Rob Brown (born March 1, 1984) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the films Finding Forrester (2000), Coach Carter (2005), Take the Lead (2006), and The Express (2008), and for starring in the HBO series Treme (2010-13).
Personal life
Brown was born in Harlem and raised in Brooklyn, New York, where he graduated from Poly Prep in 2002. He is also a member of the academic program Prep for Prep, which provides opportunities for minorities in New York City and its surrounding area to attend elite independent schools. In 2008 he starred in the football film The Express where he played Ernie Davis, the first African American Heisman Trophy winner.
Career
Brown shot into the spotlight after starring opposite Sean Connery in the 2000 film Finding Forrester. He had neither professional nor amateur acting experience prior to taking this role. Brown tried out as an extra after finding a flyer hanging on a bulletin board in his school. Despite his lack of previous experience, he was given the lead role of Jamal Wallace.
In 2005, he played the role of Kenyon Stone, a basketball player for the Richmond High School Oilers in Coach Carter, starring Samuel L. Jackson. He was one of the lead roles alongside Ashanti.
Brown played Ernie Davis in the film The Express, based on the life of the former Heisman Trophy winner and Syracuse University alumnus. Production began in March 2007, and the film was released in October 2008.
Volunteerism
In 2008, Brown was named the official spokesman of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk. As spokesman, Brown appears in Light The Night publicity materials and public service announcements to help spread the word about the program.
Filmography
- Finding Forrester (2000), Jamal Wallace
- The Orphan King (2005), Tye
- Coach Carter (2005), Kenyon Stone
- Take the Lead (2006), Rock
- Stop-Loss (2008), Isaac "Eyeball" Butler
- The Express (2008), Ernie Davis
- Treme (2010â€"13), Delmond Lambreaux
- The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Crispus Allen
- Don Jon (2013), Bobby
- Criminal Activities (2015), Bryce
References
External links
- Rob Brown at the Internet Movie Database
- Rob Brown at AllMovie
- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
- Rob Brown's Light the Night Walk page