How Wood Harris Shaped Our Culture One Role at a Time

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There’s an interesting paradox in entertainment where some of the most iconic cultural figures fly just below the radar, yet everything they touch turns to gold.

Wood Harris is such a figure, and he’s one of my favorite actors.

He’s had iconic roles in some of the biggest films and TV shows in culture and created TV moments that have transcended generations. Still, recently, his role in the Netflix show Forever has finally led people to realize his greatness.

Why?

I think with every role that Wood Harris does, you believe he’s the person he’s portraying. And while that’s the aim for every actor, what Wood brings to shows is so specific it’s about time he gets his props.

On top of that, another show that he starred in just turned 23 years old this week, so it only felt right for this week’s newsletter to be about his career.

If Forever was the first time you’ve heard of Wood Harris, or you’re not familiar with some of his other roles, lock in with me for a few and let’s talk about it.

BACKGROUND

Born to Mattie and John Henry Harris, Sherwin Davis Harris grew up in Chicago, eventually earning the nickname “Wood” because people had trouble pronouncing his name.

Wood is a die-hard Chicagoan and ultimately graduated from Northern Illinois University with a degree in theater arts (and later attended NYU for his MFA).

His first major film role was the 90s cult classic Above the Rim (which we’ll talk about in a sec), and he subsequently appeared in a few solid TV/movie roles following that.

Fun Fact: Wood isn’t the only actor in his family. His older brother, Steve Harris, is also an actor — you may know him from Tyler Perry’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Chi-Raq, and Takers. See the picture below for reference.

Wood’s role as Julius Campbell in the 2000 film Remember the Titans was ultimately the one that put his name in living rooms across America.

From there, he carved out a lane built on bringing depth and complexity to roles like Avon Barksdale in The Wire, Ace in Paid in Full, and beyond.

Many of his roles have become canon in Black American culture, and I suspect his character in Forever will also join in that rarified air.

That said, here are a few of Wood Harris’s standout roles and why they were impactful:

I. MOTAW(ABOVE THE RIM)

1994 was the first year that Wood Harris appeared on theater screens courtesy of Jeff Pollack and Barry Michael Cooper’s Above The Rim — the first film that he ever auditioned for.

His role as Motaw, the muscle behind Birdie, was special because it was one of the few films that starred Tupac Shakur (Birdie) before his untimely passing.

And if you remember nothing else from Above The Rim, the picture below should ring a bell. After all, it was so iconic that it’s now used as a meme — a high honor for TV and movies these days.

II. AVON BARKSDALE (THE WIRE)

While Wood had a few roles under his belt before starring in The Wire, his portrayal of West Baltimore drug kingpin Avon Barksdale is one of the most impactful roles of his career.

The series premiered in 2002, which also proved to be Harris’s breakout year as an actor, during which he secured a role in a Rocafella film that we’ll discuss shortly.

The series kicks off with Avon as an elusive figure who the police can’t even find a picture of, and throughout the first season, you can’t help but find yourself rooting for him in some way despite being an antagonist.

While The Wire didn’t win many awards in its day, this role cemented Wood Harris in the minds of many by showcasing his range, going from a character like that in Remember the Titans to a kingpin.

(Fun fact: Wood Harris was the first person cast for the series, followed by Idris Elba.)

The scene below is from the final season of The Wire. If you have no interest in SPOILERS, please keep scrolling.

III. ACE (PAID IN FULL)

In 2002, Wood Harris jumped onto theatre screens with the Rocafella-produced movie Paid In Full, which is based on the true story of 3 friends turned drug dealers in Harlem (Rich Porter, Azie, and Alpo).

This role helped introduce Wood Harris to a different viewer — a Hip-hop audience who may not have seen Remember The Titans or The Wire.

This was a generation of rap fans who eventually began to know him as Ace Boogie.

His performance as the complex protagonist “Ace,” who hoped to build an empire with his friends only to see it crumble, led people to confuse him with the real Azie, much like Cam’ron, who was literally mistaken for Rico at one point.

The power of this story still extends to Gen Z, who often do reaction videos while watching it for the first time. Above all else, they resonate with Ace because he kept his heart and never succumbed to the vices of the game.

Another landmark role for generations to come.

IV. SPENCER HAYWOOD (WINNING TIME)

Haywood was born to a family of sharecroppers in the Mississippi Delta and rose to the highest heights in his career, playing in the ABA, The Olympics, and eventually the NBA.

He was a dominant force in the league. However, a brief battle with drugs in the 80s impacted his presence on the court, which ultimately led to his departure from the Lakers and his move overseas. Despite that, he was able to bounce back and play two more seasons with the Washington Bullets before retiring.

Wood Harris brought that complexity to life in a way only he can, and again, for those few minutes of the monologue below, you genuinely believe he is Spencer Haywood playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

While the show was canceled after two seasons (I still can’t believe it), clips like the one below incentivize viewers to go on Max to see what the hype is about.

V. ERIC EDWARDS (FOREVER)

Harris’s role as the father of Justin Edwards deserves recognition and a few awards to go with it.

Perhaps the most refreshing part of Forever, in my opinion, is that at a time when there aren’t that many portrayals of Black fatherhood that don’t involve intense economic struggle or a streaky presence caused by deep character flaws, you get to see a character like Eric Edwards.

Eric Edwards was a masterclass in fatherhood and marriage.

As a father, he recognized that his son was on the brink of adulthood and acted more as an advisor than an authoritarian. At crucial points, he either offered advice or asked Justin questions that provoked him to think — he rarely gave a directive, and when he did, it was still in the form of guidance, not “because I said so.” Overall, he was a good balance to Dawn, who was concerned (and rightfully so) about some of Justin’s choices to the point of helicopter parenting.

As a husband, Eric was a rock for his wife and a protector of his children. He provided the stability necessary for keeping emotionally charged situations and conversations from spiraling out of control. And he perfectly balances his duties — sometimes refereeing between Dawn and Justin and at other times helping them see each other’s perspectives.

A perfect example of Eric’s role comes at the midway point in the series.

Fans noticed that when Eric told Justin about Keisha being on the island with them (see the clip below for reference), he made sure to say that both he and his mother knew she was there. Eric gave sage wisdom while also ensuring that Justin wouldn’t get mad at his mother for keeping that info from him.

It’s those little details that take this performance (and Mara Brock Akil’s storytelling) to the next level.

Moreover, while much of Wood Harris’s career sees him as a complex protagonist or a villain of sorts, he shines in this role as someone with sage wisdom.

For those who’ve been on the journey with him, you can’t help but think this is what Ace/Avon would be like if they made it out of the game and started families.

EPILOGUE

I left out a bunch of Wood Harris’s other movies, but that said, If you’ve got some time this weekend, definitely check out Forever on Netflix.

Word just dropped that season 2 is on the way, and with that, we’ll hopefully get the next chapter of Justin & Keisha’s story, along with some updates on the Edwards family in general (what can I say? I love seeing Black wealth).

If by some stretch you’re not convinced about the greatness of Wood Harris yet, check out any of the shows above.

I guarantee that you’ll become a fan by the end of them. If not, you’re probably just a hater (kidding, but not really).

One.