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Larenz Tate

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
49

Gender
Male

Birthday
September 8, 1975 (50 years old)

Place of Birth
Chicago, Illinois, USA

Larenz Tate

Biography

Larenz Tate (born September 8, 1975) is an American film and television actor. Tate was born on the west side of Chicago, Illinois. He is the youngest of three siblings whose family moved to California when he was nine years old. Convinced by their parents to enter a drama program at the Inner City Cultural Center, the trio did not take the lessons seriously until classmate Malcolm-Jamal Warner's ascent to fame after being cast on the sitcom The Cosby Show. Subsequently realizing that they could parlay their efforts into a tangible form of success, the siblings began to receive small roles and in 1985, Tate made his small-screen debut in an episode of The New Twilight Zone series. Following appearances in such television series as 21 Jump Street and The Wonder Years, Tate was cast in the television movie The Women of Brewster Place before receiving the recurring role of Steve Urkel's nemesis, Willie Fuffner, in the family comedy series Family Matters (1989). He was also a cast member on the CBS series The Royal Family, starring Redd Foxx and Della Reese, which ended prematurely when Redd Foxx suddenly died. In the video game 187 Ride or Die, Tate voices the main character, Buck. Following numerous small-screen roles, offers began pouring in for Tate, and in late 1992, collaborative filmmaking siblings Albert and Allen Hughes approached him to star in their debut feature Menace II Society. A jarring vision of inner-city desperation and decay, the film found Tate channeling his substantial energy into creating "O-Dog", a trigger-happy teenager. Following up with the little-seen but often-praised television series South Central, Tate would later appear in the family comedy-drama The Inkwell (1994) before re-teaming with the Hughes brothers for Dead Presidents (1995) and taking on the role of a love-stricken young poet in the romantic drama Love Jones (1997). Larenz Tate also played the role of Kenny in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the episode "That's no Lady That's my Cousin". There followed roles in The Postman (as the automotively monikered Ford Lincoln Mercury), the Frankie Lymon biopic Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998, with Tate as Lymon), and 2000's Love Come Down. Though a big theatrical release had eluded Tate for the first few years of the millennial turnover, Tate would soon turn up opposite Laurence Fishburne in the high-octane but critically derided Biker Boyz (2003), A Man Apart (2003), Crash (2004), as music legend Quincy Jones in Ray (2004), and Waist Deep (2006). Larenz was also featured in R&B singer Ashanti's 2003 released music video Rain on Me, where he played the jealous, abusive spouse of Ashanti. The video touched on the subject of domestic abuse. He can be seen in the latest season of FX Network's Rescue Me. Tate is married to Tomasina 'Geneva' Parrott. They have two sons together named Myles and Zander.

Known For

Acting

2026Michaelas Berry Gordy
2022Sherrias Self - Guest
2022The Jennifer Hudson Showas
2020Business Ethicsas Zachery Cranston
2020Power Book II: Ghostas Councilman Tate
2017Girls Tripas Julian Stevens
2017Beat Shazamas Self
2017Deucesas Deuces
2016Beta Testas Max
2016Game of Silenceas Shawn Polk
2015Unityas Narrator (voice)
2015White Wateras Terrance
2014Rushas Dr. Alex Burke
2014Gun Hillas Bird Stevens
2014Poweras Rashad Tate
2013Bill Bellamy's Ladies Night Out Comedy Touras Himself
2012The Mindy Projectas Tracy
2010Justifiedas Clinton Moss
2009Gangsta Vision: Making ‘Menace 2 Society’as
2006Waist Deepas Lucky
2006Love Monkeyas Shooter Cooper
2005Hell's Kitchenas Self - Restaurant Patron
2005Crashas Peter
2004Rayas Quincy Jones
2004Rescue Meas Bart 'Black Shawn' Johnston
2004Rescue Meas Bart Johnston
2003A Man Apartas Demetrius Hicks
2003Biker Boyzas Wood
2000Love Come Downas Neville Carter
1998Why Do Fools Fall In Loveas Frankie Lymon
1997The Postmanas Ford
1997Love Jonesas Darius Lovehall
1995Dead Presidentsas Anthony Curtis
1994The Inkwellas Drew Tate
1994South Centralas Andre Mosely
1993Menace II Societyas Kevin 'O-Dog'
1991The Royal Familyas Curtis Royal
1991Seeds of Tragedyas Cornelius
1990The Fresh Prince of Bel-Airas Kenny
1990New Attitudeas Chilly D
1989Family Mattersas Willie Fuffner
1989The Women of Brewster Placeas Sammy
1989The Women of Brewster Placeas Sammy
1988The Wonder Yearsas Basketball Team Captain
198721 Jump Streetas Young Adam Fuller
1986Matlockas Street Kid #3
1985The Twilight Zoneas (segment "Night of the Meek")
1984Hunteras Sporty's Nephew
Don't Ever Wonderas

Production

2016Beta Test...Producer
2005The Hot Spot...Director
2005The Hot Spot...Writer
Don't Ever Wonder...Producer