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Billy Dee Williams

Actor

Billy Dee Williams

Born April 6, 1937 in New York City, New York, USA82 films

William December "Billy Dee" Williams Jr. (born April 6, 1937) is an American actor, artist, and singer. He is best known as Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars franchise, first in the early 1980s, and nearly forty years later in The Rise of Skywalker (2019), marking one of the longest intervals between onscreen portrayals of a character by the same actor in American film history.

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He made his film debut in 1959 in The Last Angry Man starring Paul Muni, in which he portrayed a juvenile delinquent. His first big break was in the acclaimed television movie, Brian's Song in which he played Gale Sayers. In 1972 he played Billie Holliday's husband Louis McKay in Motown Productions' Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues. Diana Ross starred in Lady Sings the Blues opposite Williams; Motown paired the two of them again three years later in Mahogany.

His work has earned him numerous awards and honors including three NAACP Image Awards, and the NAACP Lifetime Achievement award. He was inducted into the Black Filmmaker's Hall of Fame in 1984, and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1985.

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The best way into Billy Dee Williams's work
The Empire Strikes Back posterFirst watchThe Empire Strikes Back19808.4as Lando CalrissianThe epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Return of the Jedi poster7.9Return of the Jedi1983The Lego Movie poster7.4The Lego Movie2014Batman poster7.2Batman1989The Lego Batman Movie poster7.3The Lego Batman Movie2017Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker poster6.2Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker2019The Conversation poster7.5The Conversation1974Fanboys poster6.2Fanboys2009Nighthawks poster6.4Nighthawks1981

Filmography

82 films as actor
  1. TBABrown SugarHost - Narrator
  2. TBADark EmpireLando Calrissian
  3. 2025STZBroadcaster (voice)
  4. 2022LEGO Star Wars Summer VacationLando Calrissian (voice)
  5. 2020LEGO Star Wars Holiday SpecialLando Calrissian (voice)
  6. 2019Star Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerLando Calrissian
  7. 2017Movie Sound Effects: How Do They Do That?Two-Face (voice)
  8. 2017Batman Is Just Not That Into YouTwo-Face (voice)
  9. 2017Dirty DancingTito
  10. 2017The Lego Batman MovieTwo-Face (voice)
  11. 2015The Man in 3BCain
  12. 2015Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of LothalLando Calrissian (voice)
  13. 2014The Lego MovieLando (voice)
  14. 2011The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' RollAce Millstone
  15. 2010Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode IIILando Calrissian / Teacher (voice)
  16. 2010Barry MundayLonnie Green
  17. 20103 Ways to Get a HusbandWilliam
  18. 2009FanboysJudge Reinhold
  19. 2009Diary of a Single MomUncle Bo
  20. 2008Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode IILando Calrissian / Man (voice)
  21. 2008iMurdersRobert Delgado
  22. 2007ConstellationHelms Boxer
  23. 2006Snoop Dogg's Hood of HorrorPastor Charlie
  24. 2006Giraffes Can't Dance
  25. 2004The Maintenance ManMelven
  26. 2003Epoch: EvolutionFerguson
  27. 2003Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal VirtuosaNarrator
  28. 2002Undercover BrotherGen. Warren Boutwell
  29. 2002The Last Place on EarthDr. Davis
  30. 2001The VisitHenry
  31. 2001Good NeighborSgt. Paul Davidson
  32. 2000The Ladies ManLester
  33. 2000Fear Runs SilentSheriff Hammond
  34. 1999The ContractSenator Harmon
  35. 1998Hard TimeLeo Barker
  36. 1997The Fourth KingGasparre
  37. 1997Steel SharksAdm. Jim Perry
  38. 1996The Prince
  39. 1996Moving TargetDetective Don Racine
  40. 1996Mask of DeathAgent Jeffries
  41. 1995TriplecrossAgent Oscar Pierce
  42. 1995Falling For YouLieutenant Frank Lazaro
  43. 1993Message from NamFelix
  44. 1993Percy & ThunderRalph Tate
  45. 1993Alien IntruderCommander Skyler
  46. 1993Marked for MurderCapt. Jack Reilly
  47. 1992Giant StepsSlate Thompson
  48. 1991Driving Me CrazyMax
  49. 1990Dangerous PassionLou
  50. 1990Secret Agent 00 SoulSecret Agent Zero
  51. 1989BatmanHarvey Dent
  52. 1988The Return of DesperadoDaniel Lancaster
  53. 1987Deadly IllusionHamberger
  54. 1987Number One with a BulletDet. Hazeltine
  55. 1986CourageBobby Jay
  56. 1986Oceans of FireJim McKinley
  57. 1986The Right of the PeopleMike Trainor
  58. 1985Marvin & TigeRichard Davis
  59. 1984The ImpostorMatthew Raines
  60. 1984Fear CityAl Wheeler
  61. 1984Time BombJake Calahan
  62. 1983Shooting StarsDouglas Hawk
  63. 1983Return of the JediLando Calrissian
  64. 1981NighthawksMatthew Fox
  65. 1980Children of DivorceWalter Williams
  66. 1980The Hostage TowerClarence Whitlock
  67. 1980The Empire Strikes BackLando Calrissian
  68. 1979Christmas Lilies of the FieldHomer Smith
  69. 1977Scott JoplinScott Joplin
  70. 1976The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor KingsBingo
  71. 1975MahoganyBrian
  72. 1975Carter's ArmyPvt. Lewis
  73. 1974The TakeSneed
  74. 1974The ConversationMan in Yellow Hat (uncredited)
  75. 1973Hit!Nick Allen
  76. 1972Lady Sings the BluesLouis McKay
  77. 1972The Final ComedownJohnny Johnson
  78. 1972The Glass HouseLennox
  79. 1971Brian's SongGale Sayers
  80. 1970Lost FlightMerle Barnaby
  81. 1970The Out-of-TownersClifford Robinson, Lost & Found Clerk
  82. 1959The Last Angry ManJosh Quincy