Lakeith Stanfield

Biography

Lakeith Stanfield is an American Theater, TV, Movie actor, Songwriter, signer, rapper. He is popular for portraying the role of Bill O'Neal in Judas and the Black Messiah, Jimmie Lee Jackson a human rights activist in the Martin Luther King biopic movie Selma(2014).

He received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)

Some of his roles are Apollo in "The Changeling", Clarence/ Thomas in "The Book of Clarence", Ben Matthais in "Haunted Mansion", Darius in "Atlanta" among others.

Childhood- Family

Lakeith Lee Stanfield was born on 12th August 1991 in San Bernardino, California to Gary Stanfield(Father) and Karen Garrett(Mother).

He has two younger twin brothers, both his younger brothers have autism. He also has sisters. He moved out of the house when he was just 12. Lagareth Stanfield is his brother; Kamyra Stanfield & Clarissa Stanfield are his sisters.

His mother Karen had seven children and worked at fast food joints to take care of them. She fled from abusive relationship to protect her children. [Lakeith laughs that Karen has become synonymous with white female entitlement]

While growing up he did not have friends of his age, he did not like the fact that they were into violent stuff and ordinary things. Drama Club helped him find friends with whom he grew up and shared his youth.

He was raised in Riverside, San Bernardino & Victorville. He was brought up in a poor family with poverty and difficulties, however as per his own saying he doesn't carry the baggage of past and is at ease in the present.

Education

• Victor Valley High School: He attended the drama classes at the school. He decided to become an actor at the age of 14, he took it seriously in High School and participated in school Dramas. His drama teacher, Miss Schee cast him as Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He was a thespian all 4 years of his High School.
• He attended the John Casablancas Modeling & Career Center in Los Angeles.

Lakeith is trained and practiced in method acting. 

Relationships- Marriage

Xosha Roquemore

Lakeith Stanfield and actress Xosha Roquemore had been together since August of 2015, they had a daughter together, born in June of 2017.

Image: Lakeith Stanfield with girlfriend Xosha Roquemore

Tylor Hurd

He has a duaghter with artist Tylor Hurd named Apollo Stanfield born in 2022.

[Tylor Hurd with daughter Apollo Stanfield]

Kasmere Trice

[Lakeith Stanfield with wife Kasmere Trice and the child]

Lakeith met model Kasmere for the first time in Canada, where he was working.

Lakeith proposed to Kasmere on an island vacation in December before her birthday in 2022. The two got married in a private ceremony by July 2023. 

They have a child together.

Career

His first assignments were in commercials.

 Short Term 12 (2009)

Lakeith began his career with a role in the short movie Short Term 12 (2009) which was a college project of director Destin Daniel Cretton. His mother sent him $3500 to help him make the 21 minute San Diego State University film school thesis project, which went on to win teh grand jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

Before his big break on 'Short Term 12' he was so broke that he did not have enough to pay for internet package on his phone to check email. He did odd jobs like Planting, Gardening, Roof-fixing working at AT &T, legal marijuana factory, etc.

Music Career

Lakeith is part of the music band 'Moors', along with Hrishikesh Hirway of Song Exploder.  Lakeith's chosen stage name for his musical career is Htiekal (which is Lakeith reversed)

Self Control

He is working on a new Album named 'Self Control'. it is about the struggles, about going through the hard times with hope and crossing to the other side. 

The first song of the slbum 'Fast Life' was released on 26th March 2020. Fast life is about being caught up in the lights and glimmer, forgetting to smell the roses on the dance that is Life. 

Brother

He is working on an EP titled Brother, 

Filmography

Movies

TV Series

Music Videos

 Interesting Facts

• He has appeared alongside Jay-Z in the music video Moonlight(2017)
• Lakeith has been appearing in the theater as well.
• In Straight Outta Compton(2015) the biography of Snoop Dogg, he portrayed the role of Snoop Dogg, the rapper.
• He can do Caribbean accent quite easily, and has used it in some of the movies.
• After "Atlanta" won the Golden Globe award for best comedy Lakeith did a crazy dance on stage.
• Early in his career he maintained a distance with other crew, he wanted to give his full to the character and he was desperate to make it big.
• He remembers watching movies like FernGully (1992), Jason's Lyric (1994), The Lion King (1994),  Menace II Society (1993) as a kid of 3/4 years, he enjoyed them as a kid.
• As a kid, he would do sock puppets for his Aunt. that was his first experience as a performer.
• He got his first agent after a surfer skit.
• Characters he loves to play: DC Comics villain and Batman's arch enemy the Joker. [2]
• He likes to play the character Sidney Poitier played in ''Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?'' [2]
• COVID Times: Lakeith spent the covid times doing things he hadn't done in a while, like cooking, working on his music, talking to people. [3]

Tattoos

He has tattoos of geometric symbols, snakes, birds and his mother's name 'Karen' on his hands, arms and chest.

Awards

 Quotes

• About his visit to Utah after becoming a star "Last time I was here at the airport there were about 3 people with my headshot asking for my autograph, this time there are about 50 people and there were so many things I had to sign, my wrist was getting tired, but I love, love, love the love."
• The attention is normal because I anticipated it, There would be at some point a lot of attention and that's okay.
• You can be the most intelligent person, if you don't have a guide to channel that force, a lot of times, it can be futile. [2]
• I'm a little baby in a barrel just taking everything in. I'm just so fortunate to do whatever I'm doing. [2]
• My biggest strength is I'm courageous, if I am afraid of something I do it.
• Some people look like they're lost, Even if they're in terrible situation, one small thing you do to help them can go a long way to change their lives.
• I always knew I'd be an actor.
• For me, life is like an act within itself. Everything I do is an act.
• I know what it’s like to go through struggle. I’m feeling a little bit more balanced these days.
• I invite awkwardness. I'm the King of Awkward.
• Some people look like they're lost causes, but they're not. Even if they're in a messed up situation, the one little thing you do to help can go a long way. [2]
• [About music] Music is something I do full-time in real life. I was doing music long before I was even thinking about acting.
• The biggest inspiration I find is just inside. [3]
• [do the lines between reality and fiction ever blur?] They always blur, man! Life is like the craziest movie. All we're trying to do is catch up with life with these movies. It's always crazy. [3]

Sources

1. Lakeith Stanfield on wikipedia
2. IMDB Bio page
3. GQ interview
4. Hollywood reporter coverage
5.