Steve Harris
Steve Harris is an American actor renowned for his diverse roles across film and television. Born on December 3, 1965, in Chicago, Illinois, Harris initially pursued a career in football before shifting his focus to acting after an injury. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama from Northern Illinois University and later a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Delaware. Harris gained prominence for his portrayal of defense attorney Eugene Young on the television series *The Practice*, which earned him critical acclaim, including two Emmy nominations.
Throughout his career, he has appeared in notable films such as *The Skulls*, *Minority Report*, and *Diary of a Mad Black Woman*. His television work includes leading roles in *Awake*, *BMF*, and *Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty*. Harris is recognized for portraying complex characters and contributing to significant narratives in both independent and mainstream cinema. He maintains a private personal life and is related to fellow actor Wood Harris, known for roles in *The Wire* and *Remember the Titans*.
Subject Terms
Steve Harris
Actor
- Born: December 3, 1965
- Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois
Contribution: Steve Harris is an American actor best known for his work in the films The Skulls (2000) and Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005), as well as the television series The Practice (1997–2004) and BMF (2021-2024).
Background
Steve Harris was born on December 3, 1965, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of John and Mattie Harris. He attended St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois, where he played running back on the football team.
After high school graduation, Harris attended Northern Illinois University, studying drama and playing linebacker on the university’s football team until a torn ligament ended his dreams of playing professional football.
Harris then turned his full attention to studying drama. He graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in 1989 and then attended the University of Delaware, where he received a master of fine arts in 1992.
Career
Harris’s career began with stage work but quickly developed to small roles in television shows, such as an episode of Homicide: Life in the Street in 1999. His first real role came from a lucky coincidence. Harris had been rehearsing lines for his small role as an angry inmate for the television film Against the Wall (1994). John Frankenheimer, the director of the film, heard him rehearsing and quickly expanded Harris’s small part into a first-billed role.
Following this taste of success, Harris was able to land roles in several films and television shows. He appeared in episodes of the television series Law & Order and New York Undercover as well as in Michael Bay’s thriller The Rock (1996), alongside Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery.
Though Harris had landed small but consistent roles in films, he was unhappy that he was not able to find any parts with the character depth he wanted. This changed when he was offered the part of a lead character in the television show The Practice. Harris played defense attorney Eugene Young, who struggles with the ethical issues of defending accused murderers and rapists whom he thinks are probably guilty. Harris stayed on the show for seven years, from 1997 until 2004. For his work on The Practice, he was nominated for many awards, including two Emmys for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series, and won the Image Award for outstanding actor in a drama series in 2004.
While working on The Practice, Harris took increasingly substantial roles, such as in the television film Nightmare Street (1998) and the films The Mod Squad (1999) and The Skulls (2000). He starred in the 2001 film Beyond the City Limits and then took a major role alongside Tom Cruise and Colin Farrell in the award-winning sci-fi film Minority Report (2002).
Following his performance in The Practice, Harris received a starring role in Tyler Perry's film Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005) as Charles, the abusive former husband of another main character. He also landed a starring role in the controversial independent film The Unseen (2005). He returned to television for his next project, taking the lead role in the short-lived crime drama Heist (2006). Harris’s next major role was a first-billed slot in the television movie Protect and Serve (2007).
The year 2008 proved busy for Harris. He had a small role in the made-for-television movie Good Behavior, acted in a few episodes of the television comedy Eli Stone, and appeared alongside Ludacris and Nick Cannon in the film Ball Don’t Lie. In addition, Harris starred in the award-winning horror film Quarantine, in which a reporter and her team are quarantined after being exposed to a virus that turns people into vicious murderers. The following year was slower, with Harris only appearing in one film, Twelve Rounds, in the first-billed role of George Aiken. He also appeared on several episodes of the popular series Friday Night Lights in 2009 and 2010.
Harris played the lead in the film Takers (2010) before starring in the critically acclaimed crime drama Awake in 2012. In Awake, Harris portrays Detective Isaiah Freeman, the partner of Detective Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs). Britten perceives two realities after an accident claims the lives of his loved ones. The show lasted one season. He then held recurring roles on several television series, including the crime drama Justified (2014), the action drama Legends (2014), and the science fiction The Crossing (2017).
In 2015, Harris appeared in the Spike Lee directed crime comedy Chi-Raq, an adaptation of the ancient Greek play Lysistrata. He then appeared in the Netflix original drama Burning Sands (2017), before appearing in the horror film The First Purge (2018). In 2021, Harris took on the role of a police detective on the Starz series BMF, an acronym for Black Mafia Family. A year later, he starred in the Max series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, a drama about the Los Angeles Lakers dynasty of the 1980s.
Impact
Harris has made his mark as an actor by playing strong characters, from an attorney on the television series The Practice to a detective on the series Awake. While appearing in television roles, Harris has branched out into a varied film career, appearing in independent features as well as blockbuster hits.
Personal Life
Harris keeps his personal life private. His brother, Wood Harris, is also an actor and has appeared in projects such as the HBO series The Wire (2002–8) and the film Remember the Titans (2000).
Principal Work
Film
The Rock, 1996
The Mod Squad, 1999
The Skulls, 2000
Minority Report, 2002
Diary of a Mad Black Woman, 2005
The Unseen, 2005
Quarantine, 2008
Takers, 2010
Chi-Raq, 2015
Burning Sands, 2017
The First Purge, 2018
Television
Against the Wall (film), 1994
The Practice, 1997–2004
Nightmare Street (film), 1998
Heist, 2006
Protect and Serve (film), 2007
Good Behavior (film), 2008
Awake, 2012
Legends, 2014
Filthy Rich, 2020
BMF, 2021-2024
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, 2023
Bibliography
Harris, Steve. “NBC Awake Star Steve Harris Talks New Series, and Playing the Black Cop.” Interview by Patrice Peck. Ebony, 5 Apr. 2012, www.ebony.com/nbc-awake-star-steve-harris-talks-new-series-and-playing-the-black-cop/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.
Harris, Steve. “Steve Harris: Wide Awake in Dreamland.” Interview by Jay S. Jacobs. PopEntertainment.com. PopEntertainment.com, 6 Apr. 2012. Web. 11 July 2013.
Harris, Steve, and Wilmer Valderrama. “Steve Harris and Wilmer Valderrama Talk NBC’s Awake.” Interview by Christina Radish. Collider.com. Collider, n.d. Web. 11 July 2013.
Martens, Todd. “Friday Night Lights Adds Steve Harris to the Team.” Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2009, www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/show-tracker/story/2009-10-13/friday-night-lights-adds-steve-harris-to-the-team. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.
"Steve Harris." IMDb, 2024, www.imdb.com/name/nm0004996/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.