# Carl Lumbly

Carl Winston Lumbly (born August 14, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for M.A.N.T.I.S. (1994–1997) and has also had television roles on Cagney & Lacey (1982–1988) and Alias (2001–2006).
He has also had roles in various superhero franchises including voicing Martian Manhunter in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU) and playing M'yrnn J'onzz on The CW's Supergirl (2017–2019) set in the Arrowverse. He has since portrayed Isaiah Bradley, the first black super soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) beginning with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) and Captain America: Brave New World (2025).

## Early life

Lumbly was born to Jamaican immigrants in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated from South High School there and Macalester College in nearby St. Paul.
Lumbly's first career was as a journalist in Minnesota. While on assignment for a story about a workshop theatre, he was cast as an actor. He stayed with the improvisational company for two years and later moved to San Francisco where he discovered a newspaper ad seeking “two black actors for South African political plays.” He went to the audition and landed one of the parts (along with then-unknown Danny Glover). Lumbly and Glover toured in productions of Athol Fugard's Sizwe Bansi is Dead and The Island.

## Career

Lumbly's first major role was Detective Marcus Petrie on the television series Cagney & Lacey (1982–1988), where his character was paired with Detective Victor Isbecki (Martin Kove). In 1985, he appeared as Theseus in The Gospel At Colonus, an African-American musical iteration of the Oedipus legend on PBS's Great Performances series.
In 1987, he garnered positive reviews for his portrayal of Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale in the HBO television film Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8. From 1989 to 1990, he portrayed ongoing character Earl Williams (named for the prisoner in Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur's story The Front Page), a teacher falsely accused of the rape/murder of a female student, in the series L.A. Law.
In 1990, he co-starred in Charles Burnett's critically acclaimed film To Sleep with Anger. From 1994 to 1995, Lumbly starred as the main character in the short-lived science fiction series M.A.N.T.I.S.. One of his most visible roles was as Marcus Dixon in the American television series Alias (2001–2006).
Other prominent roles include providing the voice for Martian Manhunter in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, as well as the character's father, M'yrnn J'onzz, in the series Supergirl. In Superman: The Animated Series, Lumbly voiced the mayor of Metropolis in the episode "Speed Demons" and alien military general Alterus in the episode "Absolute Power". He additionally voiced the villain Stalker on Batman Beyond, and hero Anansi in two episodes of Static Shock.
In 2000, Lumbly portrayed activist and Congressman Ron Dellums in the Disney Channel original film The Color of Friendship. Although the film was focused on Dellums's daughter's friendship with a white South African girl, the film also discussed Dellums's role in ending apartheid in South Africa.
Also in 2000, Lumbly guest starred in the season one The West Wing episode "Six Meetings Before Lunch" as Jeff Breckenridge, a nominee for U.S. Assistant Attorney General who supports reparations for slavery. Lumbly appeared as Daniel "Bulldog" Novacek in the 2004 television series Battlestar Galactica. He also plays a role in the Kane's Wrath expansion pack for the video game Command and Conquer 3. More recently, he played police captain Joe Rucker on TNT's Southland.
In 2021, Lumbly guest starred in several episodes of the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) as Isaiah Bradley, set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and reprised his role in the feature film Captain America: Brave New World (2025).
He was also cast as the father of Beth Pearson, Abraham Clarke, in the series, This Is Us.
In 2023, Lumbly portrayed C. Auguste Dupin, a major character in Netflix's The Fall of the House of Usher.

## Personal life

Lumbly has been married twice and has one son. He was married to actress Vonetta McGee from 1987 until her death in 2010. Together they had one son, born in 1988. Lumbly married author Deborah Santana in 2015 and the couple divorced in 2019.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1979 | Escape from Alcatraz | Inmate | |
| 1981 | Caveman | Bork | |
| 1981 | Lifepod | Keshah | |
| 1984 | The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension | John Parker | |
| 1987 | The Bedroom Window | Detective Quirke | |
| 1988 | | | |
| 1988 | Judgement in Berlin | Edwin Palmer | |
| 1988 | Everybody's All-American | Narvel Blue | |
| 1990 | To Sleep with Anger | Junior | |
| 1990 | Pacific Heights | Lou Baker | |
| 1992 | South Central | Ali | |
| 1998 | Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero | Additional voices | Direct-to-video |
| 1998 | How Stella Got Her Groove Back | Judge Spencer Boyle | |
| 1999 | Nightjohn | Nightjohn | |
| 2000 | Men of Honor | Mac Brashear | |
| 2000 | 9mm of Love | Cue | Short film |
| 2002 | Just a Dream | J.M. Hoagland | |
| 2003 | Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property | Nat Turner – Gray | Documentary |
| 2007 | Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation | Sam Nujoma | |
| 2008 | The Alphabet Killer | Ellis Parks | |
| 2008 | Immigrants | Splits Jackson | Voice, English dub |
| 2010 | Nominated | Ray Cowan | |
| 2012 | Justice League: Doom | J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter, Ma'alefa'ak | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2012 | 99% | Carl Westen | Short film |
| 2015 | Justice League: Gods and Monsters | Silas Stone | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2015 | Quitters | Dr. Weiss | |
| 2016 | Gilpin's Nightmare | Charles Gilpin | Short film |
| 2016 | Love Twice | Rodrigo | |
| 2016 | A Cure for Wellness | Wilson | |
| 2019 | Doctor Sleep | Dick Hallorann | |
| 2022 | I'm Charlie Walker | Willie | |
| 2024 | The Life of Chuck | Sam Yarbrough | |
| 2025 | Captain America: Brave New World | Isaiah Bradley | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1979 | Emergency! | Beutel | Episode: "What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing...?" |
| 1979 | Undercover with the KKK | Reverend Lowell | Television film |
| 1980 | Lou Grant | Beutel | Episode: "Hazard" |
| 1980 | Taxi | Customer #2 | Episode: "Fantasy Borough" |
| 1981 | The Jeffersons | Jimmy | Episode: "And the Doorknobs Shined Like Diamonds" |
| 1981 | B. J. and the Bear | Telephone Representative | Episode: "Intercepted Pass" |
| 1981–1988 | Cagney & Lacey | Marcus Petrie | Main role |
| 1985 | Great Performances | Theseus | Episode: "The Gospel at Colonus" |
| 1987 | Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8 | Bobby Seale | Television film |
| 1989–1990 | L.A. Law | Earl Williams | 6 episodes |
| 1991 | Eyes of a Witness | Mambulu | Television film |
| 1991 | Brother Future | Denmark Vesey | Television film |
| 1991 | American Experience | Narrator | Episode: "Marcus Garvey: Look for Me in the Whirlwind" |
| 1992 | Back to the Streets of San Francisco | Charlie Walker | Television film |
| 1992–1993 | Going to Extremes | Dr. Norris | Main role |
| 1993 | Tribeca | Ernest | Episode: "The Box" |
| 1994–1995 | M.A.N.T.I.S. | Miles Hawkins | Main role |
| 1994 | Out of Darkness | Addison | Television film |
| 1994 | SeaQuest 2032 | Lamm | Episode: "The Last Lap of Luxury" |
| 1994 | On Promised Land | Floyd Ween | Television film |
| 1994 | Cagney & Lacey: The Return | Marcus Petrie | Television film |
| 1996 | America's Dream | Cal | Television film; segment: "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black" |
| 1996 | Chicago Hope | Michael Johnson | Episode: "Life Lines" |
| 1996 | Nightjohn | John | Television film |
| 1996 | Touched by an Angel | Willis Thompson | Episode: "Sins of the Father" |
| 1996 | The X-Files | Marcus Duff | Episode: "Teliko" |
| 1996–1997 | EZ Streets | Christian Davidson | 9 episodes |
| 1997 | The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest | William Marcus | Voice, episode: "Other Space" |
| 1997 | The Ditchdigger's Daughters | Donald Thornton | Television film |
| 1997 | Buffalo Soldiers | John Horse | Television film |
| 1997–1998 | Superman: The Animated Series | Alterus, Mayor of Metropolis | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1998 | The Wedding | Lute McNeil | Television film |
| 1999 | Any Day Now | Nathan | 2 episodes |
| 1999 | Border Line | Detective Mollo | Television film |
| 1999 | ER | Graham Baker | 2 episodes |
| 1999 | Strange World | Kevin Manus | Episode: "Eliza" |
| 1999–2000 | Batman Beyond | Stalker | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1999–2000 | The Wild Thornberrys | Red Colobus, Tumbulu | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2000 | The Color of Friendship | Ron Dellums | Television film |
| 2000 | Little Richard | Bud Penniman | Television film |
| 2000 | The West Wing | Jeff Breckenridge | Episode: "Six Meetings Before Lunch" |
| 2000 | The Magnificent Seven | Obediah Jackson | Episode: "The Trial" |
| 2000 | Family Law | Tom Calloway | Episode: "Affairs of the State" |
| 2001 | American Experience | Frederick Douglass | Episode: "The Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry"" |
| 2001 | Kate Brasher | Jackson Turner | Episode: "Jackson Turner" |
| 2001 | Night Visions | Dan | Episode: "A View Through the Window" |
| 2001–2004 | Justice League | J'onn J'onnz / Martian Manhunter | Voice, main role |
| 2001–2006 | Alias | Marcus Dixon | Main role |
| 2002 | Toonami | Swayzak | Episode: "Trapped in Hyperspace" |
| 2003 | The Wonderful World of Disney | The Father | Episode: "Sounder" |
| 2003 | Static Shock | J'onn J'onnz / Martian Manhunter, Anansi | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2004–2006 | Justice League Unlimited | J'onn J'onnz / Martian Manhunter | Voice, 18 episodes |
| 2005 | Slavery and the Making of America | Salomon Northup | Episode: "Seeds of Destruction" |
| 2006 | Battlestar Galactica | Danny 'Bulldog' Novacek | Episode: "Hero" |
| 2008 | Cold Case | Cordell Baker '08 | Episode: "Wednesday's Women" |
| 2008 | Grey's Anatomy | Kurt Walling | Episode: "There's No 'I' in Team" |
| 2008 | Chuck | Ty Bennett | Episode: "Chuck Versus the Sensei" |
| 2009 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Tornado Champion, Tornado Tyrant | Voice, episode: "Hail the Tornado Tyrant!" |
| 2010 | Black Panther | S'Yan, additional voices | Voice, 6 episodes |
| 2010 | Trauma | Special Agent Reynolds | Episode: "Tunnel Vision" |
| 2010 | Criminal Minds | James "Jay-Mo" Morris | Episode: "Devil's Night" |
| 2011 | NCIS | Beau Hindley | Episode: "Tell-All" |
| 2012 | Southland | Joel Rucker | 3 episodes |
| 2014 | Family Guy | Loan Officer | Voice, episode: "Baking Bad" |
| 2014 | Hope: The Last Paladin | Robert Danforth | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2015 | The Returned | Leon Wright | 5 episodes |
| 2015 | Zoo | Delavenne | 6 episodes |
| 2016 | UnREAL | Henry Carter | Episode: "Infiltration" |
| 2017 | Six | Robert Chase Sr. | Episode: "Confession" |
| 2017 | Doubt | Walter Don Burkes | Episode: "#2.5" |
| 2017–2018 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Charles Langston | 4 episodes |
| 2017–2019 | Supergirl | M'yrnn J'onzz | Recurring role; 15 episodes |
| 2018 | Bunnicula | Lead Prison Guard, Vampire Bat | Voice, episode: "Prism Prison" |
| 2019, 2022 | This Is Us | Abe Clarke | 2 episodes |
| 2020 | God Friended Me | Alphonse Jeffries | Episode: "BFF" |
| 2020 | Altered Carbon | Lukas Imani | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | The Falcon and the Winter Soldier | Isaiah Bradley | 3 episodes |
| 2021 | Young Justice | M'aatt M'orzz | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2021–2022 | S.W.A.T. | Saint | 3 episodes |
| 2023 | The Fall of the House of Usher | C. Auguste Dupin | 8 episodes |
| 2023 | Obliterated | James Langdon | 6 episodes |

### Theater

| Year | Title |
| 1980 | Eden |
| 1997 | Macbeth |
| 2013 | The Motherfucker with the Hat |
| 2013 | Storefront Church |
| 2015 | Let There Be Love |
| 2015 | Between Riverside and Crazy |
| 2016 | Red Velvet |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2004 | Alias | Agent Marcus Dixon | |
| 2008 | Command and Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath | Brother Marcion | |
| 2010 | BioShock 2: Minerva's Den | Charles Milton Porter | |
| 2012 | Diablo III | Witch Doctor | Also Reaper of Souls DLC |
| 2013 | Injustice: Gods Among Us | J'onn J'onnz / Martian Manhunter | Uncredited |
| 2015 | Heroes of the Storm | Nazeebo | |
| 2017 | Tacoma | Odin | |

## Awards and nominations

* 1980: Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, Lead Performance – Eden