Education
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Brooks studied acting, dance, and voice work at Interlochen Academy of Arts in Michigan.
Actor director musician singer
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Brooks studied acting, dance, and voice work at Interlochen Academy of Arts in Michigan.
He is best known for his role as Paul Robinette in the National Broadcasting Company drama series, Law & Order from 1990 to 1993. In 2013, he began starring as Patrick Patterson in the Black Entertainment Television drama series, Being Mary Jane. Later, he moved to New York City and was a student of the Circle in the Square Professional Theater School.
While in New York, Brooks performed in the Eugene O"Neill Theater Conference production of August Wilson"s Fences, which gained him a positive reputation.
A subsequent move to Los Angeles found the actor landing numerous television roles, also with made-for-television features as Badge of the Assassin (1985) and Resting Place (1986). With Teen Wolf (1985), The Hidden (1987), Office Limits (1988), Shakedown (1988), and Shocker (1989), Brooks began his work in the world of feature films.
Brooks appeared as Doctor of Optometry in the award-winning film 84C MoPic (1989), directed by Patrick Sheane Duncan. Throughout the 1990s, most of his popularity came from his widespread exposure in his role as Paul Robinette on Law & Order.
However, the actor would constantly find himself alternating between the feature films, television, and the stage.
After appearing in The Substitute and playing the villain in The Crow: City of Angels (both 1996), Brooks opted to try his hand at directing, and the result was Johnny B Good (1998). lieutenant is about a young, urban black man who makes a positive change after suffering amnesia. Brooks returned to television for the short-lived series G vs East in 1999.
In 2001 he made a guest appearance in New York City Police Department Blue.
Brooks is also well known by some science fiction fans for his appearance on Joss Whedon"s Firefly, as a bounty hunter named Jubal Early in the existentialist series finale "Objects in Space". He also appeared as Hasdrabul Skaras in "Slayer", the fifth episode of the series Brimstone.
He also appeared as Detective Ehrle in the short-lived Fox series Drive, alongside Nathan Fillion, with whom Brooks had worked on Firefly. In addition to his film work, Brooks also founded his own production company, Flat Top Entertainment Limited Liability Company. At the dawn of the millennium, Brooks released his first solo Rhythm & Blues album, Smooth Love, on Flat Top Records.
In March 2011, Brooks played the role of Harmond Wilkes in Radio Golf, written by August Wilson, at Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, New New York
He played Frederick Douglass in the 2013 Public Broadcasting Service series The Abolitionists. Brooks stars as Patrick in the Black Entertainment Television original series Being Mary Jane. lieutenant premiered July 2, 2013.