Gary Dourdan
About this Artist
Born in Philadelphia, Dourdan was raised by his creative-minded mother, a fashion designer, and father, an agent who represented jazz musicians. As a child, he excelled in music, playing piano, guitar, and saxophone. Dourdan studied with legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg, and by the end of the 1980s, began performing in off-Broadway plays. After meeting "A Different World" producer Debbie Allen in Paris, Dourdan was cast in the role of Shazza Zulu, a recurring gig he played for over two seasons. Dourdan was then plucked by pop star Janet Jackson to be the object of desire in the 1993 video for her single "Again."
In 1996, Dourdan landed the role of Yates in the Touchstone Pictures action drama "Playing God". Then appeared in the blockbuster "Alien: Resurrection" and the independent drama "Thursday". In 2000, he appeared in the ABC movie "Muhammad Ali: King of the World," taking on the formidable role of the iconic Malcolm X. Dourdan headlined the independent drama thriller "Trois", then appeared in Reggie Bythewood's Hollywood drama "Dancing in September". By April 2000, Dourdan had been recruited for the crime procedural, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” playing Warrick Brown, a smart, complex and moody investigator with a shaky past as a gambler.
Dourdan and his “CSI” cast mates won the Screen Actors Guild Award in 2005. In 2003 and 2006, he won "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series” at the NAACP Image Awards. He next played another real-life political figure, Black Panther George Jackson, in "Black August". In 2006, Dourdan co-starred opposite Halle Berry as her on-again, off-again boyfriend in the thriller "Perfect Stranger".
Recently, Dourdan has been seen on the ABC series "Mistresses", BET's "Being Mary Jane", Starz’s "Power", and "Redemption Day”. Gary has kept busy with recording and performing live music.