Award-winning African-American actor Russell Hornsby was born in Oakland, California. Before getting his break in television and film, Russell has already explored the world of theater. After his graduation from Boston University, he got into the British Academy of Dramatic Arts in Oxford University. He won several leading stage roles after he moved to New York City. He was cast in several off-Broadway productions, some of them being To Kill a Mockingbird, Six Degrees of Separation and Joe Louis Blues.
During the late 1990s, Russell Hornsby moved to Los Angeles to break into the television industry. He soon landed a recurring role in the series Haunted, playing the character Detective Marcus Bradshaw. He was also seen on an episode of Law & Order, before branching out into film roles. Hornsby was in the drama Train Ride and in the romantic comedy Meet the Parents with Ben Stiller, Robert de Niro, Teri Polo and Blythe Danner. After filming, Hornsby accepted the role of Dr. Aaron Boies in Gideon’s Crossing, appearing in more than 20 episodes. In 2002, he was cast alongside Frankie Muniz, Amanda Bynes and Paul Giamatti in the comedy Big Fat Liar. Hornsby soon found himself in the action crime film After the Sunset, which gave him the chance to work with Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek, Woody Harrleson and Don Cheadle. In 2005, he landed a role in the acclaimed drama series Grey’s Anatomy as well as appearing in 50 Cent’s semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin’. Hornsby was next featured in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Paul Fitzgerald’s drama Forgiven. From 2003 to 2006, he played the role of Leon Taylor on Playmakers. He eventually joined the cast of Lincoln Heights, portraying the dedicated police officer and father Eddie Sutton. Some of his other credits include the romantic drama Something New in 2006 and the horror Fear Itself in 2008.