Template:BLP sources
| Larenz Tate | |
|---|---|
| Born |
September 8, 1975 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Palmdale High School |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Known for |
O-Dog in Menace II Society Councilman Tate in Power |
Larenz Tate (born September 8, 1975) is an American film and television actor. Tate is best known for his roles as O-Dog in Menace II Society and as Councilman Tate in Power. Tate's other films and television series include the films Dead Presidents, Love Jones, A Man Apart, Crash, Waist Deep, Ray and the television series Rush and Game of Silence.
Early life[]
Larenz Tate was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Peggy and Larry Tate. Tate is the youngest of three siblings (his two brothers, Larron and Lahmard, are also actors) whose family moved to California when he was 4 years old. Convinced by their parents to enter a drama program at the Inner City Cultural Center, the trio did not take the lessons seriously until classmate Malcolm-Jamal Warner's ascent to fame after being cast on the sitcom The Cosby Show. Subsequently, realizing that they could parlay their efforts into a tangible form of success, the siblings began to receive small roles and in 1985, Tate made his small-screen debut in an episode of The New Twilight Zone. Tate attended Palmdale High School, graduating in 1993.
Career[]
Following appearances in such television series as 21 Jump Street and The Wonder Years, Tate was cast in the television movie The Women of Brewster Place before receiving the recurring role of Steve Urkel's nemesis, Willie Fuffner, in the family comedy series Family Matters (1989). He was also a cast member on the CBS series The Royal Family, starring Redd Foxx and Della Reese, which ended prematurely after Redd Foxx died. In the video game 187 Ride or Die, Tate voices the main character, Buck.
Following numerous small-screen roles, offers began pouring in for Tate, and in late 1992, collaborative filmmaking siblings Albert and Allen Hughes approached him to star in their debut feature Menace II Society. The film found Tate channeling his substantial energy into creating "O-Dog", a trigger-happy teenager. Following up with the little-seen but often-praised television series South Central, Tate would later appear in the family comedy-drama The Inkwell (1994) before re-teaming with the Hughes brothers for Dead Presidents (1995) and taking on the role of a love-stricken young poet in the romantic drama Love Jones (1997). Larenz Tate also played the role of Kenny in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the episode "That's No Lady, That's My Cousin".
There followed roles in The Postman (as the automotively monikered Ford Lincoln Mercury), the Frankie Lymon biopic Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998, with Tate as Lymon), and 2000's Love Come Down. Though a big theatrical release had eluded Tate for the first few years of the millennial turnover, Tate would soon turn up opposite Laurence Fishburne in the high-octane but critically derided Biker Boyz (2003) A Man Apart (2003), Crash (2004), as music legend Quincy Jones in Ray (2004), and Waist Deep (2006). Larenz was also featured in R&B singer Ashanti's 2003 released music video Rain on Me, where he played the jealous, abusive spouse of Ashanti. The video touched on the subject of domestic abuse. He also starred as part of the main cast in season's 4-7 of FX's Rescue Me as Bart "Black Shawn" Johnston.
Filmography[]
Film[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Menace II Society | O-Dog | Supporting role |
| 1994 | The Inkwell | Drew Tate | Lead role |
| 1995 | Dead Presidents | Anthony Curtis | Lead role |
| 1997 | Love Jones | Darius Lovehall | Lead role |
| 1997 | The Postman | Ford Lincoln Mercury | Main role |
| 1998 | Why Do Fools Fall in Love | Frankie Lymon | Main role |
| 2000 | Love Come Down | Neville Carter | Lead role |
| 2003 | Biker Boyz | Wood | Supporting role |
| 2003 | A Man Apart | Demetrius Hicks | Main role |
| 2004 | Crash | Peter Waters | Supporting role |
| 2004 | Ray | Quincy Jones | Supporting role |
| 2006 | Waist Deep | Lucky | Main role |
| 2011 | Gun Hill | Bird Stevens Train Stevens |
Television film |
| 2015 | White Water | Terrance | Television film |
| 2015 | Beta Test | Max | |
| 2017 | Girls Trip | Julian | Supporting role |
| 2017 | Deuces | Deuces | Main role |
Television[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | The Twilight Zone | Older brother | Episode: "Night of the Meek" |
| 1987 | Hunter | Sporty's nephew | Episode: "Crossfire" |
| 1988 | Amen | LeShawn | Episode: "Get Em Up, Scout" |
| 1989 | 21 Jump Street | Adam Fuller (young) | Episode: "Wolly Bullies" |
| 1989 | The Wonder Years | Basketball Team Captain | Episode: "Loosiers" |
| 1989 | The Women of Brewster place | Sammy | Television miniseries |
| 1989 | Matlock | Street kid #3 | Episode: "The Scrooge" |
| 1990 | New Attitude | Chilly D | 4 Episodes |
| 1990 | Family Matters | Willie Fuffner | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | The Royal Family | Curtis Royal | 15 episodes |
| 1992 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Kenny | Episode: "That's No Lady, That's My Cousin" |
| 1994 | South Central | Andre Mosely | 10 episodes |
| 2006 | Waterfront | Marcus | 6 episodes |
| 2006 | Love Monkey | Shooter Cooper | 8 episodes |
| 2007–2011 | Rescue Me | Black Shawn | Series regular |
| 2011 | Justified | Clinton Moss | Episode: "For Blood or Money" |
| 2013 | House of Lies | Malcolm Kaan | 10 episodes |
| 2014 | Rush | Alex Burke | Main role |
| 2016 | Game of Silence | Shawn Cook | Series regular |
| 2017–present | Power | Councilman Tate | Recurring role (season 4): Main role (seasons 5–6) |