Jeffrey Wright was born on December 7, 1965, in Washington, DC. Wright net worth stands at $8 million, reflecting his successful career in both television and film. He won an Emmy for his supporting performance in Angels in America and has had four additional nominations throughout his career. In 2024, he also achieved his first Oscar nomination. Now, let’s delve into Jeffrey Wright’s financial standing in 2024.

Who is Jeffrey Wright?

Jeffrey Wright is a well-known American actor recognized for his iconic performances as “Felix Leiter” in the “James Bond” franchise, including “Casino Royale” and “Quantum of Solace”. He grew up in Washington, D.C. His passion for acting ignited during his teenage years. Although he initially intended to pursue a legal career in high school, he chose to attend New York University to study acting instead. After two months at the university, he decided to leave and began auditioning for film and television opportunities.

He kicked off his film career with a small part in 1990 as an attorney in “Presumed Innocent”. Additionally, during the early 1990s, he appeared in supporting roles on the TV show “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles”. Following this, he acted in various films, including Critical Care, Celebrity, and Faithful. His fame skyrocketed when he portrayed “Felix Leiter” in the 2006 film “Casino Royale”. Gradually, he gained recognition and attracted a substantial fanbase around the globe.

Jeffrey Wright Wikipedia/Biography

Jeffrey Wright was born on December 7, 1965, in Washington, DC. Tragically, he encountered the loss of his father when he was merely an infant. He grew up under the care of his mother, a lawyer with the US Customs, and his aunt, a nurse. His mother worked as a customs lawyer. Jeffrey Wright married Carmen Ejogo from 2000 to 2014. He has two children. His Ethnicity is African-American. His Zodiac Sign is Sagittarius.

Jeffrey Wright is a well-known American actor attended St. Alban’s School for Boys in Washington, DC, followed by a journey into Political Science at Amherst College. It was during this time that he uncovered his passion and talent for acting. After completing his degree at Amherst in 1987, he decided to delve deeper into theater at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Despite having a full scholarship to NYU, Wright withdrew after two months to elevate his acting career to a more professional stage. Wright boasts a diverse list of performers across both theater and film. His debut cinematic appearance was in the 1990 production Presumed Innocent. He truly emerged in the film industry in 1996 with Basquiat, where he took on the principal role of renowned artist Jean Michel Basquiat. This film brought him several award nominations.

Jeffrey’s filmography includes several noteworthy performances on both television and in cinema, such as his role as Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the HBO miniseries Boycott (2001), which garnered him the AFI Actor of the Year award. He played the character Nurse Belize, a supporting role in the acclaimed miniseries Angels in America (2003), earning multiple accolades including a Golden Globe, a Black Reel, a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, and recognition from the Outer Critics Circle.

His portrayal of Winston in Broken Flowers (2005) earned him acclaim from the San Diego Film Critics Society. Other significant roles include The Gravedigger in Hamlet (2000), a Puerto Rican gangster in Well (2000), a Desert Storm veteran in The Manchurian Candidate (2004), the character Felix Leiter in both Casino Royale (2006) and Quantum of Solace (2008), Valentin Narcisse in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014), and as Betee in The Hunger Games series (2014-2015).

Full Name	Jeffrey Wright
Nickname	Wright
Gender	Male
Profession	Actor
Age (as of 2022)	59 years old
Date of Birth	December 7, 1965
Place of Birth	Washington, D.C., United States of America
Hometown	Washington, D.C., United States of America
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	Mixed
Zodiac Sign	Sagittarius

Jeffrey Wright Age

Jeffrey Wright was born on December 7, 1965, in Washington, DC. Weight 59 years old as of 2024. His Ethnicity is African-American. His Zodiac Sign is Sagittarius.

Jeffrey Wright Height and Weight

Jeffrey Wright stands at a height of 5 feet 9 inches (1.76 meters). He has a body weight of 78 kilograms (172 pounds). His measurements are 42-34-14 inches. He wears a shoe size of 11 in the U.S. His hair is black, and he has dark brown eyes.

Body Measurements	42-34-14 Inches
Height	5 feet 9 inches (1.76 m)
Weight	78 kg (172 lbs)
Hair Color	Brown
Eye Color	Brown

Jeffrey Wright Early Life and Education

Jeffrey Wright was born on December 7, 1965, in Washington, D.C. His mother, Barbara, is involved in customs law, while his father, James Jr., passed away when Jeffrey was merely one year old. He attended St. Albans School for Boys, and upon finishing school, he earned a degree in political science from Amherst College in Massachusetts.

Although his initial aspiration was to pursue law, Jeffrey opted for acting. In 1988, he participated in the MFA acting program at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts for a couple of months before departing to perform in Lorraine Hansberry’s “Les Blancs” at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., which subsequently transferred to the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston.

School	St. Albans School for Boys
University/College	Amherst College Tisch School of the Arts
Educational Qualifications	B.A in Political Science

Jeffrey Wright Personal Life

Jeffrey Wright married actress Carmen Ejogo on October 18, 2001, and the couple welcomed son Elijah and daughter Juno before their divorce in 2014. Wright co-established Taia, LLC and the Taia Peace Foundation, serving as the chairman for both. Additionally, he holds the position of Vice Chairman at Taia Lion Resources, Inc., a gold-exploration firm. In 2004, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from his alma mater, Amherst College.

Jeffrey Wright Parents/Family

Jeffrey was born in Washington, D.C., on December 7, 1965. Jeffrey faced significant loss early in life when his father passed away when he was just one year old. Consequently, he was raised solely by his mother. She worked as a lawyer in the U.S. Customs Department. Jeffrey also has an aunt who served as a nurse. The actor identifies with African-American heritage (mixed ethnicity).

Jeffrey Wright Wife/Marriage

Jeffrey married actor Carmen Ejogo in 2000. They had two children, a son named Elijah and a daughter named Juno. However, they separated in 2014, with personal factors that have yet to be disclosed behind their divorce. On the business front, Jeffrey is involved with a mining enterprise named Taia Kion Resources, which aims to simplify the mining process in Sierra Leone.

Jeffrey Wright Career/Professional Journey

Wright began his theatrical journey off-Broadway in New York and Washington, DC. His cinematic debut took place in the 1990 film “Presumed Innocent,” where he starred alongside Harrison Ford. In 1991, he became a member of The Acting Theatre, which was a national touring repertory group established by John Houseman, acting in productions like Athol Fugard’s Blood Knot and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

He later featured in films such as “Jumpin’ at the Boneyard” (1991), “Faithful” (1996), “Critical Care” (1997), “Too Tired to Die” (1998), “Celebrity” (1998), and “Ride with the Devil” (1999). Additionally, he took on the role of renowned artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in the 1996 film “Basquiat.”

His work included both major and supporting characters in films like “Celebrity” (1998), “Ride with the Devil” (1999), “Shaft” (2000), and “Boycott” (2001), earning him an AFI Award for his depiction of Martin Luther King Jr. He made guest appearances in “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles” (1993), “New York Undercover” (1994), and “Homicide: Life on the Street” (1997).

In 2003, he reprised the role of Norman “Belize” Arriaga in the acclaimed HBO adaptation of “Angels in America,” which garnered him an Emmy and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries. The following year, he was part of Jonathan Demme’s remake of “The Manchurian Candidate.” Wright returned to HBO in 2005 with “Lackawanna Blues” and portrayed Felix Leiter in “Casino Royale,” the 21st installment of the “James Bond” franchise.

By 2008, he was seen as Colin Powell in “W.” He also took on the role of Muddy Waters in “Cadillac Records,” followed by appearances in “The Ides of March,” “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,” “Broken City,” “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete,” and “Only Lovers Left Alive” (2014). He portrayed Beetee in “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” In 2014, he became part of the cast for HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire.” The next year, he depicted lawyer Charles Ogletree in the TV movie “Confirmation.”

In 2016, he began his role as Bernard Lowe/Arnold Weber in HBO’s “Westworld,” for which he received three Primetime Emmy nominations. He also played Roebuck Wright in Wes Anderson’s 2021 film “The French Dispatch,” and lent his voice to “The Watcher” in the Disney+ Marvel Studios series. In the 2022 movie “The Batman,” he acted as Lt. James Gordon, sharing the screen with Robert Pattinson, Zo Kravitz, and Paul Dano. He also reprised his role in “Quantum of Solace” (2008) and “No Time to Die” (2021).

1990–2003: Theatre roles and Angels in America

Wright began his career by performing off-Broadway in both New York City and Washington, D.C. In 1990, he landed his first significant film role as an attorney in Alan J. Pakula’s legal thriller, Presumed Innocent. The following year, he joined The Acting Company, founded by John Houseman, touring nationally in productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Athol Fugard’s Blood Knot.

During 1993 and 1994, he portrayed Norman “Belize” Arriaga in Tony Kushner’s celebrated play Angels in America. His performance as a gay nurse tending to Roy Cohn as he succumbs to AIDS earned him the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. He also held minor roles in Jumpin’ at the Boneyard (1992), Faithful (1996), and Critical Care (1997).

In the late 1990s, he guest-starred as a fictionalized Sidney Bechet in George Lucas’s The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and appeared in Homicide: Life on the Street. Wright landed his first leading role in a film in 1996, depicting painter Jean-Michel Basquiat in Basquiat, which garnered critical acclaim. Critic Roger Ebert noted that Wright “[gave] a performance of almost mystical opacity.”

For this role, he received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance. Throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s, he took on roles in films such as Woody Allen’s satirical comedy Celebrity (1998) and Ang Lee’s western Ride with the Devil (1999).

In the year 2000, he appeared in a trio of films: Shaft, Hamlet, and Crime and Punishment in Suburbia. Additionally, he took on the role of Martin Luther King Jr. in Clark Johnson’s HBO movie Boycott in 2001, earning an AFI Award for his performance. He was cast alongside Carmen Ejogo and Terrence Howard.

The following year, he depicted Howard Bingham in Michael Mann’s biographical sports film Ali, which also featured Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, and Jon Voight. In 2002, he made a comeback to Broadway, portraying Lincoln in Suzan-Lori Parks’ play Topdog/Underdog, where he shared the stage with Mos Def, who played the character Booth. Wright received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play for his exceptional portrayal.

In 2003, he revived the character of Norman “Belize” Arriaga in HBO’s celebrated adaptation of Angels in America, earning him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, along with a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film.

Roles from the 2000s

Wright entered the new millennium with performances in the 2000 cinematic version of Hamlet, featuring Ethan Hawke in the title role, set against the backdrop of contemporary New York, alongside Shaft (2000), inspired by the 1970s television series and starring Samuel L. Jackson. Other significant roles from the early 2000s encompass Martin Luther King, Jr., in the TV film Boycott (2001) and Howard Bingham, the photographer who documented Muhammad Ali’s journey extensively.

The film Ali (2001), which starred Will Smith. Additionally, Wright remained engaged in theater, receiving a Tony nomination for best actor in 2002 due to his role in Suzan Lori-Parks’s play Topdog/Underdog. The subsequent year, he returned to portray Belize and Mr. Lies in a televised version of Angels in America, winning an Emmy for best supporting actor.

Wright featured in the movies The Manchurian Candidate (2004), Broken Flowers (2005), and Syriana (2005). In 2006, he became part of the ensemble cast for the James Bond reboot Casino Royale, with Daniel Craig playing the iconic British agent. Wright took on the role of CIA agent Felix Leiter.

He later depicted two historical personalities: the blues icon Muddy Waters in Cadillac Records (2008), a film reflecting the ascent of Chess Records and its artists in Chicago, and Colin Powell, the U.S. Secretary of State, in W. (2008), a biographical film by Oliver Stone about President George W. Bush. Wright revived his character Felix Leiter in the 2008 Bond film Quantum of Solace.

Roles from 2010s

In 2010, Wright returned to Broadway in A Free Man of Color, a historical narrative by John Guare, where he embodied a Don Juan-inspired figure living in early 19th century New Orleans. In addition, Wright took on complex roles in various television series, including the conniving Valentin Narcisse in the fourth and fifth seasons of Boardwalk Empire (2013–14) and the robot programmer Bernard Lowe in the science fiction series Westworld (2016–22), for which he received three Emmy nominations.

He also appeared in three installments of the Hunger Games franchise (2013, 2014, and 2015). Subsequently, he played a crucial supporting role as Harvard law professor Charles Ogletree in Confirmation (2016), a TV film centered on the 1991 Senate confirmation hearings regarding U.S.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who faced allegations of sexual harassment from Anita Hill. In 2018, he delivered a powerful performance in O.G. as a man who has been imprisoned for over two decades and whose efforts to guide a younger inmate threaten his chance for early release.

Roles from 2020s

In the 2020s, Wright took part in a third Bond film, No Time to Die (2021), and portrayed Lieutenant James Gordon in The Batman (2022). Additionally, he appeared in Wes Anderson’s films The French Dispatch (2021) and Asteroid City (2023). In 2022, Wright received another Emmy nomination for his narration of the animated show What If…? (2021–24), which delves into alternate storylines within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Wright achieved his first Oscar nomination for American Fiction, which several critics praised as overdue recognition. In this adaptation of Percival Everett’s novel Erasure from 2001, Wright portrayed Thelonious (“Monk”) Ellison, an African American author of philosophical fiction who unexpectedly finds success after penning a controversial novel about the so-called hood under a pseudonym.

In a 2024 interview with The New York Times, Wright described the film as a conclusion to his initial feature film. “With Basquiat, I connected with a familiar world, that of a young Black artist navigating Lower Manhattan and discovering his voice,” he noted. “And I felt a similar closeness with Monk’s path.…Both narratives focus on a man striving to reveal his true self amidst external challenges.

They long for the same freedom as any other individual.” Following the acclaim of American Fiction, Wright led the cast in the political drama The Agency (2024– ), and he was slated to reprise his role as Lieutenant Gordon in the sequel to The Batman.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games, a collection of acclaimed dystopian novels aimed at young adults, is the creation of American writer Suzanne Collins. The series, consisting of The Hunger Games (2008), Catching Fire (2009), and Mockingjay (2010), achieved worldwide bestseller status, with each installment exceeding sales of 100 million copies across both print and digital mediums.

Translated into over 50 different languages, these titles delve into themes of authority, violence, warfare, media influence, and oppressive governmental structures, all while weaving a narrative of personal growth that features a romantic element. Though targeted primarily at teenagers and young adults, these novels have also garnered commendation from adult audiences.

Initially launched as a trilogy, the series expanded with the addition of a prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which came out in 2020, followed by another prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, in 2025.

Jeffrey Wright Film Career

Jeffrey Wright entrance into the film world occurred in 1990 after he had gained experience in off-Broadway productions. His first role was in Presumed Innocent, working alongside Harrison Ford. This experience opened up opportunities for him in smaller roles in Separate But Equal, Jumpin’ at the Boneyard, Faithful, Critical Care, Too Tired to Die, Celebrity, and Ride with the Devil.

One of Wright’s notable talents is his ability to portray historical figures, having taken on the roles of Jean-Michel Basquiat and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in different films. His filmography also includes titles such as Hamlet, Shaft, Ali, The Manchurian Candidate, Syriana, and Lady in the Water.

Wright secured his inaugural Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe in 2004 for his role in Angels in America. He returned to HBO in 2005 for Lackawanna Blues, before portraying Felix Leiter in Casino Royale. He reprised the character of Leiter in two follow-up films, Quantum of Solace, and No Time to Die, within the James Bond series.

Year	Title	Role
1990	Presumed Innocent	Prosecuting Attorney
1992	Jumpin’ at the Boneyard	Derek
1996	Faithful	Young Man
	Basquiat	Jean-Michel Basquiat
1997	Critical Care	Bed Two
1998	Too Tired to Die	Balzac Man
	Celebrity	Greg
	Meschugge	Win
	Blossoms and Veils	Ben
1999	Cement	Ninny
	Ride with the Devil	Daniel Holt
2000	Hamlet	Gravedigger
	Crime and Punishment in Suburbia	Chris
	Shaft	Peoples Hernandez
2001	Ali	Howard Bingham
2002	D-Tox	Jaworski
2004	Sin’s Kitchen	Rex
	The Manchurian Candidate	Al Melvin
2005	Broken Flowers	Winston
	Syriana	Bennett Holiday
2006	Lady in the Water	Mr. Dury
	Casino Royale	Felix Leiter
2007	Chicago 10: Speak Your Peace	Bobby Seale (voice)
	The Invasion	Dr. Stephen Galeano
	Blackout	Nelson	Also producer
2008	W.	Colin Powell
	Quantum of Solace	Felix Leiter
	Cadillac Records	Muddy Waters
2009	One Blood	Dan Clark
2011	Source Code	Dr. Rutledge
	The Ides of March	Senator Thompson
	Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close	William Black
2013	Broken City	Carl Fairbanks
	A Single Shot	Simon
	The Hunger Games: Catching Fire	Beetee
	The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete	Henry
2014	Ernest & Celestine	Grizzly Judge (voice)
	Only Lovers Left Alive	Dr. Watson
	The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1	Beetee
2015	The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
	The Good Dinosaur	Poppa Henry (voice)
2018	Monster	Mr. Harmon
	The Public	Mr. Anderson
	Game Night	FBI Agent Ron Henderson	Uncredited
	Age Out	Detective Portnoy
	O.G.	Louis
	Hold the Dark	Russell Core
2019	The Laundromat	Malchus Irvin Boncamper
	The Goldfinch	James “Hobie” Hobart
	Rigged: The Voter Suppression Playbook	Narrator
2020	All Day and a Night	J.D.
2021	The French Dispatch	Roebuck Wright
	No Time to Die	Felix Leiter
2022	The Batman	Jim Gordon
2023	Asteroid City	General Gibson
	Atrabilious	Vincent Daugherty
	Rustin	Adam Clayton Powell Jr.
	American Fiction	Thelonious “Monk” Ellison
2025	The Phoenician Scheme	Marty

Movies and TV shows

From the onset of his career, Jeffrey has featured in numerous acclaimed movies and television programs. Some notable films showcasing Jeffrey’s remarkable talent include The Batman, The Hunger Games, Hold The Dark, Monster, Basquiat, Casino Royale, All Day and a Night, Cadillac Records, Rick and Morty, Shaft, Source Code, The Goldfinch, No Time To Die, Broken City, and many more.

Furthermore, Jeffrey has appeared in various TV series, such as Westworld, Angels in America, Boardwalk Empire, Rick and Morty, Confirmation, House, Green Eggs and Ham, The Venture Bros, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Saving My Tomorrow, Separate but Equal, We Are Not Done Yet, and numerous others.

Year	Title	Role
1991	Separate but Equal	William T. Coleman
1993	The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles	Sidney Bechet
1994	New York Undercover	Andre Foreman
1997	Homicide: Life on the Street	Hal Wilson
2001	Boycott	Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
2003	Angels in America	Norman “Belize” Arriaga / Mr. Lies / Homeless Man / The Angel Europa
2005	Lackawanna Blues	Mr. Paul
2007	American Experience	Narrator
2012	House	Dr. Walter Cofield
2013–2014	Boardwalk Empire	Valentin Narcisse
2016	The Venture Brothers	Think Tank (voice)
	Confirmation	Charles Ogletree	Television movie
	BoJack Horseman	Cuddlywhiskers / Father (voice)	3 episodes
2016–2022	Westworld	Bernard Lowe / Arnold Weber
2017	She’s Gotta Have It	Purple “ITIS” Voice (voice)
2019	Sesame Street	Bernard Lowe
	Green Eggs and Ham	McWinkle (voice)	13 episodes
	Rick and Morty	Tony (voice)	Episode: “The Old Man and the Seat”
2020	Finding Your Roots	Himself
	The Daily Show with Trevor Noah	Narrator	Episode dated 28 August 2020
2021–2024	What If…?	The Watcher (voice)
2021	Marvel Studios: Assembled	Himself
2023	Digman!	(voice)
	I Am Groot	The Watcher (voice)	Episode: “Groot and the Great Prophecy”
2024	Ark: The Animated Series	Henry Townsend (voice)
2024–present	The Agency	Henry Ogletree
2025	The Last of Us	Isaac Dixon

Jeffrey Wright Net Worth

Jeffrey Wright is an American actor and producer with an estimated wealth of $8 million. He earned a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his role as Belize in “Angels in America: Perestroika” (1993), and he also won a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe for recreating the character in the 2003 HBO miniseries “Angels in America.”

Wright’s Broadway appearances include “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches” (2003), “Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk” (1996), “Topdog / Underdog” (2002), and “A Free Man of Color” (2010), for which he received a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Play for “Topdog / Underdog.” He has portrayed Felix Leiter in three “James Bond” films: “Casino Royale” (2006), “Quantum of Solace” (2008), and “No Time to Die” (2021).

Additionally, he is recognized for his performances as Valentin Narcisse in “Boardwalk Empire” (2013–2014) and Bernard Lowe / Arnold Weber in “Westworld” (2016–present).

FAQ