Obba Babatundé (born December 1, 1951) is an American actor of stage and screen, known for his Emmy-nominated performance in the television movie Miss Evers' Boys, a NAACP Image Award-nominated performance in the TV movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, and a Tony Award-nominated role for his performance as C.C. White in the original cast of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls.
Babatundé was a protege of Sammy Davis, Jr., who said of him, "This is the only cat who can do everything I can do." Babatundé does dance, sing, play instruments, execute impersonations, including his portrayal of Davis, aided by their similarity in energy, size and talent, tap dancing and performing on multiple instruments. In fall 2009, Babatundé played Davis in the title role of "Sammy: Once in a Lifetime," a world premiere musical at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego.
Early in 2000, Babatundé partnered with writer/producer Ruth Adkins Robinson for a series of TV projects including "TV in Black: The First 50 Years," "Oscar's Black Odyssey: From Hattie to Hallie" and "Dorthy Dandridge: An American Beauty". The pair have projects that will take them through 2011.
The roles that explain the career.
47 credits across 2 departments.
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Mississippi Scholar | Reginald | Film |
| 2024 | Mississippi Scholar | Writer | Film |
| 2022 | All The Men In My Life | Simon Helms | Film |
| 2013 | Dolls of Voodoo | Iklif | Film |
| 2012 | Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire | Vampire Actor #4 (voice) | Film |
| 2012 | The Last Fall | Larry Armstrong | Film |
| 2012 | Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups | Mayor Denny | Film |
| 2011 | All Star Superman | Judge / Bibliobot (voice) | Film |
| 2011 | Trapped: Haitian Nights | Ikliff | Film |
| 2011 | Joy Road | Dr. Howard Perkins | Film |
| 2009 | I Do... I Did! | Mr. Johnson | Film |
| 2009 | Black Dynamite | Osiris | Film |
| 2008 | The Eye | Dr. Haskins | Film |
| 2007 | Cover | Attorney Miller | Film |
| 2007 | April Fools | Detective Combs | Film |
| 2007 | King: Man of Peace in a Time of War | Narrator | Film |
| 2006 | Material Girls | Craig | Film |
| 2006 | The Celestine Prophecy | Miguel | Film |
| 2004 | After the Sunset | Zacharias | Film |
| 2004 | The Manchurian Candidate | Senator Wells | Film |
| 2004 | The Notebook | Band Leader | Film |
| 2004 | Kangaroo Jack: G'Day, U.S.A.! | Chief Ankamuti (voice) | Film |
| 2002 | Redeemer | Charles Henderson | Film |
| 2002 | John Q | Sgt. Moody | Film |
| 2001 | How High | Dean Carl Cain | Film |
| 2001 | The Visit | Tony | Film |
| 1999 | Introducing Dorothy Dandridge | Harold Nicholas | Film |
| 1999 | The Apartment Complex | Chett | Film |
| 1999 | Life | Willie Long | Film |
| 1998 | The Temptations | Berry Gordy | TV |
| 1997 | Miss Evers' Boys | Willie Johnson | Film |
| 1996 | The Cherokee Kid | Isom Dart | Film |
| 1996 | Carpool | Jeffery | Film |
| 1996 | Soul of the Game | Cum Posey | Film |
| 1996 | The Tomorrow Man | Brian Parish | Film |
| 1996 | That Thing You Do! | Lamarr | Film |
| 1996 | Multiplicity | Paul | Film |
| 1995 | Fatal Pursuit | Trinidad | Film |
| 1995 | A Reason to Believe | Prof. Thurman | Film |
| 1995 | Born to Be Wild | Interpreter | Film |
| 1993 | Necronomicon | Paul | Film |
| 1993 | Philadelphia | Jerome Green | Film |
| 1993 | Undercover Blues | Sawyer | Film |
| 1990 | Miami Blues | Blink Willie | Film |
| 1988 | Married to the Mob | The Face of Justice | Film |
| 1988 | God Bless the Child | Raymond Watkins | Film |
| 1980 | Baryshnikov on Broadway | Dancer | Film |
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