Clifton Powell is an American actor and comedian who has primarily played supporting roles in films, such as in Ray (2004), for which he received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture nomination. He is also known for voicing Big Smoke in the action-adventure game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).
Career Powell had a string of critical and commercial successes in the 1990s and early 2000s. These films include House Party (1990), Menace II Society (1993), Dead Presidents (1995), Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Rush Hour (both 1998), Selma, Lord, Selma (1999), Next Friday (2000), and its 2002 sequel, Friday After Next, Woman Thou Art Loosed (2004), and Ray (2004). He was initially cast in a supporting role in the Eddie Murphy-led film Vampire in Brooklyn, (1995) but abruptly quit the movie after an unnamed sound operator was allegedly racist toward him and the film's producers - who were informed about the incident - chose not to do anything about it.Clifton Powell on Vampires in Brooklyn A decade later, Murphy went on to cast Powell in a supporting role in the box office hit Norbit. (2007)
Around that time in the mid 2000s and continuing for the next two decades, Powell transitioned to working on many smaller, low budget, direct-to-video films as well as appearing in small guest roles on television shows. Powell had recurring roles on Roc, South Central, and Army Wives, and well as guest-starred on In the Heat of the Night, Murder, She Wrote, NYPD Blue, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and House. In 2016, Powell was cast as main antagonist in the Bounce TV first prime time soap opera, Saints & Sinners opposite Vanessa Bell Calloway and Gloria Reuben. Powell also lent his voice for Big Smoke in the action-adventure game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).
Personal life Powell was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Mayfair Mansions in Northeast D.C. He attended HD Woodson Senior High School, before he transferred and graduated from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Powell is married to Kimberly, with whom he has two children.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1984 Alphabet City Ramon 1990 House Party Sharane's Brother Heat Wave Rioter 1 TV movie 1992 Deep Cover Officer Leland 3 Ninjas FBI Agent Jerry Kurl 1993 Conflict of Interest Detective Oakes Menace II Society Chauncey 1994 Green Dolphin Beat Armstrong TV movie Nowhere to Hide Braddock TV movie 1995 Divas Bobby TV movie Dead Presidents Cutty 1997 Riot Steve TV movie First Time Felon King TV movie Buffalo Soldiers – TV movie 1998 Phantoms General Leland Copperfield Deep Rising Mason Caught Up Herbert / Frank Lowden The Pentagon Wars Sergeant Benjamin Dalton TV movie Why Do Fools Fall in Love Lawrence Roberts Rush Hour Luke 1999 Safe House Detective Horace Williams The Breaks Cosmo Foolish Everette Washington Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years Frazier Johnson TV movie No Tomorrow Styles 2000 Next Friday Pinky Hot Boyz Saint Video A Private Affair Isaiah TV movie Lockdown Malachi Young 2001 The Brothers Fred Smith Bones Jeremiah Peet 2002 Civil Brand Captain Alan Deese Ticker FBI Agent Short Friday After Next Pinky Play'd: A Hip Hop Story Oz TV movie 2003 Crime Partners Kenyatta Love Chronicles Thomas Tapped Out Detective Blackman 2004 Never Die Alone Moon Woman Thou Art Loosed Reggie Ray Jeff Brown Roscoe's House of Chicken n Waffles Mo Fro Video Sugar Valentine Joshua Valentine Da Block Party Action Jackson Video Pryor Offenss Bucky TV movie He Say... She Say... But What Does GOD Say? Satin Jones Video Choices 2 – Video 2005 Rhythm City Volume One: Caught Up Big Man Video White Men Can't Rap DaRon Golden Empire Old School The Fabric of a Man Blair Video Brothers in Arms Doc The Gospel Bishop Fred Taylor Knights of the South Bronx Cokey TV movie 2006 Confessions of a Call Girl Chauncey Who Made the Potatoe Salad? Mr. Jenkins It Ain't Easy Fish Video Faceless Langdon Fox TV movie 2007 Norbit Earl Latimore Da Block Party 2 Action Jackson Video Gangsta Rap: The Glockumentary Tommy Guns Young Cesar Ali Dean Father of Lies Bishop Calvin Jacobs Video 2008 First Sunday Officer Eddie King R&B Chick Benjamin Video Show Stoppers Coach Street Kings Sergeant Green Love for Sale Cinque Block Party Madness Action Jackson Video Vicious Circle Freddy 3 Dimensions of a Man Spencer Video The Rimshop Joe Joe's Father Internet Dating Leroy 'The Pimp' Video Jazz in the Diamond District Blair Morgan Jada Terrance American Dream Old Skool 2009 Man of Her Dreams Senator Marcus Gordon There's a Stranger in My House Mr. John Moore God Send Me a Man Bishop Steppin: The Movie Detective Lewis Just Another Day Bowman Before I Self Destruct Sean Video Busted Leroy Contradictions of the Heart Damien Video 2010 Preacher's Kid Ike Let God Be the Judge Gabriel When The Lights Go Out Freddy Video Heaven Ain't Hard to Find Big Bill Herod Trapped: Haitian Nights Mike Vigilante: The Hayward Brown Story Henry Brown Chain Letter Coach Love Me or Leave Me Cecil TV movie Something Like a Business Sexy Silk 2011 The Ideal Husband Daniel TV movie Street Kings 2: Motor City Detective Tyrone Fowler Video 35 and Ticking Zane She's Not Our Sister Rev. Beckley TV movie The Perfect Gift Michael Sr. He's Mine Not Yours Walter The Saints of Mt. Christopher Donald Ray Williams 23rd Psalm: Redemption Lester Wayne 2012 Dead Money Leon The Marriage Chronicles Robert McDaniel Nicki: A Hip Hop Love Story Mr. Jamison Supernatural Swamp Slaughter – Womack Gilly Smalls Short Note to Self Coach Gerald Woodson C'mon Man Roosevelt Steele Interludes Blake Somebody's Child Dr. Sperry TV movie The House of Malik Uncle Kyle The Undershepherd Deacon Roberts One Blood Winston 2013 Coffin Baby Detective S. Jackson Criminal Behavior Cedric They Die by Dawn Deputy Sheriff The Dempsey Sisters Theo Dempsey Shake Red Mutumbo the Lost Prince Oscer God's Precious Jewels Joe Thomas Forbidden Woman Randall Trace 2014 Blood Ransom Detective Hobbs 99 North Uncle P 2015 Fear Files Detective Owen Marsh TV movie A Baby for Christmas Gavin TV movie The Freight Rider William Short Love Won't Let Me Wait Bishop Buckworth 2016 The North Star Mr. Lee A Weekend with the Family Dingo Stankershet Guns and Grams Mr. Marshall Banger Chief Crans Where Hearts Lie Carl Hunting Season Thomas Curry Flowers Movie Mr. Waldell Merry Ex-Mas Pastor Jordan TV movie King of Newark Juice 2017 Mountain Top Larry Fletcher The Preacher's Son Bishop T.K. Wilson The Cheaters Club Marvin Misguided Behavior Captain Rogers Love by Chance Donald The Hills Captain Pearson Schooling Life President Adams Short All Eyez on Me Floyd Chasing Titles Vol. 1 T Parker Short 2018 Fade Away Eazy The Choir Director Bishop T.K. Wilson Easy Money Mr. Miller Couples' Night Rich Dogstar: High School 2 – (voice) Sinners Wanted One Eye A Talent for Trouble Mr. Wellington 5K1 Barry Worth Tony Fatima's Revenge Lt. Earl Garrison Juug Gone Wrong Mr. Johnson Everything That Glitters Fram Sliders Mr. Miller Gangland: The Musical Pastor Earl 2019 Prodigal Censear Sins of the Father Kevin TV movie I Got the Hook Up 2 Tony Smooth Diamond in the Rough Pastor Davis The Lick Movie Richard Jacobson Let Go and Let God Donald The Probe Commissioner Davis TV movie 2020 The Available Wife Mitchell Guns and Grams Mr. Marshall 2021 Saints & Sinners Judgment Day Rex TV movie Fruits of the Heart Marcus Envy: A Seven Deadly Sins Story – TV movie The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2 Angry Cop Moonlight Soul Greg Monaghan 2022 Chocolate City 3: Live Tour Mr. James Williams Boxed In Witt 'Pa' Scandrick The Next 24 Hours Max 2023 The Dirty 3rd: Next Generation Sugar Slim The In Law Gang! John Sr. Recession Proof Jackson Holloway Player Donti Player Boxed In 2 Witt 'Pa' Scandrick Gangster's Daughter 2 Ike Spencer 2024 Skeletons in the Closet Father Francisco Once in a Valentine William Trap City Goose The Probe Commissioner Davis Hidden Lies Hector Negligence Judge Mufasa: The Lion King Rhino (voice) 2025 Capital Punishment: Part 1 Police Chief Capital Punishment: Part 2 Police Chief Return of the Mack Detective Avery Calhoun TKO Hank Sebastian Captain Harris Car Show Kings Frank Blowback King In production
Television