Jesse L. Martin - wikipedia Jesse L. Martin Jesse L. Martin Martin at the PaleyFest Fall TV Previews 2014 for The Flash Jesse Lamont Watkins ( 1969 - 03 - 20 ) March 20, 1969 ( age 48 ) Rocky Mount, Virginia, U.S. Residence Manhattan, New York Other names Jesse Lamont Martin Occupation Actor, singer Years active 1993 -- present Jesse L. Martin ( born Jesse Lamont Watkins ; January 18, 1969 ) is an American actor and singer. He is best known for originating the role of Tom Collins on Broadway in the musical Rent and his television roles as NYPD Detective Ed Green on Law & Order and Detective Joe West on The Flash. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2.1 Television 2.2 Film 2.3 Other work 3 Personal life 4 Stage work 5 Filmography 6 References 7 External links Early life Martin, the third of four sons, was born in Rocky Mount, Virginia. His father, Jesse Reed Watkins ( 1943 - 2003 ), was a truck driver, and his mother, Virginia Price, a college counselor ; the two divorced when he was a child. His mother eventually remarried and Martin adopted his stepfather 's surname. When Martin was in grade school, the family relocated to Buffalo, New York, but Martin began to dislike speaking because of his Southern accent and was often overcome with shyness. A concerned educator and mentor influenced him to join an after - school drama program and cast him as the pastor in The Golden Goose. Being from Virginia, the young Martin played the character the only way he knew how : as an inspired Southern Baptist preacher. The act was a hit, and Martin emerged from his shell. Martin attended high school at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts, where he was voted `` Most Talented '' in his senior class. He later enrolled in New York University 's Tisch School of the Arts ' theatre program, and while at NYU he was also the popular president of Rubin Dorm, the former domain of Mark Twain. Career After graduation, Martin toured the states with John Houseman 's The Acting Company. He appeared in Shakespeare 's Rock - in - Roles at the Actors Theatre of Louisville and The Butcher 's Daughter at the Cleveland Play House, and returned to Manhattan to perform in local theatre, soap operas, and commercials. Finding that auditions, regional theater, and bit parts were no way to support himself, Martin waited tables at several restaurants around the city. He was literally serving a pizza when his appearance on CBS 's Guiding Light aired in the same eatery. While the show aired, the whole waitstaff gathered around the bar television to cheer his performance. Often, during the dinner rush, he broke out in song. When he gave his customers their dinner checks, he told them to `` keep it, because someday I 'll be famous ! '' Martin made his Broadway debut in Timon of Athens, and then performed in The Government Inspector with Lainie Kazan. While employed at the Moondance Diner, he met the playwright Jonathan Larson, who also worked on the restaurant 's staff. In 1996, Larson 's musical Rent took the theatre world by storm, with Martin in the role of gay computer geek / philosophy professor Tom Collins. The 1990s update of Puccini 's La Bohème earned six Drama Desk Awards, five Obie Awards, four Tony Awards, and the Pulitzer Prize. In 1998, the West End production of Rent opened with four of the original cast members, including Martin. He played Tad in the concept album of Bright Lights, Big City. In 2010, Martin returned to the stage for one of his biggest theater commitments since Law & Order, performing in the productions of The Merchant of Venice and The Winter 's Tale as a part of The Public Theater 's Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. He played the roles of Gratiano and King Polixenes, respectively. The two shows were performed in repertory, beginning with previews on June 9, 2010, through to the final performance on August 1, 2010. The Merchant of Venice later transferred to Broadway to the Broadhurst Theater for a limited engagement, in which Martin reprised his role as Gratiano. The show began previews on October 19, 2010, and officially opened on November 7. The show began a hiatus on January 9 to accommodate Al Pacino 's pre-existing obligations, and resumed from February 1, 2011, to February 20, 2011 ; Martin did not reprise his role after the hiatus due to other work commitments. He took part in a one - night - only reading benefit of Romeo and Juliet to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, alongside Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Raúl Esparza, and others on June 18, 2012. Television Martin landed roles on Fox 's short - lived 413 Hope St. and Eric Bross ' independent film Restaurant ( 1998 ). Ally McBeal 's creator, David E. Kelley, attended Rent 's Broadway premiere and remembered Martin when the show needed a new boyfriend for the title character. His performance as Dr. Greg Butters on Ally McBeal caught the attention of David Duchovny, who cast Martin as a baseball - playing alien in a 1999 episode of The X-Files titled `` The Unnatural '' that Duchovny wrote and directed. While still shooting Ally McBeal, Martin heard rumors that actor Benjamin Bratt planned to leave the cast of Law & Order. Martin had tried out for the show years before and won the minor role of a car - radio thief named Earl the Hamster, but decided to wait for a bigger part. With the opportunity presenting itself, Martin approached Law & Order producer Dick Wolf regarding the opening. Wolf hoped to cast him, and upon hearing that CBS and Fox both offered Martin development deals, he gave the actor the part without an audition. Martin at the 2006 Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS Annual Grand Auction and Flea Market From 1999 to 2008, he played Detective Edward `` Ed '' Green on Law & Order. Altogether, he was the fifth - longest serving cast member behind S. Epatha Merkerson, Sam Waterston, Jerry Orbach, and Steven Hill. He had a brief hiatus at the end of the 2004 -- 2005 season while he was filming the movie adaptation of Rent in which he reprised the role of Tom Collins. Martin 's final episode of Law & Order aired April 23, 2008, as he was replaced by Anthony Anderson. Martin returned to NBC a year later as the co-star of The Philanthropist. On September 14, 2012, NBC announced that Martin would be joining the cast of Smash during season two for a nine - episode arc as Scott Nichols, the artistic director of the Manhattan Theatre Workshop. Martin has also been cast as one of the leads in an NBC pilot of The Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives as Greg Cooke. It was announced on May 10, 2013, that NBC would not be picking up the pilot. Martin was cast as Detective West in the pilot for The Flash, a spin - off from Arrow in January 2014. The Flash was picked up for a full 23 - episode season by The CW. Film On March 4, 2013, it was announced that Martin would replace Lenny Kravitz as Marvin Gaye in an upcoming biopic directed by Julien Temple, and produced by Vassal Benton and Fred Bestall. Martin had been attached to the Marvin Gaye biopic for years and had stated that it was his dream role to portray the legendary Motown singer. Other work Martin voiced the character Ed Green in the video game Law & Order : Justice is Served, and narrated the audio book The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin and On the Shoulder of Giants, Volume 2 : Master Intellects and Creative Giants by Kareem Abdul - Jabbar. He co-produced the off - Broadway production of Fully Committed with Rent co-star Adam Pascal ( and two other producers ). Martin sits on the board of trustees for the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation along with Rent co-producer Kevin McCollum. Personal life In October 2006, Martin returned to Buffalo, New York to work on an independent film ( Buffalo Bushido ). He is a resident of Manhattan. Stage work Ring of Men ( off - Broadway ) - unknown date and character The Prince and the Pauper ( off - Broadway ) - unknown character and date Arabian Nights ( off - Broadway ) - Prince of Fools, Clarinetist, Boy ( 1994 ) The Butcher 's Daughter ( Cleveland Playhouse ) - unknown character ( 1993 ) Timon of Athens ( Broadway Premiere ) - `` Alcibiades ' Officer '' ( original ), `` Second Masseur '' ( original ), Alcibiades ( understudy ) ( 1993 ). The Government Inspector ( Broadway revival ) - Abdulin ( original ), Panteleyeva ( understudy ) ( 1994 ) Rent ( off - Broadway ) - Tom Collins ( 1996 ) Rent ( Broadway ) - Tom Collins ( 1996 ) Rent ( West End ) - Tom Collins ( 1998 ) Bright Lights, Big City ( musical ) ( concept recording ) - Tad The Threepenny Opera ( Williamstown, MA ; Williamstown Theatre Festival Production ) -- Macheath ( 2003 ) The Merchant of Venice ( Shakespeare in the Park ) - Gratiano ( summer 2010 ) The Winter 's Tale ( Shakespeare in the Park ) - King Polixenes ( summer 2010 ) The Merchant of Venice ( Broadway ) - Gratiano ( 2010 ) ; transfer from the Shakespeare in the Park production Romeo and Juliet ( Public Theater ; Delacorte Theatre 's 50th anniversary ) - Gregory, Friar John, Watchman 2 ( 2012 ) Filmography Year Film / television Role Other notes 1995 -- 1998 New York Undercover Mustafa ( 1995 episode : `` All in the Family '' ) and Kaylen ( 1998 episode : `` Going Native '' ) TV series 413 Hope St. Antonio Collins 10 1998 -- 1999 Ally McBeal Dr. Greg Butters 12 episodes 1998 Restaurant Quincy 1999 The X-Files Josh Exley Episode : `` The Unnatural '' Deep in My Heart Don Williams TV movie 1999 -- 2008 Law & Order Detective Edward `` Ed '' Green Regular : 198 episodes ( left briefly during the end of the 2004 -- 2005 season ) 1999 -- 2000 Law & Order : Special Victims Unit Detective Edward `` Ed '' Green 2 episodes Law & Order : Criminal Intent Detective Edward `` Ed '' Green Episode : `` Poison '' 2002 Burning House of Love Andre Anderson Short film 2003 Season of Youth Roc Williams A Christmas Carol Ghost of Christmas Present / Ticket Seller TV movie 2005 Rent Tom Collins Repeated his Off - Broadway and Broadway role, along with five other original main cast members 2007 The Cake Eaters Judd 2008 A Muppets Christmas : Letters to Santa A Postal Worker Cameo TV movie 2009 The Philanthropist Philip Maidstone 8 episodes 2009 Peter and Vandy Paul 2009 Buffalo Bushido Shawn 2011 Puncture Daryl King 2012 Joyful Noise Marcus Hill 2013 Smash Scott Nichols 9 episodes arc 2013 Long Live TOY Himself Documentary 2014 -- present The Flash Detective Joe West Main role 2016 -- 2017 Sofia the First Kai ( voice ) 2 episodes 2017 Supergirl Detective Joe West Episode : `` Crisis on Earth - X, Part 1 '' TBA Sexual Healing Marvin Gaye Unknown References Jump up ^ `` Movies : Biography for Jesse L. Martin ''. The New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2014. ^ Jump up to : Buckley, Michael. `` STAGE TO SCREENS : A Chat with Jesse L. Martin ''. Playbill.com. Retrieved December 1, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Al Pacino - Led The Merchant of Venice Re-Opens on Broadway with New Cast Members ''. Broadway.com. Retrieved December 1, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Raul Esparza, Jesse L. Martin and More Join Kevin Kline and Meryl Streep in The Public 's ROMEO AND JULIET Reading, on June 18 ''. BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved December 1, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Jesse L. Martin : The young gun behind Law & Order 's loose cannon ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 6, 2014. Jump up ^ Williams, Stephanie ( October 30, 1999 ) `` Jesse Lays Down the Law ''. TV Guide. Missing or empty url = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` ' Smash ' Books ' Rent ' Alum Jesse L. Martin as Recurring Player ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Jump up ^ Andreeva, Nellie ( May 10, 2013 ). `` Pilot Scoop : Jesse L. Martin Joins NBC 's The Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives ''. TV Line. Jump up ^ `` NBC Pilot Update : Projects That Are Not Going Forward Get Notified ''. Deadline. Retrieved May 14, 2013 Jump up ^ Goldberg, Lesley ( January 21, 2014 ). `` CW 's ' Flash ' Adds Jesse L. Martin ''. Hollywood Reporter. Jump up ^ Hibberd, James ( October 21, 2014 ). `` ' The Flash ' gets full season ''. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 1, 2014. ^ Jump up to : Andreeva, Nellie ( March 4, 2013 ) `` Jesse L. Martin to play Marvin Gaye in ' Sexual Healing ', Replaces Lenny Kravitz ''. Deadline. Retrieved March 8, 2013. ^ Jump up to : Nordyke, Kimberly ( March 4, 2013 ) `` Jesse L. Martin to Star in Marvin Gaye Biopic ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 8, 2013. Jump up ^ `` The Fire Next Time ''. Amazon. Jump up ^ `` On the Shoulders of Giants ''. Amazon. Retrieved December 1, 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` Jesse L. Martin Theatre Credits ''. BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved December 1, 2014. Jump up ^ Jacobs, Leonard ( February 13, 2004 ) `` Larson Foundation Names Grantees ''. Backstage. Retrieved December 1, 2014. Jump up ^ Jacobs, Leonard ( February 26, 2002 ) `` Larson Foundation Names Grantees ''. Backstage. Retrieved April 12, 2013. Jump up ^ ( October 26, 2006 ) `` ' Law & Order ' cop gets robbed ''. Today. Retrieved April 12, 2013. Jump up ^ Adams, Cindy. `` Tail ' Tale ' upon us ''. New York Post. Retrieved December 1, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Martin Will Never Leave New York ''. ContactMusic. Retrieved December 1, 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` Jesse L. Martin ''. Playbillvault.com. Retrieved December 1, 2014. Jump up ^ Huschak, Thomas S. ( 2011 ). Off - Broadway Musicals Since 1919 : From Greenwich Village to The Toxic Avenger. Scarecrow Press. p. 406. Missing or empty title = ( help ) ; access - date = requires url = ( help ) Jump up ^ Brantley, Ben ( July 1, 2010 ). `` Railing at a Money - Mad World ''. The New York Times. New York. Retrieved July 25, 2010. Jump up ^ Brantley, Ben. `` Jealousy, Blow Thy Mighty Winds ! ''. New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2014. Jump up ^ Itzkoff, Dave. `` ARTSBEAT ; ' Merchant of Venice ' to Transfer to Broadway ''. New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2014. Jump up ^ McBride, Walter. `` Photo Coverage : ROMEO & JULIET Afterparty with Jesse L. Martin & Co ''. BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved December 1, 2014. External links Jesse L. Martin on IMDb Jesse L. Martin at the Internet Broadway Database No More ' Order ' For Martin VIAF : 63618757 LCCN : no97078466 ISNI : 0000 0000 4181 8221 GND : 135006783 BNF : cb15725898f ( data ) MusicBrainz : cd1501cc - a3f5 - 4d41 - ad3e - 10f15098a968 SNAC : w64n3hng Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jesse_L._Martin&oldid=825855411 '' Categories : 1969 births Living people Male actors from Virginia African - American male actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male musical theatre actors American male television actors Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute alumni Tisch School of the Arts alumni Male actors from Buffalo, New York People from Rocky Mount, Virginia American male Shakespearean actors Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from November 2017 Articles with permanently dead external links Pages using web citations with no URL Pages with citations lacking titles Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL Articles with hCards All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2014 Articles with IBDb links Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers Wikipedia articles with SNAC - ID identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Asturianu تۆرکجه Čeština Deutsch Español فارسی Français 한국어 Italiano Magyar მარგალური Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Português Русский Suomi Türkçe Edit links This page was last edited on 15 February 2018, at 20 : 34. 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Question: who played ed green on law & order
Answer: Jesse L. Martin