To be a leading man you need charisma, a since of presence and of course overall talent, but I personally feel there needs to be an even more important element that is somewhat specific to our black actors. And that is to be feared. I’m not referring to clutching your purse on an elevator when a black man steps on which is a learned behavior that dives deeper into our cultures history, but I’m referring to something more primal that is tied to dominance and power. Like a protector of a village. It’s sort of ingrained in our psyche. That’s what makes them earn respect. Don’t get me wrong. You can go far with humor, (Eddie and Will) and even quirkiness. But it’s unpredictability and an element of threat that pushes black actors to the forefront of a leading alpha man. So here is my list of 5 black actors who I feel are our next alpha males.
Omari Hardwick
I first saw Omari Hardwick in the film ‘Next Day Air’ and immediately saw his talent and alpha male, especially in the counter scene below. Born in Georgia, he is known for his roles in the TV series Saved and Dark Blue, Being Mary Jane, and in Spike Lee’s Miracle at St. Anna, The A-Team, and in Tyler Perry’s For Colored Girls. He currently stars in Starz’s Power as James “Ghost” St. Patrick. He ironically is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
Idris Elba
One of my favorite alpha males, Idris Elba made his big splash in the HBO drama, ‘The Wire’ as the infamous ‘Stringer Bell.’ British native Elba has appeared in films such as Ridley Scott’s American Gangster, Takers, Prometheus, Pacific Rim, and Beasts of No Nation, for which he received BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor, and Star Trek Beyond. Checkout his amazing acting skills in one of my favorite scenes from The Wire.
Trevante Rhodes
Trevante Rhodes is all the buzz right now after staring in the Academy Award-winning film for best picture, ‘Moonlight’ and receiving many accolades for his portrayal as Chiron. I personally haven’t seen it yet but first saw his talent in the Netflix film ‘Burning Sands’ and immediately saw his range. Especially in the bathroom scene while having a few words with Zurich, played by Trevor Jackson about hell week. But checkout his talent below from a scene in Moonlight.
Nate Parker
I saw Nate Parker’s performance in ‘The Great Debaters’ and ‘Beyond the Lights’. But it wasn’t until his supporting role in the Richard Gere’s film ‘Arbitrage’ that he really stood out to me. Nate Parker has also stared in Red Tales, Pride, The Secret Life of Bees and his own directorial debut feature film ‘The Birth of a Nation’ which he also starred in. Checkout his acting chops below.
Michael B. Jordan
Michael B Jordan is the it guy right now. He’s another one who made his presence known in the HBO drama, ‘The Wire’ as Wallace. But he really grew to stardom after ‘Fruitvale Station’ where he portrayed Oscar Grant, an unarmed teen kill by a police officer and also in ‘Creed’, alongside veteran Sylvester Stallone. In the summer of 2018 he will star with Chadwick Boseman in the Marvel film ‘Black Panther’ directed by friend Ryan Coogler.
What do you think of our list? Did we miss anyone? Let me know in the comment below.
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