Keith David
Keith David Williams (born June 4, 1956) is an American actor. He is mostly known for his bass voice and screen presence in over 400 roles across film, stage, television, and interactive media. He has starred in such films as The Thing (1982), Platoon (1986), They Live (1988), Dead Presidents(1995), Armageddon (1998), There's Something About Mary (1998), Requiem for a Dream (2000), Pitch Black (2000), Barbershop (2002), Crash (2004), The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), Cloud Atlas (2012), The Nice Guys (2016), Nope (2022), and American Fiction (2023). He starred as Elroy Patashnik in the sixth season of the NBC series Community (2015) and as Bishop James Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama Greenleaf (2016–2020). His Emmy-winning voice acting career includes narrating Ken Burns films such as The War (2007) and Muhammad Ali (2021). In film, he has voiced Dr. Facilier in The Princess and the Frog (2009) and the Cat in Coraline (2009). On television, he portrayed Goliath in Gargoyles (1994–1997), Al Simmons / Spawn in Todd McFarlane's Spawn (1997–1999), The Flame King in Adventure Time (2012–2017), President Andre Curtis in Rick and Morty (2015–) and its upcoming spin-off President Curtis, King Andrias in Amphibia (2020–2022), Dr. Tenma in Pluto (2023), and Husk in Hazbin Hotel (2024–). Video game roles include the Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee in the Halo franchise (2004–2015), Julius Little and himself in the Saints Row series (2006–2017), Captain Anderson in the Mass Effect series (2007–2013), Chaos in Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008), Sergeant Foley in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009), and Commander Zavala in Destiny 2: The Final Shape (2024), which he assumed after the death of Lance Reddick in March 2023. He was part of the cast of The Nightmare Before Christmas live concert in October 2025, where he voiced Oogie Boogie, taking over the role from his longtime original voice actor, Ken Page, following his death in September 2024. In July 2025, David was selected to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2026. Description above from the Wikipedia article Keith David, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Credits
- 2026 · Spider-Man: Brand New Day as
- 2026 · Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice as Sosa
- 2026 · Strip Law as Steve Nichols (voice)
- 2025 · What is an Ocean… Reconnecting the Cast and Crew of Cloud Atlas as Self - Interviewee
- 2025 · The Gettysburg Address as Frederick Douglass (voice)
- 2025 · Hazbin Hotel: Live on Broadway as (voice) (uncredited)
- 2025 · The American Revolution as (voice)
- 2025 · I Love LA as Leon Marcus
- 2025 · Shelby Oaks as Morton Jacobson
- 2025 · E.B. White's Charlotte's Web as Old Sheep (voice)
- 2025 · The Lowdown as Marty
- 2025 · Haunted Hotel as Additional Voices (voice)
- 2025 · Tim Travers and the Time Traveler's Paradox as The Simulator
- 2024 · The Prank as Principal Henderson
- 2023 · Greatest Geek Year Ever! 1982 as Self - Actor
- 2022 · Unplugging as Gil
- 2022 · In Search of Tomorrow as Self - Interviewee
- 2021 · The Gateway as Terry
- 2021 · The Seventh Day as Father Louis
- 2020 · Most Guys Are Losers as Al
- 2020 · Dead Talk Live as Self - Guest
- 2018 · Champaign Ill as Lafonso
- 2018 · American Dresser as Charlie
- 2017 · Savage Dog as Valentine
- 2016 · Jackie Robinson as Narrator (voice)
- 2014 · The Monday Night War: WWE vs. WCW as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 · Belle's as William 'Big Bill' Cooper
- 2012 · Smiley as Diamond
- 2010 · Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming as Terry
- 2010 · Chain Letter as Det. Jim Crenshaw
- 2010 · Lottery Ticket as Sweet Tee
- 2010 · Meet Monica Velour as Claude
- 2009 · Charlie Valentine as Sal
- 2009 · Against the Dark as Lt. Waters
- 2008 · My Mom's New Boyfriend as FBI Chief Conrad
- 2007 · The Last Sentinel as Colonel Norton
- 2007 · Delta Farce as Sgt. Kilgore
- 2007 · If I Had Known I Was a Genius as Dad
- 2006 · Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil as MCPO Scott Boytano
- 2006 · The Oh in Ohio as Coach Popovitch
- 2005 · Dirty as Captain Spain
- 2005 · Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson as Jack Johnson (voice)
- 2004 · Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson as Narrator (voice)
- 2004 · The Big House as
- 2002 · 29 Palms as The Sheriff
- 2002 · Ultimate Fights from the Movies as Frank (They Live) (archive footage)
- 2002 · Mark Twain as Narrator (voice)
- 1996 · Johns as Homeless John
- 1996 · E! True Hollywood Story as Self
- 1996 · Larger Than Life as Hurst
- 1996 · The Grave as The Priest
- 1995 · Blue in the Face as Jackie Robinson
- 1993 · The Last Outlaw as Lovecraft
- 1990 · Men at Work as Louis Fedders
- Future · ATL 2: The Homecoming as John Garnett
- 2028 · Captain Zero: The Movie as The Depression Demon (voice)
- 2026 · The Thing Expanded as Self
- 2025 · Portal to Hell as Mr. Bobshank
- 2024 · Cold Case Files: Murder in the Bayou as Narrator (voice)
- 2023 · From the Shadows as Dr. Leonard Bertram
- 2022 · The Wonderful Spring of Mickey Mouse as Narrator (voice)
- 2021 · Black as Night as Babineaux
- 2021 · Insight as Captain Duke
- 2020 · The 420 Movie as Chief Ironweed
- 2019 · In Search of Darkness as Self
- 2019 · Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror as Self
- 2018 · Brothers in Arms as Self
- 2018 · Tales from the Hood 2 as Portifoy Simms
- 2018 · Ray Meets Helen as Harve
- 2016 · Range 15 as Colonel Holloway
- 2016 · Nina as Clifton's Father
- 2015 · If I Tell You I Have to Kill You as Detective Harris
- 2013 · Frog Kingdom as Frog King (voice)
- 2012 · The Undershepherd as Brother Wilks
- 2010 · Baseball: The Tenth Inning as Narrator
- 2010 · Chasing 3000 as Officer L.
- 2010 · Something Like A Business as Sebastian
- 2009 · The Butcher as Larry Cobb
- 2009 · Don McKay as Otis Kent
- 2008 · The Fifth Commandment as Max 'Coolbreeze' Templeton
- 2003 · Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked as Narrator (voice)
- 2003 · Kingdom of David: The Saga of the Israelites as Narrator
- 2002 · Mark Twain as Narrator (voice)
- 2001 · Pretty When You Cry as Detective Charles Desett
- 2001 · Egypt's Golden Empire as Narrator (voice)
- 2001 · Semper Fi as Gunnery Sgt. Brinkloff
- 2000 · Silent Service as Self - Host
- 1999 · Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony as Frederick Douglass (voice)
- 1999 · The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Mystery of the Blues as King Oliver
- 1999 · ATF as FBI Director Richard Long
- 1998 · The Tiger Woods Story as Earl Woods
- 1997 · Don King: Only in America as Herbert Muhammad
- 1997 · Murder, She Wrote: South by Southwest as Algric Bartles
- 1997 · Executive Target as Lamar
- 1995 · Gargoyles the Movie: The Heroes Awaken as Goliath (voice)
- 1993 · Hallelujah as Big Willie
- 1992 · Nails as Noah Owens
- 1990 · Murder in Black and White as Martin
- 1988 · Christmas in Tattertown as Saxophone (voice)
- 1988 · Ladykillers as Abe
- 1988 · Stars & Bars as Eugene Teagarden
- 1988 · Off Limits as Maurice
- 1987 · Hot Pursuit as Alphonso
- 1986 · The Whoopee Boys as Washington Square Peddler
- Future · President Curtis as President Andre Curtis (voice)
- 2025 · Hazbin Hotel: Sing-Along as Husk (voice)
- 2025 · Finding Faith as
- 2024 · Mr. Nelson on the North Side as Self
- 2023 · A Snowy Day in Oakland as Mr. Monroe
- 2022 · A Miracle Before Christmas as David
- 2022 · Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story as Ink Williams
- 2022 · Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies as Self - (archive footage)
- 2018 · Fuck You All: The Uwe Boll Story as Self
- 2018 · Sharon 1.2.3. as Tyrone
- 2017 · The '91 Falcons as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Not a War Story as
- 2016 · Blue: The American Dream as Terry Venable
- 2016 · The North Star as Frederick Douglass
- 2016 · Dirty Lies as Doc
- 2015 · Kids vs Monsters as Barry
- 2015 · Boiling Pot as Agent Long
- 2015 · Union Furnace as Pin Stripe
- 2015 · Secrets of the Magic City as Mr. Daniels
- 2013 · Sons of Liberty as Nathan Reynolds
- 2013 · Don't Pass Me By as David Knox
- 2012 · Christmas in Compton as Big Earl
- 2012 · Highway as Mustafa
- 2012 · AniMen: The Galactic Battle as Sergeant Brass
- 2011 · Hopelessly in June as Dalbert Myers
- 2011 · The Inheritance as Uncle Melvin
- 2011 · Samuel Bleak as Ned Coffman
- 2009 · Beautiful Loser as Morgan - Adult
- 2009 · Pastor Brown as Pastor Brown
- 2008 · S.I.S. as Joseph Armstrong
- 2008 · The Sensei as Minister
- 2006 · Forbidden Fruits as Rev. Walters
- 2006 · Working with a Master: John Carpenter as Self
- 2004 · Beef II as Narrator (voice)
- 2001 · Home Invaders as Matador
- 1999 · The Grizzlies of Siberia as Narrator (voice)
- 1993 · Bluesland: A Portrait in American Music as Self - Host
- 1979 · Coriolanus as Aedile / Roman Citizen / Volscian Citizen
- Future · My New Friend Jim as Jim Dandy
- Future · Dreams of the Moon as
- 2004 · The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury as Abu 'Imam' al-Walid (voice)
- 2004 · Creature Feature: 50 Years of the Gill-Man as Narrator (voice)
- 2003 · Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip as Narrator (voice)
- 2001 · Egypt's Golden Empire as Narrator
- 2000 · Innocents as Detective Davis
- 1997 · Never Met Picasso as Larry
- 1997 · Flipping as Leo Richards, Gang Leader
- 1980 · The Pirates of Penzance as Pirates and Police
- Future · The Price for Freedom as Reverend J.W. Bruno
- 2025 · Omniscient as Alistair
- 2025 · Captain Zero: Into the Abyss Part II as The Depression Demon (voice)
- 2025 · Duster as Ezra Saxton
- 2025 · Sneaks as O.G. (voice)
- 2025 · Oh My God... Yes! A Series of Extremely Relatable Circumstances as Toy COD Leader (voice)
- 2024 · Mufasa: The Lion King as Masego (voice)
- 2024 · Leonardo da Vinci as Narrator (voice)
- 2024 · Invincible Fight Girl as Narrator (voice)
- 2024 · Invincible Fight Girl as Scouter (voice)
- 2024 · High Potential as Captain Pacheco
- 2024 · Kite Man: Hell Yeah! as Darkseid (voice)
- 2024 · Betty & Blue as Willie 'Blue' Watson
- 2024 · Masters of the Universe: Revolution as Hordak (voice)
- 2024 · Hazbin Hotel as Husk (voice)
- 2023 · American Fiction as Willy the Wonker
- 2023 · Heist 88 as Buddha Ray
- 2023 · Krapopolis as Asskill (voice)
- 2023 · Justified: City Primeval as Judge Alvin Guy
- 2023 · True Lies as Albert 'Al' Gibson
- 2023 · My Dad the Bounty Hunter as B'Caala (voice)
- 2023 · Parallel Worlds: A Psychedelic Love Story as Jerry
- 2022 · Shut Up and Ride as Narrator (voice)
- 2022 · From Scratch as Hershel Wheeler
- 2022 · Entergalactic as Mr. Rager (voice)
- 2022 · Firebuds as Manny Kablamee
- 2022 · The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time as Self
- 2022 · Chibiverse as King Andrias (voice)
- 2022 · DC League of Super-Pets as Dog-El (voice)
- 2022 · Nope as Otis Haywood Sr.
- 2022 · Catwoman: Hunted as Tobias Whale / Morax (voice)
- 2021 · Abbott Elementary as Frank
- 2021 · Pups Alone as The Wise Bartender
- 2021 · Marvel's Hit-Monkey as The Devil
- 2021 · Muhammad Ali as Narrator (voice)
- 2021 · Leverage: Redemption as Billy Spencer
- 2020 · Horizon Line as Freddy Wyman
- 2020 · Good as Gregory Devereaux
- 2020 · In Search of Darkness: Part II as Self
- 2020 · The Good Lord Bird as Herbert
- 2020 · Woke as Bible (voice)
- 2020 · Close Enough as World’s Greatest Teacher Mug (voice)
- 2020 · Central Park as Ward Wittlinger (voice)
- 2020 · Love Life as Narrator (voice)
- 2020 · DC's Stargirl as Mister Bones (voice)
- 2020 · Cuba's Cancer Hope as Narrator (voice)
- 2019 · 21 Bridges as Deputy Chief Spencer
- 2019 · Creepshow as Murdoch
- 2019 · The Wedding Year as Preston
- 2019 · The Last Kids on Earth as Thrull (voice)
- 2019 · Amphibia as King Andrias (voice)
- 2019 · You Might Be the Killer as Sheriff James
- 2018 · Love Jacked as Ed
- 2018 · Liverspots and Astronots as Dr. Pesh
- 2018 · Night School as Gerald
- 2018 · Summer Camp Island as Lithophone (voice)
- 2018 · Summer Camp Island as Tummy (voice)
- 2018 · Craig of the Creek as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Stretch Armstrong & the Flex Fighters as Malcom Kane (voice)
- 2017 · Future Man as Dr. Elias Kronish
- 2017 · DuckTales as Manny (voice)
- 2017 · Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure as Additional Voices (voice)
- 2016 · Service to Man as Dean Holmes
- 2016 · MacGyver as Burke / Man
- 2016 · Speechless as Colonel
- 2016 · Kulipari: An Army of Frogs as Lord Marmoo (voice)
- 2016 · School of Rickey as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2016 · Greenleaf as Bishop James Greenleaf
- 2016 · The Nice Guys as Older Guy
- 2016 · The Last Punch as Don King
- 2015 · Dutch Book as
- 2015 · We Bare Bears as Mr. Charles (voice)
- 2015 · Mr. Robot as Qwerty (voice) (uncredited)
- 2015 · Field of Lost Shoes as Old Judge
- 2015 · Big Time in Hollywood, Fl as Agent Everett Malloy
- 2015 · Fresh Off the Boat as Clyde Roses
- 2015 · Star vs. the Forces of Evil as Glossaryck (voice)
- 2014 · Remaking the Legend: Halo 2 Anniversary as
- 2014 · The Flash as Solovar (voice)
- 2014 · Creature Feature: 60 Years of the Gill-Man as Narrator
- 2014 · black-ish as Loose Craig
- 2014 · NCIS: New Orleans as Gene Holloway
- 2014 · Scorpion as Warden
- 2014 · BoJack Horseman as Lion Musician (voice)
- 2014 · Extant as Nicholas Calderon
- 2014 · Enlisted as Sgt. Major Donald Cody
- 2013 · Rick and Morty as President Curtis / Turkey President Curtis (voice)
- 2013 · Rick and Morty as Reverse Giraffe (voice)
- 2013 · Rick and Morty as President/Governor Andre Curtis (voice)
- 2013 · Free Birds as Chief Broadbeak (Voice)
- 2013 · Once Upon a Time in Wonderland as The Cheshire Cat (voice)
- 2013 · Uncle Grandpa as Santa Claus (voice)
- 2013 · Assault on Wall Street as Freddy
- 2013 · Black Asylum as Agent Davis
- 2013 · Teen Titans Go! as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 · The Bible as Narrator
- 2012 · Cloud Atlas as Kupaka / Joe Napier / An-kor Apis / Prescient
- 2012 · Double or Nothing as Homeless Dude
- 2012 · Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as Sal Commander (voice)
- 2012 · The Last Fall as Sydney Bishop
- 2012 · Touch as Dutch
- 2011 · The Greening of Whitney Brown as Clerk
- 2011 · Person of Interest as Terence Beale
- 2011 · The Cape as Max Malini
- 2011 · No Saints for Sinners as
- 2010 · Young Justice as Mongul (voice)
- 2010 · Baseball: The Tenth Inning as Narrator (voice)
- 2010 · Hawaii Five-0 as Jimmy Cannon
- 2010 · New York Street Games as Self
- 2010 · Death at a Funeral as Reverend Davis
- 2010 · Africa's Lost Eden as Narrator (voice)
- 2010 · Adventure Time as Balthus (voice)
- 2010 · Adventure Time as Flame King (voice)
- 2009 · The Princess and the Frog as Dr. Facilier (voice)
- 2009 · Community as Elroy Patashnik
- 2009 · Community as Narrator (voice)
- 2009 · Archer as Lemuel Kane (voice)
- 2009 · Gamer as Agent Keith
- 2009 · All About Steve as Corbitt
- 2009 · Blue as Terry Venable
- 2009 · Coraline as The Cat (voice)
- 2009 · Behind Enemy Lines III: Colombia as Commander Scott Boytano
- 2008 · No Bad Days as Terrence
- 2008 · Superhero Movie as The Chief of Police
- 2008 · Canterbury's Law as
- 2008 · Justice League: The New Frontier as The Centre (voice)
- 2008 · First Sunday as Judge B. Bennet Galloway
- 2008 · The Candlelight Murders as Pastor Bob
- 2007 · The War as Narrator (voice)
- 2007 · The Color Purple: The Color of Success as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2006 · Psych as Mr. Guster
- 2006 · ATL as John Garnett
- 2005 · The Crusades: Crescent and the Cross as Narrator
- 2005 · Crusades: Crescent & the Cross as Self - Narrator
- 2005 · The Proud Family Movie as Bebe Clone (voice)
- 2005 · Transporter 2 as Stappleton
- 2005 · Mr. & Mrs. Smith as Father
- 2005 · Crash as Lt. Dixon
- 2005 · Grey's Anatomy as Lloyd Mackie
- 2005 · American Dad! as Fire Captain (voice)
- 2005 · Numb3rs as Jeremiah Miller
- 2004 · Last Stand of the Great Bear as Narrator (voice)
- 2004 · The Chronicles of Riddick as Abu 'Imam' al-Walid
- 2004 · Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London as CIA Director
- 2003 · Nubia: The Forgotten Kingdom as Narrator (voice)
- 2003 · Teen Titans as Atlas (voice)
- 2003 · Spider-Man: The New Animated Series as Agent Mosely (voice)
- 2003 · Hollywood Homicide as Leon
- 2003 · Head of State as Bernard Cooper
- 2003 · Agent Cody Banks as CIA Director
- 2003 · Inside Mecca as Narrator (voice)
- 2003 · The Shakespeare Sessions as
- 2002 · Everwood as Brian
- 2002 · Stalking Leopards as Narrator (voice)
- 2002 · Barbershop as Lester Wallace
- 2001 · Novocaine as Detective Lunt
- 2001 · Justice League as Despero (voice)
- 2001 · The Legend of Tarzan as Tublat (voice)
- 2001 · Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within as Council Member (voice)
- 2001 · The Job as
- 2001 · Disney's House of Mouse as Card Soldier (voice)
- 2001 · Jazz as Narrator (voice)
- 2001 · Boxing: In and Out of the Ring as Narrator (voice)
- 2000 · CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as Matt Phelps
- 2000 · Requiem for a Dream as Big Tim
- 2000 · The Replacements as Lindell
- 2000 · Where the Heart Is as Moses Whitecotten
- 2000 · Pitch Black as Abu 'Imam' al-Walid
- 1999 · Family Guy as Jazz Documentary Narrator (voice)
- 1999 · Family Guy as Commander Bensinger (voice)
- 1998 · Hercules as Apollo (voice)
- 1998 · Todd McFarlane's Spawn 2 as Spawn
- 1998 · There's Something About Mary as Charlie Jensen
- 1998 · Armageddon as General Kimsey
- 1997 · Hercules as Apollo the Sun God (voice)
- 1997 · Spawn as Al Simmons / Spawn (voice)
- 1997 · Volcano as Lt. Ed Fox
- 1996 · 7th Heaven as Stanley
- 1996 · Arli$$ as Cecil Pickett
- 1996 · Eye for an Eye as Martin
- 1995 · Dead Presidents as Kirby
- 1995 · Clockers as André the Giant
- 1995 · The Outer Limits as Captain Ira Merit
- 1995 · The Quick and the Dead as Sergeant Cantrell
- 1994 · Gargoyles as Goliath (voice)
- 1994 · The Puppet Masters as Alex Holland
- 1994 · Fantastic Four as Black Panther/T'challa (voice)
- 1994 · ER as Pastor Watkins
- 1994 · Notes in a Minor Key as Kansas
- 1994 · New York Undercover as
- 1994 · Jewels of the Caribbean Sea as Narrator (voice)
- 1994 · Reality Bites as Roger
- 1994 · Aladdin as
- 1993 · There Are No Children Here as John Paul Rivers
- 1993 · Lions Of Darkness as Narrator (voice)
- 1992 · Article 99 as Luther Jermoe
- 1992 · The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles as King Oliver
- 1992 · Final Analysis as Detective Huggins
- 1991 · Hallelujah Anyhow as Will
- 1990 · Marked for Death as Max
- 1990 · Law & Order as Bronx D.A. John Robertson
- 1989 · Always as Powerhouse
- 1989 · Road House as Ernie Bass
- 1988 · They Live as Frank Armitage
- 1988 · American Experience as W.E. Henderson / Other Voices
- 1988 · Bird as Buster Franklin
- 1988 · Braddock: Missing in Action III as Embassy Gate Captain
- 1988 · The Making of 'They Live' as Self
- 1987 · The Oldest Rookie as
- 1986 · Platoon as King
- 1985 · The Equalizer as Cristo
- 1983 · Reading Rainbow as Narrator (voice)
- 1982 · Nature as Narrator
- 1982 · The Thing as Childs
- 1974 · NOVA as Narrator
- 1953 · The Oscars as The Cat (voice)
- Future · Rise of the Mammals as Narrator