For the last 30 years, Robert Wisdom has been building an impressive career. He has played a wide variety of roles and gotten the chance to work with some of the biggest names in the industry. If you took one look at his resume, you’d probably agree that he hasn’t always gotten the attention and accolades he deserves. However, that has never stopped it from giving every role his all. Most viewers will know him best from his role as Howard “Bunny” Colvin in The Wire and Norman “Lechero” St. John in Prison Break. No matter what character he plays, Robert is always unforgettable. Keep reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Robert Wisdom.
1. His First Opportunity Came As The Result Of A Phone Call To The Wrong Number
Most actors have to fight tooth and nail to get their first opportunity in the industry. However, Robert Wisdom’s actually came to him completely by accident. He was living in Los Angeles when a casting director called him while meaning to call someone else. Since things like that don’t happen every day, he decided to take advantage of the opportunity. This resulted in him being cast in the 1994 film, Clean State.
2. He Didn’t Always Plan On Being An Actor
Robert is somewhat of a late bloomer when it comes to acting. He isn’t the kind of person who fell in love with acting and spent years chasing his dream. Robert didn’t even develop an interest in acting until his senior year in college when he enrolled in a theater class in the hopes of finishing his final semester with an easy class.
3. He Was Born In Jamaica
Some sources have reported that Robert was born in Washington D.C. However, in an interview he said that he was actually born in Jamaica. He was raised in Washington D.C., though and still considers the area home although he is not based in Los Angeles.
4. He Plays Instruments
With as much work as Robert has done over the years, he probably doesn’t get a lot of free time. But when he isn’t busy on a set or rehearsing for a role, one of his favorite things to do is listen to and play music. Robert plays several instruments including the drums and a stringed instrument called the sintir.
5. He’s Done A Lot Of Theater Work In The UK
Robert’s love for music eventually led him to a job in music production which caused him to relocate to London. While living overseas, he started to get serious about his acting. He started auditioning for roles and got heavily involved in the local theater scene where he began to land roles in plays.
6. He Was A Track Star
Robert was a competitive athlete for many years before going off to college. He was a member of his high school’s track team and was a top-notch competitor. Robert was offered athletic scholarships from several colleges. He ultimate chose to go to Columbia College in New York City.
7. He Studied History
Lots of actors have college degrees in drama or theater, but that isn’t the case for Robert. He studied history and sociology while in college. While neither of these fields are directly related to acting, his knowledge in these subjects has likely home in handy over the years with some of the roles he’s played.
8. His Career Began In Banking
Life is full of twists and turns, and Robert Wisdom has had more than his fair share. After college, he started working in banking. Ironically, many actors have mentioned how working a traditional 9 to 5 is something they couldn’t imagine, and the banking industry is almost as traditional as it gets. During his time in banking he continued to take acting classes on the side, but it still wasn’t something he was taking seriously.
9. He’s A Private Person
Even with three decades of professional acting under his belt, Robert has never been the type of actor who likes to have his every move in the spotlight. Instead, he seems to prefer a much more private life. He doesn’t overshare on social media and hasn’t posted anything on Instagram in five years.
10. He Worked For NPR
After leaving banking, Robert began working in radio. During an interview with Hobo Trash Can, he said, ” I went into radio at NPR and I worked on All Things Considered for a long time and from there I got into the avant-garde art world and started running a place called The Kitchen in New York.”
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