# Afemo Omilami

Afemo Omilami (born December 13, 1950) is an American actor.

## Early life

Omilami was born in Petersburg, Virginia on December 13, 1950. Afemo has not made any public reference to his paternal background, however his name has ties to the Yoruba community in Nigeria.

## Career

He has appeared in many films such as Trading Places (1983), Glory (1989), The Firm (1993), Gordy (1995), Remember the Titans (2000), Ray (2004), Hounddog (2007), The Blind Side (2009), and Terminator Genisys (2015). He is perhaps best known for his role as the Drill Sergeant in Forrest Gump (1994). He had a recurring role as the streetwise Jimmy Dawes in In the Heat of the Night from 1989 to 1993. He was nominated for a 2013 NAACP Image Award in the category "Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special" for his performance in Lifetime's Steel Magnolias as Drum Eatenton.
He also appeared in guest roles in television series Miami Vice, Fortune Hunter, New York News, The Shield, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders and Raising Dion.

## Personal life

He married his wife Elisabeth (née Williams) on September 11, 1985. She is an actress, minister, and a civil rights leader. They have two children: son Awodele and daughter Juanita.
His longtime friend was actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd. After Byrd was killed, Omilami described Byrd as a "devoted father and husband and a master of his craft".

## Filmography
### Film/Movie

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1979 | Freedom Road | Young Black Man with Scars | TV movie |
| 1983 | Rage of Angels | Vet #1 | TV movie |
| 1983 | Trading Places | Longshoreman | |
| 1986 | The Money Pit | Bernie | |
| 1989 | Glory | Tall Contraband | |
| 1990 | Murder in Mississippi | Bob Moses | TV movie |
| 1990 | Caroline? | Taxi Driver | TV movie |
| 1990 | The Long Walk Home | Taxi Driver | |
| 1990 | Web of Deceit | Bailiff | TV movie |
| 1991 | In the Line of Duty: Manhunt in the Dakotas | Prison Guard | TV movie |
| 1991 | White Lie | Bartender | TV movie |
| 1993 | Sankofa | Noble Ali | |
| 1993 | The Firm | Cotton Truck Driver | |
| 1993 | The Real McCoy | Cab Dispatcher | |
| 1994 | Forrest Gump | Drill Sergeant | |
| 1994 | A Simple Twist of Fate | Bailiff | |
| 1994 | Drop Squad | Berl "Flip" Mangum | |
| 1994 | The War | Quarry Man | |
| 1994 | Gordy | Krugman | |
| 1997 | The Witchcatcher | Duncan | TV movie |
| 1999 | Funny Valentines | Ephraim Lee | |
| 1999 | Forces of Nature | Cab Driver | |
| 1999 | The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn | Noah's Father | TV movie |
| 1999 | Chill Factor | Courtroom Colonel | |
| 1999 | Wayward Son | Horace | |
| 1999 | Bringing Out The Dead | Griss | |
| 2000 | Animal Factory | Captain Midnight | |
| 2000 | Tigerland | SFC Ezra Landers | |
| 2000 | Remember the Titans | Charles Campbell | |
| 2000 | The Runaway | Jule Monroe | TV movie |
| 2001 | Tara | Attorney | Video |
| 2001 | Rustin | Mel Jones | |
| 2002 | The Rosa Parks Story | - | TV movie |
| 2002 | Drumline | President Wagner | |
| 2002 | I'm with Lucy | Cab Driver #1 | |
| 2002 | Sweet Home Alabama | Jimmy Lee | |
| 2002 | Nowhere Road | - | |
| 2002 | Baby of the Family | - | |
| 2003 | Runaway Jury | SUV Driver | |
| 2003 | Cold Mountain | Joshua | |
| 2004 | The Alamo | Sam | |
| 2004 | Ray | Angry Husband | |
| 2006 | Glory Road | Mr. Flournoy | |
| 2006 | Madea's Family Reunion | Isaac Sr. | |
| 2006 | Heavens Fall | Leonard George | |
| 2006 | Idlewild | Walter | |
| 2007 | Hounddog | Charles | |
| 2007 | The Reaping | Haman | |
| 2007 | The List | A.L. Jenkins | |
| 2008 | B.A.M. | The Man | Short |
| 2009 | The Blind Side | CPS Caseworker | |
| 2010 | Bloodworth | Sheriff Bellweather | |
| 2010 | Blood Done Sign My Name | Golden Frinks | |
| 2010 | Beneath the Dark | The Man | |
| 2012 | Steel Magnolias | Drum Eatenton | TV movie |
| 2013 | G.I. Joe: Retaliation | Chairman Joint Chief of Staff | |
| 2013 | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire | District 11 Mayor | |
| 2014 | The Good Lie | Dr. Monyang | |
| 2015 | The Next Day | Roy | Short |
| 2015 | Terminator Genisys | Perry | |
| 2015 | Sick People | Dr. Johnson | |
| 2016 | The Founder | Mr. Merriman | |
| 2016 | Hidden Figures | Man Outside Store | |
| 2016 | Smoke & Mirrors | Cruschev | Short |
| 2018 | Down for Whatever | Lieutenant Baker | TV movie |
| 2019 | The Best of Enemies | Franklin Mose | |
| 2019 | Poms | David | |
| 2019 | A Brother's Honor | Richard Granger | |
| 2019 | Full Count | Mr. Gravitt | |
| 2022 | Freedom's Path | Ellis Freeman | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1984 | Another Life | Samir Fayyad | TV series |
| 1984 | Miami Vice | Desmond Maxwell | Episode: "Cool Runnin'" |
| 1989–93 | In the Heat of the Night | Jimmy Dawes | Recurring cast: season 2–6 |
| 1992 | I'll Fly Away | Mr. Hendricks | Episode: "Toy Soldiers" |
| 1992 | Law & Order | Michael Kano | Episode: "Consultation" |
| 1994 | Fortune Hunter | Pierre Toussant | Episode: "Sea Trial" |
| 1995 | New York News | - | Episode: "You Thought the Pope Was Something" |
| 1996 | Law & Order | Henry Patterson | Episode: "Custody" |
| 1997–99 | The Wonderful World of Disney | Sam Parker / John Webb | Episodes: "Flash" / "Selma, Lord, Selma" |
| 1999 | Law & Order | Darryl Lamaine | Episode: "Haven" |
| 2001 | Sheena | Kontee | Episode: "Mind Games" |
| 2002 | Dawson's Creek | Clifton Smalls | Episodes: "Cigarette Burns" / "Swan Song" |
| 2004 | The Shield | Vince Peabo | Episode: "Mum" |
| 2007 | Side Order of Life | Thomas Beauchamp | Episode: "When Pigs Fly" |
| 2007–08 | Ghost Whisperer | Archivist | Supporting cast: season 3 |
| 2008 | John Adams | Servant | Episode: "Unite or Die" |
| 2010 | Past Life | Fred Lamm | Episode: "Dead Man Talking" |
| 2010 | Chase | The Chief | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2015 | True Detective | Police Chief Holloway | Recurring cast: Season 2 |
| 2016 | Mad Dogs | Captain Churchill | Episode: "Needles" |
| 2016–17 | Survivor's Remorse | Richard Freeman | 3 episodes |
| 2016–18 | Saints & Sinners | Detective Noah St. Charles | Main cast: season 1–3 |
| 2017 | Madam Secretary | President Babacar Diome | Episode: "The Detour" |
| 2017 | Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders | Inspector Polino | Episode: "Lost Souls" |
| 2019 | Raising Dion | George Lewis | Episode: "Issue #106: Super Friends" |
| 2019 | Creepshow | Brenner | Episodes: "The Companion" / "Lydia Layne's Better Half" |
| 2022 | Women of the Movement | Add Reed | Episode: "Manhunt" |