Known for his commanding on-screen presence, Mike Colter has starred in several multi-genre movies and TV shows. Colter found a love for acting at an early age. He graduated with a theater degree in 1999 from the University of South Carolina and then attended Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts, where he obtained an MFA in acting.
Whether it’s playing a superhero, drug dealer, or a Catholic priest, Mike Colter brings an unparalleled dedication to each role. As a second cousin of Triple Crown of Acting and EGOT honoree Viola Davis, acting talent runs in the family. In appreciation of his career journey, here are Mike Colter’s most notable roles and performances.
Million Dollar Baby
The Clint Eastwood-directed award-winning 2004 sports drama Million Dollar Baby was Mike Colter’s film debut. Although cast in a minor supporting role, Colter’s character, Big Willie Little, is introduced early in the movie. He is a boxer who trains under Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood). Although a talented and successful fighter, Big Willie Little ultimately decides to leave Frankie because he feels Frankie is too cautious and isn’t giving him the championship opportunities he deserves. Ultimately, leaving Frankie Dunn opened up an opportunity for Frankie to reluctantly train the movie’s protagonist, Mary Margaret “Maggie” Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank).
The Good Wife
Mike Colter joined the CBS legal political drama The Good Wife in a recurring role as Lemond Bishop. His character is a wealthy and powerful drug dealer who owns legitimate businesses as fronts for his illegal activities. Despite his criminal background, Lemond Bishop is a devoted and highly protective father to his son. Lemond Bishop frequently hires Lockhart & Gardner law firm to represent him in various legal matters, including criminal charges and his business empire.
Lemond Bishop’s relationship with The Good Wife’s main characters is complex. This is because they’re often conflicted about representing him because of his criminal activities. However, since Lemond Bishop remained a valuable client, they needed him for his business and lucrative retainer fees. Mike Colter played the character in 21 episodes of The Good Wife from 2010 to 2015. He reprised the role in 2 episodes of its spin-off and standalone sequel series, The Good Fight, in 2018 and 2019.
Men in Black 3
Mike Colter joined the Men in Black cast in its third and final installment in the original trilogy. Colter played Col. James Darrell Edwards II, revealed as James Darrell Edwards III/Agent J (Will Smith) father. Colter’s character is introduced when Agent J travels back in time to July 16, 1969, to prevent Agent K’s (Tommy Lee Jones) death in the future. Col. James Darrell Edwards II helps the younger Agent K and Agent J on their mission. However, he’s killed by the younger Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement). Colter’s scenes, especially his death, were some of the movie’s emotionally charged moments in Men in Black 3.
Halo: Nightfall
Halo: Nightfall was set in the Halo franchise and the first time the Agent Jameson Locke character was introduced in the series. Mike Colter portrayed Agent Locke, an elite soldier, and the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) agent. The ONI is one of the most powerful United Nations Space Command (UNSC) organizations. In Halo: Nightfall, Agent Jameson Locke leads a team of ONI operatives on a mission to investigate Covenant activity on Sedra, a distant colony world. With the popularity and success of the Halo franchise, Halo: Nightfall is one of Mike Colter’s most notable performances.
Netflix-Marvel Universe
Mike Colter’s most famous role in movies and TV shows is portraying the superhero Luke Cage in several Netflix-Marvel TV shows. Colter first portrayed the character on Netflix’s Jessica Jones. He co-led the series with Krysten Ritter, who was cast as its titular character. Although he was introduced as one of its main cast in season 1, his character only appeared in season 3 in a guest role. However, his exit from Jessica Jones was to star in its eponymous show, Luke Cage. Mike Colter led the cast of Luke Cage until it was canceled by Netflix, over creative differences, after season 2. The superhero character teamed up with other superheroes in the 2017 miniseries The Defenders.
Evil
After portraying the Marvel superhero Luke Cage, Mike Colter took on the role of David Acosta in the CBS/Paramount+ supernatural drama series Evil. David Acosta is a former journalist who is studying to become a Catholic priest. However, he becomes a priest in season 3. David Acosta also works as an assessor for the Catholic church, where his job is to investigate and assess cases of unexplained phenomena. These include demonic possessions, potential miracles, and other supernatural occurrences. David Acosta works alongside Dr. Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers), a forensic psychologist, and Ben Shakir (Aasif Mandvi), a technical expert. Evil aired for 4 seasons from June 20, 2021, to August 22, 2024.
The Union
Mike Colter’s latest starring role on the big screen is Netflix’s spy-action comedy-thriller The Union. With Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry leading the cast, Colter played Agent Nick Faraday. In the 2024 fast-action movie, Colter’s character is a double agent who betrays his agency and wife. Although not a fan favorite, it was on Netflix’s Top 10 after its release. Besides these Mike Colter movies and TV shows, here’s more on Mike Colter’s personal life and career.
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