Dominic Hoffman (born October 30, 1962) is an American actor and playwright. He is known for his recurring roles on The Shield as Louis Sperling, A Different World as Whitley's boyfriend, Julian Day, and Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Jeff Russell.
He is also an accomplished theater actor and playwright, earning Ovation awards in 2000 for his one-man show "Uncle Jacques' Symphony."
Hoffman is also a distinguished audiobook narrator, winning the 2017 Audie Award for Literary Fiction or Classics for his rendition of Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing. He has also been a finalist for two other Audie Awards and an Odyssey Award.
Personal life and education Hoffman received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He also received training from the American Conservatory Theater, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, and New York University Tisch School of the Arts.
Hoffman presently lives in Venice, California and spends time in Paris annually.
Awards and honors
Awards YearTitleMediaListResultRef.1996Blade to the HeatTheatreDramaLogue Award for Outstanding PerformanceWinner2017Homegoing (2016) by Yaa GyasiAudiobookAudie Award for Literary Fiction or ClassicsWinner2018 (2016) by Nicola YoonAudiobookAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsTop 102021Deacon King Kong (2020) by James McBrideAudiobookAudie Award for Literary Fiction or ClassicsFinalist2021When Stars are Scattered (2020) by Victoria Jamieson and Omar MohamedAudiobookAmazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsTop 102021When Stars are Scattered (2020) by Victoria Jamieson and Omar MohamedAudiobookOdyssey AwardHonor2022Four Hundred Souls, edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. BlainAudiobookAudie Award for Multi-Voiced PerformanceFinalistLast FareTheatreNAACP Image Award for Best PlayWinnerLast FareTheatreNAACP Image Award for Best ActorWinner
"Best of" lists YearTitleListRef.2006 by Paul RusesabaginaBooklist Editors' Choice: Media2012Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter MosleyRUSA Listen List2015: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights by Steve SheinkinAmazing Audiobooks for Young Adults2020Deacon King Kong (2020) by James McBrideAudioFile Best of Fiction2020When Stars are Scattered (2020) by Victoria Jamieson and Omar MohamedAudioFile Best of Children's Titles2020When Stars are Scattered (2020) by Victoria Jamieson and Omar MohamedBooklist Editors' Choice: Youth Audio, 20202021145th Street: Short Stories by Walter Dean MeyersAmazing Audiobooks for Young Adults2021When Stars are Scattered (2020) by Victoria Jamieson and Omar MohamedNotable Children's Recordings
Filmography
Film Year Film Role 1987 Jaws: The Revenge Additional Voices1988 School Daze Mustafa Casual Sex? Additional Voices Survival Quest Jeff 1992 Original Intent Cox 1997 One Eight Seven Victor 2001 Kingdom Come Antoine Depew 2008 Redbelt Detective 2013 Phil Spector Mr. Brown 2022 Swamp Lion Fred 2025 Henry Johnson Jerry
Television Year Title Role Notes 1985 V Visitor Episode: The Conversion 1986 Comedy Factory Bookstore Customer Episodes: Man About Town 1985-1988 St. Elsewhere Paramedic Tim Dillworth Five episodes: Give the Boy a Hand, The Naked and the Dead, The Boom Boom Womb, Heart On and Final Cut 1988 Cheers 2nd Customer Episode: Yacht of Fools1989 CBS Schoolbreak Special Donny Hall Episode: My Past Is My Own Beauty and the Beast Resident Episode: A Kingdom by the Sea 1989–1991 A Different World Kent Souje (1 episode) Julian Day (8 episodes) Nine episodes: For She's Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage (as Kent Souje)A World Alike, That's the Trouble with You All, A Camp Fire Story, Getaway: Part I, Getaway: Part II, Perhaps Love, 21 Candles, Ex-Communication (as Julian Day) 1990 Family Matters Steve Webster Episode: Torn Between Two Lovers1993 Living Single Patrick Episode: Living Single... with Children The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Dr. Kervarkian Episode: Home Is Where The Heart Attack Is 1993–1994 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Dr. Pickney (1 episode) Thaddeus Jamison White (5 episodes) Six episodes: Valentine's Day Massacre (as Dr. Pickney), Private School, It's My Party and I'll Die If I Want To, The Courtship of Mark Cooper, Truth or Consequences, Pros and Convicts (as Thaddeus Jamison White)1995 Mad About You Waiter Episode: Two Tickets to Paradise NYPD Blue Bar Owner Episode: E.R. 1996 Buddies Marcel Episode: The PSA Story 1997 The Jamie Foxx Show Kenneth Episode: I am What I Scam Port Charles Byron Rollins Unknown episodes 1999 Between Brothers Ramon Episode: Fantasy Camp/Home Boyz of Summer 2004-2005 The Shield Lou Sperling Three episodes: Strays, All In, Grave 2006 The Unit Neil Krinsman Two episodes: Report by Exception, Bait 2008 Jericho Colonel Fetts Episode: Patriots and Tyrants2009 24 Raymond Howell Episode: Day 7: 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Lie to Me SEC Deputy Ian Dawkins Episode: Depraved Heart The Mentalist Agent Hicks Four episodes: The Scarlet Letter, Black Gold and Red Blood, Red Bulls, His Red Right Hand 2012–2013 Grey's Anatomy Dr. Jeff Russell Three episodes: Second Opinion, Bad Blood, Idle Hands 2019 S.W.A.T. Ben Mosley Episodes: Rocket Fuel
Audiobooks YearTitleAuthorNotes2018The Collected Essays of Ralph EllisonRalph Ellison2019WanderersChuck Wendig2020Exhalation Ted Chiang2022The Final StrifeSaara El-Arifi2023White Cat, Black DogKelly Link2023Same Bed Different DreamsEd Park2023The Heaven & Earth Grocery StoreJames McBride2023Life and Other Love SongsAnissa Gray2024JamesPercival EverettAudible Audiobook of the Year 20242024The Memory PalaceNate Dimeo2024Black StarKwame Alexander2024The Black BoxHenry Louis Gates Jr.2024Redwood CourtDéLana R. A. Dameron2025King SorrowJoe Hill
References
External links
Dominic Hoffman Facebook Page Dominic Hoffman Ovation Award LA Times 2000