor vying for the presidency... but he has other things on his agenda.”
