Omar J. Dorsey

Actor

Classically trained actor Omar J. Dorsey is widely known for his critically-acclaimed roles in multiple Oscar nominated films and award-winning television programs.

Dorsey is currently the co-lead opposite Sebastian Maniscalco in the HBO Max single camera sports comedy Bookie, from executive producer Chuck Lorre. Bookie follows Ray (Dorsey) and Danny (Maniscalco) as a veteran bookie who must fight to survive the legalization of sports gambling, increasingly unstable clients, and fast-paced list in Los Angeles. Season two is set to premiere on the steamer in December.

Prior, Dorsey starred in the Oprah Winfrey Network’s drama, Queen Sugar, for seven seasons. The dramatic TV series was created, directed and executive produced by Ava DuVernay, alongside Oprah Winfrey. The series was based on the novel by Natalie Baszile and followed the story of three estranged siblings who inherit an 800-acre sugar cane farm in the heart of Louisiana from their recently departed father. Dorsey played “Hollywood Desonier,” the younger lover to Tina Lifford’s character, ‘Violet Bordelon,” who is the aunt to the siblings, played by Kofi Siriboe, Rutina Wesley and Dawn-Lyen Gardner. Queen Sugar debuted to record-breaking ratings in September 2016 and won “Outstanding Drama Series” at the 2017 and 2022 NAACP Awards.
On the silver screen, Dorsey co-starred alongside Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Nick Castle and Toby Huss in the Blumhouse-produced reboots of Halloween, Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends. Dorsey also starred opposite Miles Teller and Amy Schumer in the Dreamworks/Amblin Entertainment drama, Thank You For Your Service, which examines how post-traumatic stress disorder affects American service men and women returning home from war.

Dorsey was most recently seen in the four-episode Netflix series When They See Us directed by Ava DuVernay. His film Harriet with Leslie Odom Jr. and Janelle Monae released in 2019.
On stage, Dorsey was part of the west coast version of Barbecue, a play from Helen Hayes Award winner Robert O’Hara and Tony nominated director Colman Domingo. Called “an American classic,” by the New Yorker, Barbecue is a raucous comedy that skewers our warped view of the American family.
Dorsey co-starred opposite Liev Schreiber in Showtime’s critically-acclaimed crime drama, Ray Donovan which follows a “fixer” (Schreiber) for a powerful law firm representing the rich and famous. Dorsey’s character, “Cookie Brown,” is an ex-con/Hip Hop mogul who stirs trouble for Ray Donovan.

In 2014, he was featured in the Academy Award-nominated Paramount Pictures’ film, Selma, a drama based on Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s that changed America. Dorsey co-starred as James E. Orange, a pastor and top aide to MLK whose 1965 jailing sparked the bloody Selma to Montgomery marches. Selma was produced by Oprah Winfrey and Brad Pitt and co-starred Common, Cuba Gooding Jr. and David Oyelowo.

In 2013, Dorsey co-starred with Danny McBride in HBO’s comedy series, Eastbound & Down. His role as “Dontel Benjamin,” a flashy former NFL player turned loudmouth talk-show host who goes head to head with Danny McBride’s character, “Kenny Powers” was critically acclaimed.
An Atlanta native, Dorsey studied acting at Georgia State University and trained under storied actor Afemo Omilami. In 2009 he co-starred with Sandra Bullock in Warner Bros.’ monster hit, The Blind Side which was nominated for an Oscar for “Best Motion Picture” and grossed over $309 million worldwide. In 2012, Dorsey co-starred in the Academy Award nominated western, “Django Unchained,” which grossed over $425 million worldwide, starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, and Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Quentin Tarantino.

Dorsey’s TV credits include roles on television shows such as Bones, Rizzoli & Isles, K-Ville, NCIS, CSI: NY, Castle, Aquarius and The Mentalist.

He currently lives in Los Angeles.