By Jesse Neo, PhDAug 7th, 2024
Morris Lamont Chestnut, born on January 1, 1969, is an American actor well-known for playing Ricky in the 1991 movie "Boyz n the Hood." He has been in other movies like "G.I. Jane," "The Brothers," "Like Mike," "Ladder 49," "The Game Plan," "The Call," and "Kick-Ass 2." In addition, he starred as Lance Sullivan in "The Best Man," returning for the sequel "The Best Man Holiday" and the series "The Best Man: The Final Chapters."
He has acted in many TV shows, such as V, Nurse Jackie, Rosewood, Goliath, and The Resident. In the future, he will star in a new CBS medical show called Watson.
He has been nominated for four NAACP Image Awards, and he won once for Nurse Jackie. His work has earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Early life
Chestnut was born on January 1, 1969, in Cerritos, California, the son of Morris and Shirley Chestnut. His mother was a teacher, while his father worked as a medical salesman. He studied finance and drama at California State University, Northridge. Chestnut worked as a bank teller before becoming an actor.
Career of Morris Chestnut
Morris got his start in acting in February 1990 as Jadon in "Freddy's Nightmares" (also known as "A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series"). He moved on to appear in different TV shows and movies, gradually landing more respected roles.
Chestnut's big break in movies was when he portrayed Ricky Baker in the film "Boyz n the Hood" in 1991. After that, he appeared in many TV movies and was a co-star in Patti LaBelle's show "Out All Night" from the early 1990s.
Morris has also appeared in Steven Seagal movies "Under Siege 2: Dark Territory," "Half Past Dead," and "Prince of Pistols." In the last two, he played the main bad guy.
In 1997, he acted with Demi Moore in the movie "G.I. Jane." Chestnut was also a main cast member as Special Agent Mal Robinson in the show "C-16" from 1997 to 1998. In 1998, Morris was the winner of the yearly Madden Bowl video game competition. In 1999, he starred in the movie "The Best Man" with Nia Long and Taye Diggs. The film got good reviews from critics and was successful in theaters.
Chestnut got nominated for an NAACP Image Award for his role in "The Best Man." In 2001, he acted in "The Brothers." In 2004, Morris was in a movie called "Ladder 49" where he played a firefighter. He was a football player in the film "The Game Plan" in 2007. That same year, he acted as Benjamin in "The Perfect Holiday."
In 2008, Morris starred in "The Prince of Motor City," then appeared in "Not Easily Broken" in 2009. After taking a break from acting for three years, Chestnut played James Merrill in "Think Like a Man" in 2012. He continued with four films in 2013: "Identity Thief," "The Call," "Kick-Ass 2," and "The Best Man Holiday."
For the second one, Morris and the rest of the group won the Acapulco Black Film Festival Award for Best Acting Together. He was also up for Best Actor at the same festival and was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Top Supporting Actor in a Movie. In 2015, Chestnut starred as Derrick Dog Prince in the movie "Heist."
That year, "People" magazine called him one of the Sexiest Men Alive. In 2016, Morris was John Taylor in "When the Bough Breaks." He appeared as himself in "Girls Trip" in 2017. In 2020, Chestnut produced the horror film "Spell" with Omari Hardwick.
Film career
Chestnut's first professional acting role was as Jason inFreddy's Nightmares - A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series, season 2, episode 19 ("A Family Affair"), which aired on February 18, 1990. His first feature film role was as Ricky Baker inBoyz n the Hood(1991).
He then went on to act in different TV movies, most notably the award-winning Disney Channel film The Ernest Green Story, where he portrayed Ernest Green. Chestnut also had a role in Patti LaBelle's short-lived sitcom Out All Night.
His career kept getting better with roles in popular big-budget movies like Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995) with Steven Seagal and Katherine Heigl, and G.I. Jane (1997) with Demi Moore. He was also part of the main cast in C-16, playing Special Agent Mal Robinson, from 1997 to 1998.
In 1999, Chestnut was in the movie The Best Man with Taye Diggs and Nia Long. He played a football player getting married. The movie was liked by critics and made a lot of money. Chestnut got nominated for an NAACP Image Award for his role. He also played a football player in Disney's The Game Plan in 2007, with Dwayne Johnson.
Chestnut appeared inThe Brothers(2001), a movie about loyalty and achievement among young Black professionals. In the same year, he played Keith Fenton, the romantic interest ofVivica A. Fox, in the comedyTwo Can Play That Gameand also acted as basketball player Tracey Reynolds in the 2002 filmLike Mike. In 2004, he portrayed firefighter Tommy Drake in the movieLadder 49, alongsideJohn TravoltaandJoaquin Phoenix.
He has worked with Steven Seagal three times: Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995) as his reluctant partner and lead male villain in Half Past Dead (2002) and Prince of Pistols (2008).
Chestnut was in four movies in 2013: Identity Thief, The Call, Kick-Ass 2, and The Best Man Holiday. In The Best Man Holiday, he played Lance Sullivan again and got nominated for another NAACP Image Award.
My recent film projects include movies like The Perfect Guy, Heist (both 2015), and When the Bough Breaks (2016).
Television career
In the last few years, most of Chestnut's work has been on TV.
Between 2009 and 2011, Chestnut appeared in a TV show called V on ABC, which is a science fiction drama based on an old show from 1983. In 2013, he joined the cast of a Showtime show called Nurse Jackie as a doctor named Dr. Ike Prentiss, who is a war veteran. He stayed on the show for two seasons. He received an award called the NAACP Image Award for his great acting in Nurse Jackie. Not long after that, he acted in a TNT show called Legends with actor Sean Bean.
From 2015 to 2017, Chestnut starred as Dr. Beaumont "Rosie" Rosewood Jr., a pathologist, in the TV show Rosewood on Fox. He was nominated for another NAACP Image Award during this time.
Chestnut was a key actor in the second season of Prime Video's Goliath and NBC's The Enemy Within. He portrayed the ruthless neurosurgeon Barrett Cain in seasons three and four of the Fox medical show The Resident, and also played Raymond Dupont in the short-lived Our Kind of People, which aired on Fox.
In 2022, he again portrayed Lance Sullivan in the Peaco*ck limited series The Best Man: The Final Chapters. In 2023, he hosts the OWN docuseries Rebuilding Black Wall Street, produced by Sunwise Media. In 2024, he starred alongside Diarra Kilpatrick in the BET+ mystery-dramedy Diarra from Detroit.
In 2025, Chestnut will appear in the CBS medical-mystery show Watson, where he will portray Dr. Watson from the Sherlock Holmes stories.
Personal life
Chestnut has been married to Pam Byse-Chestnut since 1995. They have two kids, Grant and Paige. Chestnut grew up in the Baptist church and is a practicing Christian. In 1998, he won the Madden Bowl video game competition.
To get ready to play pro footballer Lance Sullivan in the movie The Best Man Holiday again, Chestnut had to get fit. He worked out with celebrity trainer Obi Obadike, which motivated him to co-write a health book called The Cut. Released on April 18, 2017, the book features workout routines and recipes.
People magazine said Chestnut was one of the "Sexiest Men Alive" in 2015. In March 2022, Chestnut got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Morris Chestnut's star sign is Capricorn. As a Capricorn, Morris is recognized for being ambitious, determined, and disciplined.
These qualities probably helped him do well in his job as an actor. In Hollywood, zodiac signs can be a fun way to learn more about our favorite celebrities.
Being a Capricorn has definitely helped Morris Chestnut succeed in the competitive acting industry. Capricorns are dependable and hardworking, which are crucial qualities for success in any profession, including acting.
Having over 30 years of experience in the industry, Morris has shown that he is a reliable actor with great performances in both movies and TV shows. His zodiac sign reflects his ambition and determination, enabling him to tackle demanding roles and expand his acting skills over the years.
In simple terms, there may not be a direct link between someone's zodiac sign and their job, but Morris' strong commitment as a Capricorn has certainly helped him become a highly respected talent in today's world.
Morris Chestnut is a Black actor from the USA. His race and nationality have influenced his career, with many of his roles representing his background.
In lots of his movies and TV shows, he offers a different view to the characters he plays, highlighting problems experienced by African-Americans in society. Chestnut's efforts have contributed to increased diversity for people of color in Hollywood and created more chances for actors from various backgrounds.
Net worth of Morris Chestnut
Morris Chestnut is an American actor with a net worth of $6 million. He is famous for his role in "Boyz n the Hood" and has starred in various movies and TV shows throughout his successful career. Some of his other notable works include "The Best Man Holiday," "Rosewood," "The Best Man," and "The Perfect Guy."
Morris has been living in the north-western suburbs of LA for a long time. Back in 2007, he bought a house on a hill in Hidden Hills, California for $3.3 million. However, he had to sell it in 2012 for $2.3 million, losing $1 million. In November 2020, Morris purchased a house in Calabasas, California for $2.44 million.
Being very popular in Hollywood, the 54-year-old actor has earned a lot of money from his successful career. Starting with Boyz N The Hood, Morris became famous and continued to be successful.
Known for his roles in popular movies and TV series like The Best Man, Rosewood, and The Resident, Morris has become a well-respected figure in showbiz. Fans admire not just his acting skills but also his dashing appearance and likable demeanor.
It's no surprise that Morris Chestnut keeps making more money each year. As he works on new projects and wows audiences with his acting, we can look forward to even greater things from this talented actor in the future.
