---
name: "Michael Potts"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/michael-potts"
fi1m_id: "michael-potts"
imdb_id: "nm0693446"
tmdb_id: 167566
wikidata_id: "Q6833594"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "21 September 1962"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 70
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-03T03:10:45.112905+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Michael Potts

## Identity

Michael Potts

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/michael-potts
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** michael-potts
- **IMDb ID:** nm0693446
- **TMDB ID:** 167566
- **Wikidata ID:** Q6833594
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Potts_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6833594, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0693446/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/167566

Actor. Born 21 September 1962 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 21 September 1962, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
- **Active:** 2014–present
- **Frequently works with:** [Colman Domingo](https://film.one/person/colman-domingo.md), [Denzel Washington](https://film.one/person/denzel-washington.md), [George C. Wolfe](https://film.one/person/george-c-wolfe.md), [Glynn Turman](https://film.one/person/glynn-turman.md), [Todd Black](https://film.one/person/todd-black.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 70, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2010s 80 (1), 2020s 67 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 70 to 73 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 4, History 1, Music 1, Mystery 1
- **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Potts_(actor), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6833594, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0693446/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/167566

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*Ma Rainey's Black Bottom*](https://film.one/film/ma-raineys-black-bottom.md) (69), [*Rustin*](https://film.one/film/rustin.md) (68), [*The Piano Lesson*](https://film.one/film/the-piano-lesson.md) (65)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Michael Potts is an American actor. He was born on 21 September 1962 in Brooklyn, New York City, and trained at the Yale School of Drama.

On stage he originated the role of Mafala Hatimbi in the Broadway musical *The Book of Mormon* (2011) and appeared in the 2022 Broadway revival of August Wilson’s *The Piano Lesson* as Wining Boy. His other Broadway credits include *The Prom* (2018) and *Grey Gardens* (2006).

On screen Potts is known for playing Brother Mouzone in the HBO series *The Wire* (2003–2004) and Maynard Gilbough in the first season of *True Detective* (2014). Film roles include Slow Drag in *Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom* (2020) and Wining Boy in the 2024 Netflix adaptation of *The Piano Lesson*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, vanityfair.com, ibdb.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

- *The Piano Lesson* (2024), Fi1m 65, as Wining Boy — [page](https://film.one/film/the-piano-lesson.md)
- *Rustin* (2023), Fi1m 68, as Cleve Robinson — [page](https://film.one/film/rustin.md)
- *Ma Rainey's Black Bottom* (2020), Fi1m 69, as Slow Drag — [page](https://film.one/film/ma-raineys-black-bottom.md)
- *True Detective* (2014), Fi1m 80, as Maynard Gilbough — [page](https://film.one/tv/true-detective.md)

## Complete filmography (44)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Nemesis* (2026), series, as James Sealey
- *Best Medicine* (2026), series, as Gilbert Carlisle
- *Out of Order* (2025), as Jerry
- *Highest 2 Lowest* (2025), as Patrick Bethea
- *The Piano Lesson* (2024), as Wining Boy — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/the-piano-lesson.md)
- *Rustin* (2023), as Cleve Robinson — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/rustin.md)
- *The Irrational* (2023), series, as Nnamdi Adesina
- *Shakespeare in the Park: Richard III* (2023), as Lord Stanley
- *East New York* (2022), series, as Goody Gaines
- *Rounding* (2022), as Dr. Emil Harrison
- *The First Lady* (2022), series, as Fraser Robinson
- *Measure of Revenge* (2022), as Detective Eaton
- *Cicada* (2021), as Francis
- *Ma Rainey's Black Bottom* (2020), as Slow Drag — Fi1m 69, [page](https://film.one/film/ma-raineys-black-bottom.md)
- *Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector* (2020), series, as Dr. Arthur Wasden
- *Prodigal Son* (2019), series, as Dr. Brandon Marsh
- *Here and Now* (2018), as Ray
- *God Friended Me* (2018), series, as King Omari
- *FBI* (2018), series, as Agent Bruce Ellis
- *Taken* (2017), series, as Hanson
- *The Good Fight* (2017), series, as Bill Goate
- *37* (2016), as Archibald Smith
- *Bull* (2016), series, as Judge Nolan
- *Let Me Make You a Martyr* (2016), as Charon
- *BrainDead* (2016), series, as Dr. Daudier
- *Allegiance* (2015), series, Actor
- *Gotham* (2014), series, as Sid Bunderslaw
- *Madam Secretary* (2014), series, as Senator Fred Reynolds
- *True Detective* (2014), series, as Maynard Gilbough — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/true-detective.md)
- *The Blacklist* (2013), series, as Iniko — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-blacklist.md)
- *Elementary* (2012), series, as Doctor Peter Hanson
- *Person of Interest* (2011), series, as Travers — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/person-of-interest.md)
- *Blue Bloods* (2010), series, as Thorton Mead
- *White Collar* (2009), series, as David
- *Nurse Jackie* (2009), series, as Mediator — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/nurse-jackie.md)
- *Damages* (2007), series, as Horatio Emanuel — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/damages.md)
- *Flight of the Conchords* (2007), series, as Nigel Saladu — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/flight-of-the-conchords.md)
- *The Wire* (2002), series, as Brother Mouzone — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-wire.md)
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Cole Draper
- *The Peacemaker* (1997), as DOE Haz-mat Tech #1
- *Conspiracy Theory* (1997), as Justice Guard
- *Thomas Jefferson* (1997), series, as Isaac
- *Hackers* (1995), as Tow Truck Driver
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Reggie Dobbs, Lester Wilkes, Malcolm Young, Kenneth Lowell — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)

## Gallery

- ![Michael Potts](https://film.one/media/person/10441/gallery-67ad9a103c58.jpg) Michael Potts — greg2600, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Michael_Potts_%282018_crop%29.jpg/1280px-Michael_Potts_%282018_crop%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Star of The Wire. NYC March '18. (2018)](https://film.one/media/person/10441/gallery-55c1aeb7513d.jpg) Star of The Wire. NYC March '18. (2018) — Greg2600, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Michael_Potts_%2841119736692%29.jpg/1280px-Michael_Potts_%2841119736692%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/michael-potts