LaKeith Stanfield
Birthdate: Aug 12, 1991
Birthplace: San Bernardino, California, USA
LaKeith Stanfield (birthname: LaKeith Lee Stanfield) has emerged as a thoughtful and wide-ranging actor, Oscar-nominated for his remarkable turn as William O’Neill in the historical Black Panther drama, Judas and the Black Messiah (2021).
Stanfield revived his first on-camera role in Dustin Daniel Cretton’s 2008 short film, Short Term 12, in the acclaimed feature version of the same title in 2013, starring Brie Larson, John Gallagher, Jr., Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek, and Melora Walters, and making an awards-laden premiere at South by Southwest film festival.
After landing minor roles in the highly praised, Ava Duvernay-directed drama, Selma (2014), starring David Oyelowo and Carmen Ejogo, and in writer-director Rick Famuyiwa’s well-received Los Angeles coming-of-age comedy-drama, Dope (2015), Stanfield portrayed Snoop Dogg in director F. Gary Gray’s music biopic of the hip hop group, N.W.A., Straight Outta Compton (2015), starring O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Aldis Hodge, and Neil Brown Jr., and which grossed a triumphant $202 million on a $28 million budget.
LaKeith Stanfield was then cast in a supporting role by co-writer/director/star Don Cheadle in his biopic of Miles Davis, Miles Ahead (2015), with Ewan McGregor, Emayatzy Corinealdi, and Michael Stuhlbarg, and released by Sony Pictures Classics. After appearing with star-writer James Franco in a film version of his story, Memoria (2015), Stanfield co-starred in director/co-writer Logan Sandler’s little-seen drama, Live Cargo (2016), with Dree Hemingway.
In yet another appearance in a topical biopic, Stanfield was cast by filmmaker Oliver Stone in his biographical thriller, Snowden (2016), starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as CIA whistleblower and leaker Edward Snowden, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Olyphant, Rhys Ifans, and Nicolas Cage, and premiering at the Toronto film festival. Stanfield had his first starring role in a stunning performance in writer-director Matt Ruskin’s true crime drama, Crown Heights (2017), winning the audience award at the Sundance Film Festival and released by Amazon Studios/IFC Films.
LaKeith Stanfield had his breakthrough role in filmmaker Jordan Peele’s knockout debut feature, Get Out (2017), starring Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Lil Rel Howery, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root, and Catherine Keener, and delivering a phenomenal $124.3 million global gross on a $4.5 million budget after premiering at the Sundance film festival, followed by four Oscar nominations, including three for Peele (picture, director, writer).
After appearing in a supporting role in writer-director Christian Papierniak’s indie comedy-drama, Izzy Gets the F*uck Across Town (2017), Stanfield had his second major starring role in an extraordinary American indie film, writer-director Boots Riley’s brilliant debut, Sorry to Bother You (2018), with Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews, Patton Oswalt, David Cross, Danny Glover, Steven Yeun, and Armie Hammer, grossing six times its $3 million costs and premiering at the Sundance film festival.
Stanfield co-starred in his first studio release with the Fede Alvarez-directed Stieg Larsson adaptation, The Girl in the Spider’s Web (2018), starring Claire Foy, Sverrir Gudnason, Sylvia Hoeks, and Stephen Merchant, but losing money for Columbia/Sony Pictures/MGM with a poor $35 million global gross. LaKeith Stanfield co-starred with Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, and Eric Bogosian in Josh and Benny Safdie’s sensational crime movie, Uncut Gems (2019), premiering at the Telluride film festival and earning $50 million for distributor A24.
Stanfield played detective with Daniel Craig in director/writer/producer Rian Johnson’s popular Lionsgate-released whodunit, Knives Out (2019), with the ensemble of Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, and Christopher Plummer, grossing $312 million globally. Stanfield starred opposite Issa Rae in writer-director Stella Meghie’s drama, The Photograph (2020), co-starring Lil Rel Howery, Rob Morgan, and Courtney B. Vance, but lost money for Universal Pictures in a release just before the COVID-19 shutdown.
Stanfield starred in his most prominent and eye-catching performance to date in the superb, dramatically charged Judas and the Black Messiah, from director/co-writer (Will Berson)/co-producer Shaka King, with the impressive cast of Daniel Kaluuya (as the assassinated Black Panther leader Fred Hampton), Jesse Plemons, Dominique Fishback, Ashton Sanders, and Martin Sheen, but faring poorly at the box office despite rave reviews and six Oscar nominations, including a best supporting actor nod for Stanfield.
LaKeith Stanfield joined the vivid ensemble of debut filmmaker Jeymes Samuel’s off-beat, acclaimed Western, The Harder They Fall (2021), starring Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, RJ Cyler, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, and Deon Cole, and getting a limited release and a Netflix streaming release after a London film festival premiere.
Stanfield took the lead in his first Disney movie, the disappointing horror-comedy, Haunted Mansion (2023), the studio’s second try at a big-screen spin-off of the Disneyland park attraction, and with the ensemble of Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Dan Levy, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Jared Leto. LaKeith Stanfield reunited with filmmaker Samuel to star in the title of The Book of Clarence (2024), with Omar Sy, Cyler, Anna Diop, David Oyelowo, Micheal Ward, Alfre Woodard, Teyana Taylor, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, James McAvoy, and Benedict Cumberbatch, and released by TriStar Pictures.
Gallery
Personal Details
LaKeith Stanfield was born in San Bernardino, California, and raised in the Southern California cities of Riverside, San Bernardino, and Victorville, by parents Karen and Gary Stanfield. Stanfield has described his upbringing as a picture of growing up “very poor in a fractured family that was dysfunctional on both sides.” In his high school in Victorville, Stanfield joined the drama club and became drawn to an acting career.
Following his high school graduation, Stanfield studied at the Los Angeles-based John Casablanca’s Modeling and Career Center. Stanfield has been in a relationship with actor Xosha Roquemore, with whom he had a daughter in 2017. Stanfield was then in a relationship with artist Tyler Hurd, with whom he had a daughter in 2022. Stanfield and model Kasmere Trice have been married since 2023; the couple has one child. Stanfield’s height is 6’. Stanfield’s estimated net worth is $4 million.
Known For
Awards
Nominee, Best Supporting Actor, Academy Awards (2021); Winner, EE Rising Star Award, BAFTA Awards (2019); Nominee, Best Supporting Male, Independent Spirit Awards (2014); Winner, Tribute Award—Best Ensemble, Gotham Award (2021); Nominee, Best Duo, MTV Movie + TV Awards (2017); Two-time Nominee, NAACP Image Awards (2022); Two-time Nominee, Best Cast/Best Ensemble—Comedy Series, Screen Actors Guild Awards (2018, 2019).
Independent Spirit Award
Film Independent Spirit Awards
Actor
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Critics Choice Award
Critics Choice Awards
Filmography
actor
Upcoming (1)
Previous (19)
- 2024 | Ernest Cole: Lost and FoundasErnest Cole
Ernest Cole: Lost and Found
Follows Ernest Cole's journey as the first Black freelance photographer in apartheid South Africa.
- 2024 | The Book of ClarenceasClarence
The Book of Clarence
Struggling to find a better life, Clarence is captivated by the power of the rising Messiah and soon risks everything to carve a path to a divine existence.
- 2023 | Haunted MansionasBen Matthias
Haunted Mansion
A single mom named Gabbie hires a tour guide, a psychic, a priest and a historian to help exorcise her newly bought mansion after discovering it is inhabited by ghosts.
- 2021 | Judas and the Black MessiahasBill O'Neal
Judas and the Black Messiah
Offered a plea deal by the FBI, William O'Neal infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party to gather intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton.
- 2020 |
- 2019 | Someone Greatas Nate Davis
- 2019 |
- 2018 | Come Sundayas Reggie
- 2018 | The Girl in the Spider's Webas Ed Needham
- 2018 | Sorry to Bother YouasCassius Green
Sorry to Bother You
In an alternate present-day version of Oakland, telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success, propelling him into a universe of greed.
- 2017 | Izzy Gets the Fuck Across Townas George
- 2017 | Death Noteas L
- 2017 | Quest: The Truth Always Risesas Diego
- 2017 | The Incredible Jessica Jamesas Damon
- 2017 | Crown HeightsasColin Warner
Crown Heights
When Colin Warner is wrongfully convicted of murder, his best friend Carl King devotes his life to proving Colin's innocence.
- 2017 |
- 2016 | Live Cargoas Lewis
- 2015 | Miles Aheadas Junior
- 2013 | Short Term 12as Marcus
Some Facts About LaKeith Stanfield
Surfer Dude: LaKeith Stanfield secured a contract with his first agent by submitting a video skit depicting him as a surfer dude.
Multiple Interests: Stanfield has explored many creative endeavors beyond acting, including rap, photography, and dancing.
Music Man: LaKeith Stanfield has been playing music since age 11, and performs his rap lyrics under the stage name of Htiekal—his first name spelled in reverse—and is also a member of The Moors, with musician-producer Hrishikesh Hirway.
