Dennis L. A. White
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Dennis L. A. White | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Dennis Da Menace |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2000–present |
Dennis L. A. White is an American actor noted for portraying Damion "D-Roc" Butler in the Notorious B.I.G. biopic entitled Notorious.
Early life[edit]
White was born and raised in Southern California in 1973,to a Grammy nominated mother and a military father. He was exposed to many different cultures and ideas. When his family relocated to Fayetteville, North Carolina he developed his love for music and acting. He was offered a baseball scholarship while a student at Westover High School to play baseball but he decided to take an academic scholarship at Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. [citation needed]
Career[edit]
In 2001, Dennis, under the guise of "Dennis Da Menace", put out his Billboard charted album, The Wonderful World of Dennis. In 2003, Dennis became the first African-American host at Fuse Television. He began to host several TV shows: Weekend Vibe, HBO's 5 Rounds and Chatzone, and MTV's Hip Hop Life. [citation needed]
White then pursued his love for acting with appearances in The Brave One with Jodie Foster, Law & Order: SVU, The Jury, I Think I Love My Wife, etc. In 2010, he portrayed a cancer stricken comedian in Marq Overton's Off Broadway play, Die Laughing. White also played Virgil on The N mini-series, Miracle's Boys. Dennis had a recurring role on TNT (TV channel)'s The Closer. In 2009, Dennis created "Act Like You Know", a company that gives acting workshops and seminars to aspiring actors across the country. In 2009, Dennis became the re-occurring character "Mistah Ray" on NBC's Parenthood. [citation needed]
In 2013, Dennis started a foundation called "M.O.R.P.H." to help eradicate racial profiling. [citation needed]
In 2018, Dennis strategically aligned his career and brand with personal manager, Jameelah "Just Jay" Wilkerson, President/CEO of The Hype Magazine Network; a media conglomerate based in North America. Wilkerson is also President of Marketing and Business Affairs with Palm Tree Entertainment, home to platinum-selling artists Soulja Boy and iHeartMemphis creator of the global smash Hit The Quan. [citation needed]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Swimming | Jeeper | |
| 2007 | I Think I Love My Wife | Party Thug | |
| The Brave One | Thug on Subway | ||
| 2009 | Notorious | Damion | |
| 2010 | April's Fools | Tamil | |
| Code Blue | - | ||
| Three Chris's | Chris Walker | ||
| 2011 | King of Paper Chasin' | J.B. | |
| After Hours: The Movie | Rugged & Menace Hit Man | ||
| 2012 | Dysfunctional Friends | Minister | |
| Small Apartments | Marcus | ||
| Changing the Game | Adult Dre | ||
| 2013 | Dreams | Jermaine | |
| 2014 | Envy or Greed | Bobby Connell | Short |
| The Other Side | Detective Michaels | ||
| Lap Dance | Pauly | ||
| Sky Eye | Carson | Short | |
| 2015 | Bleeding Hearts | Chris Walker | |
| Diamond Ruff | Rev. Trek Woods | ||
| Sweet Lorraine | Lincoln Kennedy | ||
| 2016 | Bad Dad Rehab | Slick Rick | TV movie |
| 2017 | Secrets | Jay Jenkins | |
| The White Sistas | Bingo | ||
| Thank You for Your Service | Dante's Friend | ||
| 2019 | All In | Dupree | |
| 2020 | Turnt | Detective Kruthers | |
| The Prayer | Thomas Sr. | ||
| The Witness Protection Program | Dontae | ||
| Power Corrupts | LT. Gov Jeff Davis | ||
| 2021 | Entanglement | Hendrix | |
| Crossover | Chris | ||
| Dear Best Friend | Mark | ||
| Letters from the Bottle | Dean Callaway | ||
| Careful What You Ask For! | Jay Rogers | Short | |
| The Pros of Cons | Ray Turk | ||
| 2022 | Super Turnt | Detective Kruthers | |
| No Better Love | Mr. Thompson | ||
| A Father's Pride | Deacon Walters | ||
| Scam City | King | ||
| 2023 | Mickey Hardaway | Joseph Sweeney | |
| Street Connected | Detective Peters | ||
| Cuzo | - | ||
| The Pass | Deon | ||
| Halfway House | OG |
Television[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | IMX | Himself/Host | Main Host |
| The Jury | Derrick Smith-Bey | Episode: "Bangers" | |
| 2005 | Jonny Zero | Pillsbury | Episode: "I Did It All for the Nooky" |
| Miracle's Boys | Virgil | Recurring Cast | |
| 2010 | Let's Talk About Pep | Himself | Episode: "Episode #1.3" |
| 2010-11 | The Closer | Reggie Moses | Guest Cast: Season 1-2 |
| 2011-13 | Parenthood | Mista Ray | Guest: Season 3, Recurring Cast: Season 5 |
| 2012 | NYC 22 | Teef | Episode: "Samaritans" |
| 2014 | Almost Home | Hassan | Episode: "You Gone Learn Today..." |
| Black Dynamite | Arnold's Stomach (voice) | Episode: "Diff'rent Folks, Same Strokes or The Hunger Pain Games" | |
| 2016-18 | Atlanta | Bald Man/D.J. | Guest Cast: Season 1-2 |
| 2018-20 | The Family Business | Kennedy | Recurring Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2 |
| 2020 | 5th Ward The Series | OG Russell | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
Video Games[edit]
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Def Jam Fight for NY | Baxter (voice) |
| 2005 | The Warriors | Sid/Glenn/Keenan/Jonah (voices) |
References[edit]
- A. O. Scott. "Notorious (2009) A Rapper's Tale, Larger Than Life". New York Times. 16 January 16, 2009
- Williams, Houston. "Dennis White: The Realest Thespian In Hollywood". allhiphop.com. 11 October 2010.
- Colclough, Glenys. "Notorious Elevation: A Conversation with Dennis LA White". Prominence Magazine. p. 43. Fall 2010.