Common
Acting
Lonnie Rashid Lynn (born March 13, 1972), known by his stage name Common (formerly Common Sense), is an American rapper and actor. He has received three Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He debuted in 1992 with the album Can I Borrow a Dollar?, and gained critical acclaim with his 1994 album Resurrection. He maintained an underground following into the late 1990s. He achieved mainstream success through his work with the Soulquarians. His first major-label album Like Water for Chocolate (2000), received commercial success. In 2003, he won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for the Erykah Badu single "Love of My Life". His 2005 album Be was also a commercial success and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2006 Grammy Awards. Common received his second Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Southside" (featuring Kanye West), from his 2007 album Finding Forever. His best-of album, Thisisme Then: The Best of Common, was released in late 2007. In 2011, Common launched Think Common Entertainment, his own record label imprint, having previously released music under various other labels including Relativity, Geffen, and GOOD Music. Common won the 2015 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the Academy Award for Best Original Song, for his song, co-written and performed with John Legend, "Glory" from the 2014 film Selma, in which he co-starred as Civil Rights Movement leader James Bevel. Common's acting career also includes roles in the films Smokin' Aces, Street Kings, American Gangster, Wanted, Terminator Salvation, Date Night, Just Wright, Happy Feet Two, New Year's Eve, Run All Night, Being Charlie, Rex, John Wick: Chapter 2, Smallfoot and Hunter Killer. He also narrated the documentary Bouncing Cats, about one man's efforts to improve the lives of children in Uganda through hip-hop/b-boy culture. He starred as Elam Ferguson on the AMC western television series Hell on Wheels. Description above from the Wikipedia article Common (rapper), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known for
Acting150
movieBreathe
2024
Darius
movieFool's Paradise
2023
The Dagger
tvSilo
2023
Robert Sims
movieThe Legacy of J Dilla
2023
Self - Rapper; Friend
tvStoryBots: Answer Time
2022
Mr. Wonderful
tvThe Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
Self - Guest
movieAlice
2022
Frank
tvjeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy
2022
Self (archive footage)
movieYou're Watching Video Music Box
2021
Self (archive footage)
tvObama
2020
Self
movieAva
2020
Michael
movieA Most Beautiful Thing
2020
Narrator
tvNever Have I Ever
2020
Dr. Chris Jackson
tvTamron Hall
2019
Self - Guest
movieThe Price of Protest
2019
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Kitchen
2019
Gary Silvers
tvShut Up and Dribble
2018
Self - Musician
movieHunter Killer
2018
RA John Fisk
movieThe Hate U Give
2018
Uncle Carlos
movieSaint Judy
2018
Benjamin Adebayo
movieSmallfoot
2018
Stonekeeper (voice)
movieOcean's Eight
2018
Common
movieThe Tale
2018
Martin
tvThe Chi
2018
Rafiq
movieLove Beats Rhymes
2017
Coltrane
movieGirls Trip
2017
Common
movieThe Words That Built America
2017
Self - Reader: Declaration of Independence
movieMegan Leavey
2017
Gunny Martin
movieChasing Trane
2017
Self - Musician
movieBET Presents Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration
2016
Self - Performer
movieBlack America Again
2016
Himself - Street Performer
movieSuicide Squad
2016
Monster T
tvChelsea
2016
Self
movieBeing Charlie
2016
Travis
movieTwo Trains Runnin'
2016
Narrator
movieThe Wiz Live!
2015
The Bouncer
tvThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
Self - Guest / Self - Musical Guest
movieUnity
2015
Narrator (voice)
movieEntourage
2015
Common
movieRun All Night
2015
Mr. Price
tvFramework
2015
Himself - Host
movieSelma
2014
James Bevel
movieEvery Secret Thing
2014
Devlin Hatch
movieX/Y
2014
Jason
tvLate Night with Seth Meyers
2014
Self - Guest / Self
tvThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
Self / Self - Musical Guest
moviePawn
2013
Jeff Porter
movieMovie 43
2013
Bob Mone (segment "The Pitch")
movieLUV
2013
Uncle Vincent
tvThe Mindy Project
2012
Security Guard
movieNew Year's Eve
2011
Soldier
movieHappy Feet Two
2011
Seymour (voice)
tvHell on Wheels
2011
Elam Ferguson
movieMusic
2010
Self
movieJust Wright
2010
Scott McKnight
movieDate Night
2010
Collins
movieBrave New Voices 2010
2010
Himself - Host
tvWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
Self - Guest
movieWanted
2008
The Gunsmith
movieStreet Kings
2008
Coates
movieAmerican Gangster
2007
Turner Lucas
movieSmokin' Aces
2006
Sir Ivy
![Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology]](https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w342/iJoIAh8NaChoVN0GRYVHaa4Yxlq.jpg)
movieKanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology]
2005
Self (segment "Two Words") / Airline Employee (segment "All Falls Down")
movie5 Sides of a Coin
2004
Himself
tvGame Over
2004
Himself (voice)
movieBeef
2003
Self
tvJimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
Self / Self - Musical Guest
tvScrubs
2001
Common
tvOne on One
2001
Darius
tvMark Twain Prize
1999
Self - Musical Guest
tvThe View
1997
Self
tvLate Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
Self - Guest
tvMTV Movie & TV Awards
1992
Self - Presenter
tvThe Simpsons
1989
Common (voice)
tvMTV Video Music Awards
1984
Self - Presenter
tvSaturday Night Live
1975
Self - Cameo (uncredited)
Production8
tvSoul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association
2026
Executive Producer
movieSLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)
2025
Executive Producer
tvJustice, USA
2024
Executive Producer
movieAlice
2022
Executive Producer
movieGlitter Ain't Gold
2022
Executive Producer
movieAn American Girl Story - Melody 1963: Love Has to Win
2016
Executive Producer
movieTwo Trains Runnin'
2016
Executive Producer
movieSoul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association
Executive Producer
Sound4
movieAlice
2022
Original Music Composer
movieSelma
2014
Songs
Writing1
movieMarshall
2017
Lyricist