Biografia
Sekou Laidlow’s artistry combines skill, creativity, and dedication. Hailing from Baltimore, he is celebrated for adding nuance, depth, and precision to his character portrayals, driven by storytelling’s transformative power. He gravitates toward roles featuring emotionally complex journeys and characters who triumph against great challenges.
On November 8, 2022, Laidlow guest-starred as Bobby Purcell on FOX’s The Resident. He also appears as Leon Payne in the NBC series Ordinary Joe, alongside James Wolk and Charlie Barnett (Eric Payne). He plays Crosby Smith, Emmett Till’s uncle, in the upcoming ABC mini-series Women of the Movement with Glynn Turman. Additionally, he portrays Harrison Carter in BET+’s Kingdom Business and appears in the Warner Brothers film Black Adam, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson; both projects released in 2022.
Laidlow featured in the romantic comedy Better Off Single, starring Aaron Tveit, and held a supporting lead role in The Mend opposite Josh Lucas and Austin Pendleton. His Juilliard classmate Michael Urie invited him to direct the comedic web series What’s Your Emergency?
On Broadway, Laidlow was directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello in Airline Highway and the acclaimed Boys in the Band. He also originated the role of Homer in Suzan-Lori Parks’ Father Comes Home from the Wars, which won both the Pulitzer Prize and the Kennedy Prize for Drama.
At Juilliard, Laidlow distinguished himself as the first student ever invited to perform a monologue at the School’s commencement ceremony, before luminaries such as James Earl Jones, playwright Athol Fugard, and singer Nancy Wilson—all honorary degree recipients that year.
Offstage and offscreen, Laidlow empowers others to share their stories. Through his self-produced podcast Let Me Introduce Myself, co-hosted with Maxime Paul, he creates an intimate space challenging stereotypes of Black manhood, encouraging men to discuss healing journeys and dreams. Laidlow also serves on the Board of Directors for Beautiful Ventures, a creative startup focused on narrative change and social entrepreneurship. He holds a Juilliard degree and a Master of Divinity from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, where he was a Robert W. Woodruff Scholar.
www.sekoulaidlow.com
Social Media: Twitter: @SekouLaidlow | Instagram: sekoulaidlow
