William Jackson Harper

William Fitzgerald Harper, known professionally as William Jackson Harper, is an esteemed American actor and playwright. Born on February 8, 1980, in Dallas, Texas, he gained acclaim for his role as Chidi Anagonye in the NBC comedy series The Good Place, earning a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He started his career as a main cast member of the PBS Kids Go! series The Electric Company. His talent extends to writing, having penned plays like We Live Here and Travisville. Harper also made his impact on Broadway, debuting as civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael in the play All the Way, and earned a Tony Award nomination for his role in Uncle Vanya.

Underlining his versatility across different media, he starred in Amazon's limited series The Underground Railroad, HBO Max's Love Life, and Peacock's comedy mystery series The Resort. He has also taken supporting roles in acclaimed films including Paterson, Midsommar, Dark Waters, and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Harper grew up in Garland, Texas, graduating from the College of Santa Fe in 2003. His chosen stage name honors his mother's maiden name, 'Jackson'. Harper's career has been rich and varied, from theater to television to films, marking him as one of the most talented actors of his generation.