Page 19 - The Caucus Tribute Book 2021

CAUCUS AWARDS HOST JAMES PICKENS, JR.
Actor James Pickens, Jr. is best known for his starring role in ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy. He has currently joined the cast of the modern day western “Yellowstone” with Kevin Costner and the reboot of Rosanne, “The Conners”.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, James Pickens, Jr. started acting at the Karamu House, distinguished as the oldest African-American theater in the United States.
After moving to New York, he performed in the historic 1981 production of Charles Fuller’s “A Soldiers Play” at the Negro Ensemble Company with fellow cast members Denzel Washington and Samuel L. Jackson. He was a member of the famed Circle Rep/Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s co-production of Lanford Wilson’s “Balm in Gilead,” and starred as Walter Lee in the 25th anniversary revival of “A Raisin in the Sun” at the Roundabout Theater.
On the big screen he has been directed by some of the film industry’s best, including Steven Soderbergh in “Traffic,” Oliver Stone in “Nixon” and Warren Beatty in “Bulworth,” and he appeared in four Barry Levinson films -- “Sleepers,” “Sphere,” “Jimmy Hollywood” and “Liberty Heights.” He portrayed slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers in “Ghosts of Mississippi” (directed by Rob Reiner), and played Angela Bassett’s ex-husband in “How Stella Got Her Groove Back.” Other films include “Menace II Society,” “Home Room”, “Gridlock’d” and “Just Wright,” starring Queen Latifah and Common. He appeared in “42,” the feature about baseball legend Jackie Robinson, which starred Harrison Ford and was directed by Brian Helgeland.
Well known to television audiences for his recurring roles on such series as “NYPD Blue,” “The X-Files,” “The Practice,” “Philly,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Six Feet Under,” “The West Wing,” “Rosanne” and “Beverly Hills 90210.” Pickens also starred opposite Rob Lowe in “The Lyons Den” (NBC) and with William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman in “A Slight Case of Murder” (TNT).
For his role on “Grey’s Anatomy,” he received a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Drama Ensemble and won an NAACP Image Award.
He and his wife oversee the James Pickens, Jr. Foundation, whose mission is to enhance the lives of families and children in underserved communities. He hosts an annual charity roping event in Clovis, California which draws some of the best team ropers in the sport. He and his wife, Gina, a singer, have a son and a daughter.