SHAFT

JEFFREY WRIGHT (Peoples Hernandez) starred as the young artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in the acclaimed film "Basquiat." This year, he appeared in two films that debuted at the Sundance Film Festival: "Hamlet," starring Ethan Hawke, in which Wright plays the Gravedigger; and "Crime and Punishment in Suburbia," which was nominated for the Festival's Grand Jury Prize. His other film credits include "Faithful," "Jumpin' at the Boneyard," "Critical Care," Woody Allen's "Celebrity" and the upcoming "D-Tox," starring Sylvester Stallone.

In the Broadway production of "Angels in America," Wright played the tough, flamboyant male nurse Belize and won Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Tony awards for his performance. Theatergoers also remember Wright in the key speaking role of "Da Voice" in "Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk" and as The Fool opposite F. Murray Abraham in the New York Shakespeare Festival production of "King Lear."

His other stage appearances have largely been divided between the Arena Stage in Washington and the Yale Repertory Theatre. For the Arena, he has appeared in "Les Blancs," "Juno and the Paycock" and "She Stoops to Conquer," and at Yale Rep he was in "Daylight in Exile," "Playboy of the West Indies" and "Search and Destroy." Wright's television appearances include "Homicide," "The Young Indiana Jones," "Separate but Equal" and "New York Undercover."

Wright was born and raised in Washington, D.C. He studied political science at Amherst College and intended to become a lawyer until his interests turned to acting in his senior year.

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