Keith David

Actor

Keith David

Born June 4, 1956 in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA202 films

Keith David Williams (born June 4, 1956) is an American actor. He is mostly known for his bass voice and screen presence in over 400 roles across film, stage, television, and interactive media.

Read more

He has starred in such films as The Thing (1982), Platoon (1986), They Live (1988), Dead Presidents(1995), Armageddon (1998), There's Something About Mary (1998), Requiem for a Dream (2000), Pitch Black (2000), Barbershop (2002), Crash (2004), The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), Cloud Atlas (2012), The Nice Guys (2016), Nope (2022), and American Fiction (2023). He starred as Elroy Patashnik in the sixth season of the NBC series Community (2015) and as Bishop James Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama Greenleaf (2016–2020).

His Emmy-winning voice acting career includes narrating Ken Burns films such as The War (2007) and Muhammad Ali (2021). In film, he has voiced Dr. Facilier in The Princess and the Frog (2009) and the Cat in Coraline (2009). On television, he portrayed Goliath in Gargoyles (1994–1997), Al Simmons / Spawn in Todd McFarlane's Spawn (1997–1999), The Flame King in Adventure Time (2012–2017), President Andre Curtis in Rick and Morty (2015–) and its upcoming spin-off President Curtis, King Andrias in Amphibia (2020–2022), Dr. Tenma in Pluto (2023), and Husk in Hazbin Hotel (2024–). Video game roles include the Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee in the Halo franchise (2004–2015), Julius Little and himself in the Saints Row series (2006–2017), Captain Anderson in the Mass Effect series (2007–2013), Chaos in Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008), Sergeant Foley in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009), and Commander Zavala in Destiny 2: The Final Shape (2024), which he assumed after the death of Lance Reddick in March 2023. He was part of the cast of The Nightmare Before Christmas live concert in October 2025, where he voiced Oogie Boogie, taking over the role from his longtime original voice actor, Ken Page, following his death in September 2024.

In July 2025, David was selected to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2026.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Keith David, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Start here

The best way into Keith David's work
They Live posterFirst watchThey Live19887.3as Frank ArmitageA leading role.A lone drifter stumbles upon a unique pair of sunglasses that reveal aliens are systematically gaining control of the Earth by masquerading as humans and lulling the public into submission.View film

Essential films

Ranked by role, acclaim and reach

Most loved on Nook

Rated by NookFilm members

Filmography

202 films as actor
  1. TBAATL 2: The HomecomingJohn Garnett
  2. TBAThe Price for FreedomReverend J.W. Bruno
  3. TBADreams of the Moon
  4. TBAMy New Friend JimJim Dandy
  5. TBAThe Nutcase
  6. TBABob's Best FriendsCuddles (voice)
  7. 2028Captain Zero: The MovieThe Depression Demon (voice)
  8. 2026Spider-Man: Brand New DayNarrator of Spider Video (voice)
  9. 2026Mike & Nick & Nick & AliceSosa
  10. 2025Hazbin Hotel: Live on Broadway(voice) (uncredited)
  11. 2025Shelby OaksMorton Jacobson
  12. 2025Hazbin Hotel: Sing-AlongHusk (voice)
  13. 2025Finding FaithHenry
  14. 2025OmniscientAlistair
  15. 2025Captain Zero: Into the Abyss Part IIThe Depression Demon (voice)
  16. 2025Tim Travers and the Time Traveler's ParadoxThe Simulator
  17. 2025SneaksO.G. (voice)
  18. 2025Portal to HellMr. Bobshank
  19. 2024Mufasa: The Lion KingMasego (voice)
  20. 2024Betty & BlueWillie 'Blue' Watson
  21. 2024The PrankPrincipal Henderson
  22. 2023American FictionWilly the Wonker
  23. 2023Heist 88Buddha Ray
  24. 2023From the ShadowsDr. Leonard Bertram
  25. 2023A Snowy Day in OaklandMr. Monroe
  26. 2023Parallel Worlds: A Psychedelic Love StoryJerry
  27. 2022A Miracle Before ChristmasDavid
  28. 2022EntergalacticMr. Rager (voice)
  29. 2022Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson StoryInk Williams
  30. 2022DC League of Super-PetsDog-El (voice)
  31. 2022NopeOtis Haywood Sr.
  32. 2022UnpluggingGil
  33. 2022The Wonderful Spring of Mickey MouseNarrator (voice)
  34. 2022Catwoman: HuntedTobias Whale / Morax (voice)
  35. 2022African Redemption: The Life and Legacy of Marcus GarveyNarrator
  36. 2021Pups AloneThe Wise Bartender
  37. 2021Black as NightBabineaux
  38. 2021The GatewayTerry
  39. 2021The Seventh DayFather Louis
  40. 2021InsightCaptain Duke
  41. 2020Horizon LineFreddy Wyman
  42. 2020Most Guys Are LosersAl
  43. 2020GoodGregory Devereaux
  44. 2020The 420 MovieChief Ironweed
  45. 201921 BridgesDeputy Chief Spencer
  46. 2019The Wedding YearPreston
  47. 2019You Might Be the KillerSheriff James
  48. 2018Love JackedEd
  49. 2018Night SchoolGerald
  50. 2018American DresserCharlie
  51. 2018Sharon 1.2.3.Tyrone
  52. 2018Tales from the Hood 2Portifoy Simms
  53. 2018Ray Meets HelenHarve
  54. 2017Savage DogValentine
  55. 2017V-Force: New Dawn of V.I.C.T.O.R.Y.Kevin Bishop
  56. 2016Service to ManDean Holmes
  57. 2016Range 15Colonel Holloway
  58. 2016The Nice GuysOlder Guy
  59. 2016Blue: The American DreamTerry Venable
  60. 2016NinaClifton's Father
  61. 2016The North StarFrederick Douglass
  62. 2016Dirty LiesDoc
  63. 2016The Last PunchDon King
  64. 2015Dutch BookJoe Johnson
  65. 2015If I Tell You I Have to Kill YouDetective Harris
  66. 2015Boiling PotAgent Long
  67. 2015Kids vs MonstersBarry
  68. 2015Union FurnacePin Stripe
  69. 2015Secrets of the Magic CityMr. Daniels
  70. 2015Field of Lost ShoesOld Judge
  71. 2014H4Worcester
  72. 2013Frog KingdomFrog King (voice)
  73. 2013Free BirdsChief Broadbeak (Voice)
  74. 2013Sons of LibertyNathan Reynolds
  75. 2013Assault on Wall StreetFreddy
  76. 2013Black AsylumAgent Davis
  77. 2013Don't Pass Me ByDavid Knox
  78. 2012Christmas in ComptonBig Earl
  79. 2012Cloud AtlasKupaka / Joe Napier / An-kor Apis / Prescient
  80. 2012Double or NothingHomeless Dude
  81. 2012SmileyDiamond
  82. 2012HighwayMustafa
  83. 2012The Last FallSydney Bishop
  84. 2012The UndershepherdBrother Wilks
  85. 2012AniMen: The Galactic BattleSergeant Brass
  86. 2011The Greening of Whitney BrownClerk
  87. 2011Hopelessly in JuneDalbert Myers
  88. 2011The InheritanceUncle Melvin
  89. 2011Samuel BleakNed Coffman
  90. 2011No Saints for SinnersVictor
  91. 2010Stomp the Yard 2: HomecomingTerry
  92. 2010Chain LetterDetective Jim Crenshaw
  93. 2010Lottery TicketSweet Tee
  94. 2010Chasing 3000Officer L.
  95. 2010Something Like A BusinessSebastian
  96. 2010Meet Monica VelourClaude
  97. 2010SporkCoach Jenkins
  98. 2010Death at a FuneralReverend Davis
  99. 2009The Princess and the FrogDr. Facilier (voice)
  100. 2009Beautiful LoserMorgan - Adult
  101. 2009GamerAgent Keith
  102. 2009All About SteveCorbitt
  103. 2009The ButcherLarry Cobb
  104. 2009Pastor BrownPastor Brown
  105. 2009Don McKayOtis Kent
  106. 2009BlueTerry Venable
  107. 2009Charlie ValentineSal
  108. 2009Against the DarkLt. Waters
  109. 2009CoralineThe Cat (voice)
  110. 2009Behind Enemy Lines III: ColombiaCommander Scott Boytano
  111. 2008S.I.S.Joseph Armstrong
  112. 2008The Fifth CommandmentMax 'Coolbreeze' Templeton
  113. 2008No Bad DaysTerrence
  114. 2008The SenseiMinister
  115. 2008My Mom's New BoyfriendFBI Chief Conrad
  116. 2008Superhero MovieThe Chief of Police
  117. 2008Justice League: The New FrontierThe Centre (voice)
  118. 2008First SundayJudge B. Bennet Galloway
  119. 2008The Candlelight MurdersPastor Bob
  120. 2007The Last SentinelColonel Norton