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Boris Kodjoe

Boris Kodjoe was born in Vienna, Austria, and raised in Freiburg, Germany. The handsome performer, born to a German mother (a psychologist) and African father (a physician from Ghana), came to America in 1992 on a tennis scholarship to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, where his aspirations to play professionally were derailed by a back injury. Before earning a marketing degree in 1996, he was approached by an agent of the Ford Modeling agency in New York, which he joined right after college graduation. He worked with renowned photographers like Bruce Weber, Herb Ritts, and Mathew Rolston, and his impressive track record brought him a Supermodel Award at the Fall '98 fashion shows. Kodjoe graced the pages of some of the globe's most popular men's magazines while capturing the attention of Hollywood casting agents in search of a fresh, new face.

Kodjoe made his movie debut in the Spike Lee production Love and Basketball, costarring opposite Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps. He guest-starred on such TV shows as The Steve Harvey Show, Boston Public and Eve before landing his biggest role at the time— Damon Carter, the delivery man who falls for one of three African-American sisters (Nicole Ari Parker) on Showtime's Soul Food. Based on the hit 1997 film, Kodjoe starred in the ensemble drama for five seasons.

Kodjoe and Parker (who married in 2005 and have two children) next co-starred together in the film Brown Sugar alongside Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan. The real-life couple next reunited onscreen as a divorced and remarried couple on the UPN show Second Time Around. Kodjoe has also done guest roles on Nip/Tuck and Crossing Jordan. Other movie credits include Doing Hard Time, The Gospel, Madea's Family Reunion, All About Us alongside Oscar winner Morgan Freeman and Oscar nominee Ruby Dee, and two recently completed projects—Starship Troopers 3: Marauder and The Confidant.

For his screen work, Kodjoe has received four NAACP Image Award Nominations -- three as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama for Soul Food and the other for his supporting performance in Brown Sugar.

In addition to his career in front of the cameras, Kodjoe has also recently triumphed onstage. In April 2008, he made his Broadway debut when he took on the role of Brick in Tennessee William's classic drama, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, starring opposite James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Anika Noni Rose.

But Boris' true passion and his lifetime mission is to raise awareness about Spina Bifida. He and his wife Nicole established the Sophie's Voice Foundation (www.sophiesvoicefoundation.org) in honor of their daughter Sophie who was diagnosed at birth. Their efforts include prevention, care, and surgical studies, and they are committed to improving the lives of children and adults with Spina Bifida as well as finding a cure for the most preventable of all birth defects.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2009.
Read earlier biographies on this page.

Boris Kodjoe Facts

OccupationActor
BirthdayMarch 8, 1973 (51)
SignPisces
BirthplaceVienna, Austria
Height6' 2½" (1m89)  How tall is Boris Kodjoe compared to you?

Selected Filmography

Resident Evil: Retribution
Resident Evil: Afterlife
Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion
Surrogates
Addicted
Baggage Claim
Madea's Family Reunion
Starship Troopers 3: Marauder
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