Site Revisions Underway Some Features May Not Work
Photo of Common

Common

Acting 54 years old Chicago, Illinois, USA ★ 2.4
Born: March 13, 1972

Biography

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.

Filmography

Acting Credits (153)

W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause
W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause Self 2026
Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association
Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association Narrator (voice) 2026
Boo-Yah: A Portrait of Stuart Scott
Boo-Yah: A Portrait of Stuart Scott Self 2025
Wick Is Pain
Wick Is Pain Self 2025
Diane Warren: Relentless
Diane Warren: Relentless Self 2025
Bilal: Live at Glasshaus
Bilal: Live at Glasshaus Self 2024
Evolution of the Black Quarterback
Evolution of the Black Quarterback Self 2024
Live from Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central
Live from Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central Self 2024
Hip-Hop and the White House
Hip-Hop and the White House 2024
Breathe
Breathe Darius 2024
A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop
A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop Self 2023
Fool's Paradise
Fool's Paradise The Dagger 2023
Silo
Silo Robert Sims 2023
The Legacy of J Dilla
The Legacy of J Dilla Self - Rapper; Friend 2023
Chris Rock: Road To Live Special
Chris Rock: Road To Live Special Self 2023
Between Riverside and Crazy
Between Riverside and Crazy Junior 2023
StoryBots: Answer Time
StoryBots: Answer Time Mr. Wonderful 2022
Killing Me Softly with His Songs
Killing Me Softly with His Songs Self 2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show
The Jennifer Hudson Show Self - Guest 2022
Alice
Alice Frank 2022
jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy
jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy Self (archive footage) 2022
You're Watching Video Music Box
You're Watching Video Music Box Self (archive footage) 2021
2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Self 2021
Obama
Obama Self 2020
Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices
Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices 2020
Ava
Ava Michael 2020
Home Movie: The Princess Bride
Home Movie: The Princess Bride Westley 2020
A Most Beautiful Thing
A Most Beautiful Thing Narrator 2020
Bottomless Brunch at Colman's
Bottomless Brunch at Colman's Self 2020
Never Have I Ever
Never Have I Ever Dr. Chris Jackson 2020
Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince
Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince Self 2020
Fraggle Rock: Rock On!
Fraggle Rock: Rock On! Self 2020
One World: Together at Home
One World: Together at Home Self 2020
Tamron Hall
Tamron Hall Self - Guest 2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show
The Kelly Clarkson Show Self 2019
Activate: The Global Citizen Movement
Activate: The Global Citizen Movement Self 2019
The Informer
The Informer Grens 2019
The Price of Protest
The Price of Protest Self (archive footage) 2019
The Kitchen
The Kitchen Gary Silvers 2019
Here and Now
Here and Now Ben 2018
Shut Up and Dribble
Shut Up and Dribble Self - Musician 2018
Hunter Killer
Hunter Killer RA John Fisk 2018
The Hate U Give
The Hate U Give Uncle Carlos 2018
All About Nina
All About Nina Rafe 2018
Saint Judy
Saint Judy Benjamin Adebayo 2018
Smallfoot
Smallfoot Stonekeeper (voice) 2018
Ocean's Eight
Ocean's Eight Common 2018
The Tale
The Tale Martin 2018
The Chi
The Chi Rafiq 2018
Love Beats Rhymes
Love Beats Rhymes Coltrane 2017
Girls Trip
Girls Trip Common 2017
The Words That Built America
The Words That Built America Self - Reader: Declaration of Independence 2017
Chamber Check: Evolution of a Fight Scene
Chamber Check: Evolution of a Fight Scene Self 2017
Misdirection: The Real Magic
Misdirection: The Real Magic Narrator 2017
Megan Leavey
Megan Leavey Gunny Martin 2017
Feel Rich: Health Is the New Wealth
Feel Rich: Health Is the New Wealth Himself 2017
A Happening of Monumental Proportions
A Happening of Monumental Proportions Daniel 2017
Chasing Trane
Chasing Trane Self - Musician 2017
John Wick: Chapter 2
John Wick: Chapter 2 Cassian 2017
BET Presents Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration
BET Presents Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration Self - Performer 2016
Letter to the Free
Letter to the Free 2016
America Divided
America Divided Self 2016
Black America Again
Black America Again Himself - Street Performer 2016
Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise
Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise Self 2016
We're Still Here (Now).... A Documentary about nobody
We're Still Here (Now).... A Documentary about nobody Self 2016
Suicide Squad
Suicide Squad Monster T 2016
VH1 Hip Hop Honors: All Hail the Queens
VH1 Hip Hop Honors: All Hail the Queens 2016
Chelsea
Chelsea Self 2016
Being Charlie
Being Charlie Travis 2016
Barbershop: The Next Cut
Barbershop: The Next Cut Jabari 2016
Two Trains Runnin'
Two Trains Runnin' Narrator 2016
The Wiz Live!
The Wiz Live! The Bouncer 2015
Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives
Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives 2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Self - Guest 2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert 2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Self - Musical Guest 2015
Unity
Unity Narrator (voice) 2015
Entourage
Entourage Common 2015
Lip Sync Battle
Lip Sync Battle Self 2015
Run All Night
Run All Night Mr. Price 2015
Framework
Framework Himself - Host 2015
Selma
Selma James Bevel 2014
Every Secret Thing
Every Secret Thing Devlin Hatch 2014
X/Y
X/Y Jason 2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Late Night with Seth Meyers Self - Guest 2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Self 2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Self - Musical Guest 2014
Off Camera with Sam Jones
Off Camera with Sam Jones Self 2014
Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton: This Is Stones Throw Records
Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton: This Is Stones Throw Records Self 2013
Now You See Me
Now You See Me Evans 2013
Pawn
Pawn Jeff Porter 2013
Movie 43
Movie 43 Bob Mone (segment "The Pitch") 2013
LUV
LUV Uncle Vincent 2013
The Mindy Project
The Mindy Project Security Guard 2012
The Odd Life of Timothy Green
The Odd Life of Timothy Green Coach Cal 2012
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap Self 2012
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve Soldier 2011
Happy Feet Two
Happy Feet Two Seymour (voice) 2011
Hell on Wheels
Hell on Wheels Elam Ferguson 2011
Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest
Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest Self 2011
Music
Music Self 2010
Just Wright
Just Wright Scott McKnight 2010
Bouncing Cats
Bouncing Cats Narrator 2010
Date Night
Date Night Collins 2010
Brave New Voices 2010
Brave New Voices 2010 Himself - Host 2010
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen Self - Guest 2009
Terminator Salvation
Terminator Salvation Barnes 2009
Wanted
Wanted The Gunsmith 2008
Street Kings
Street Kings Coates 2008
American Gangster
American Gangster Turner Lucas 2007
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Keeping Up with the Kardashians Self 2007
Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life
Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life Self 2007
Smokin' Aces
Smokin' Aces Sir Ivy 2006
I Love the '70s: Volume 2
I Love the '70s: Volume 2 Self 2006
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
Dave Chappelle's Block Party Self 2005
Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out
Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out 2005
Letter to the President
Letter to the President Self 2005
Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology]
Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology] Self (segment "Two Words") 2005
Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology]
Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology] Airline Employee (segment "All Falls Down") 2005
Soundz of Spirit
Soundz of Spirit Self 2005
Black in the 80s
Black in the 80s Self 2005
The Notorious B.I.G BET Official presents
The Notorious B.I.G BET Official presents 2005
5 Sides of a Coin
5 Sides of a Coin Himself 2004
Game Over
Game Over Himself (voice) 2004
Godfathers and Sons
Godfathers and Sons Self 2003
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show Self 2003
Beef
Beef Self 2003
Real Time with Bill Maher
Real Time with Bill Maher Self 2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Jimmy Kimmel Live! Self 2003
Chappelle's Show
Chappelle's Show 2003
Brown Sugar
Brown Sugar Self 2002
Scrubs
Scrubs Common 2001
One on One
One on One Darius 2001
Girlfriends
Girlfriends Omar 2000
Mark Twain Prize
Mark Twain Prize Self - Musical Guest 1999
Pete Rock: Soul Survivor
Pete Rock: Soul Survivor Common 1998
TRL
TRL 1998
The View
The View Self 1997
The Chris Rock Show
The Chris Rock Show 1997
The Daily Show
The Daily Show Self 1996
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien Self - Guest 1993
MTV Movie & TV Awards
MTV Movie & TV Awards Self - Presenter 1992
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 1992
The Simpsons
The Simpsons Common (voice) 1989
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
LIVE with Kelly and Mark 1988
American Masters
American Masters Self 1986
MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards Self - Presenter 1984
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight Self 1981
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live Self - Cameo (uncredited) 1975
Hate to See You Go
Hate to See You Go
Paragraphs I Manifest
Paragraphs I Manifest Self
Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association
Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association Self/Narrator
Dave Chappelle's Block Party 2
Dave Chappelle's Block Party 2 Self

Writing Credits (1)

Powered by

TMDB
× Person photo
Back to Person Search