Common
Born: 1972-03-13 in Chicago, Illinois, USA
Known For: Acting
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
2025
- Wick Is Pain as Self
- SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) ... (Executive Producer)
- Diane Warren: Relentless as Self
2024
- Breathe as Darius
- Four Letters ... (Music)
- Hip-Hop and the White House
- Live from Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central as Self
- Bilal: Live at Glasshaus as Self
- Evolution of the Black Quarterback as Self
- Justice, USA ... (Executive Producer)
2023
- Silo as Robert Sims
- The Legacy of J Dilla as Self - Rapper; Friend
- Fool's Paradise as The Dagger
- Between Riverside and Crazy as Junior
- Chris Rock: Road To Live Special as Self
- A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop as Self
2022
- The Jennifer Hudson Show as Self
- StoryBots: Answer Time as Mr. Wonderful
- jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy as Self (archive footage)
- Alice as Frank
- Killing Me Softly with His Songs as Self
- Glitter Ain't Gold ... (Executive Producer)
2021
- You're Watching Video Music Box as Self (archive footage)
- 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony as Self
2020
- Never Have I Ever as Dr. Chris Jackson
- Ava as Michael
- Home Movie: The Princess Bride as Westley
- One World: Together at Home as Self
- Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices
- A Most Beautiful Thing as Narrator
- Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince as Self
- Bottomless Brunch at Colman's as Self
- Fraggle Rock: Rock On! as Self
- Obama as Self
2019
- The Kelly Clarkson Show as Self
- Tamron Hall as Self - Guest
- Saint Judy as Benjamin Adebayo
- The Kitchen as Gary Silvers
- The Informer as Grens
- The Price of Protest as Self (archive footage)
- Activate: The Global Citizen Movement as Self
2018
- The Chi as Rafiq
- Ocean's Eight as Common
- Smallfoot as Stonekeeper (voice)
- Hunter Killer as RA John Fisk
- The Hate U Give as Uncle Carlos
- Here and Now as Ben
- All About Nina as Rafe
- Shut Up and Dribble as Self - Musician
- The Tale as Martin
2017
- Girls Trip as Common
- John Wick: Chapter 2 as Cassian
- Megan Leavey as Gunny Martin
- Love Beats Rhymes as Coltrane
- The Words That Built America as Self - Reader: Declaration of Independence
- Feel Rich: Health Is the New Wealth as Himself
- Chasing Trane as Self - Musician
- A Happening of Monumental Proportions as Daniel
- Chamber Check: Evolution of a Fight Scene as Self
- Misdirection: The Real Magic as Narrator
2016
- Chelsea as Self
- Suicide Squad as Monster T
- Barbershop: The Next Cut as Jabari
- BET Presents Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration as Self - Performer
- Two Trains Runnin' as Narrator
- Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise as Self
- Letter to the Free
- America Divided as Self
- Black America Again as Himself - Street Performer
2015
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self
- Lip Sync Battle as Self
- Unity as Narrator (voice)
- Being Charlie as Travis
- Entourage as Common
- Run All Night as Mr. Price
- The Wiz Live! as The Bouncer
- Framework as Himself - Host
- Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives
2014
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self
- Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self
- Off Camera with Sam Jones as Self
- Every Secret Thing as Devlin Hatch
- X/Y as Jason
- Selma as James Bevel
2013
- Now You See Me as Evans
- Movie 43 as Bob Mone (segment "The Pitch")
- Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton: This Is Stones Throw Records as Self
- LUV as Uncle Vincent
- Pawn as Jeff Porter
2012
- The Mindy Project as Security Guard
- The Odd Life of Timothy Green as Coach Cal
- Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap as Self
2011
- Hell on Wheels as Elam Ferguson
- Happy Feet Two as Seymour (voice)
- New Year's Eve as Soldier
- Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest as Self
2010
- Just Wright as Scott McKnight
- Date Night as Collins
- Music as Self
- Bouncing Cats as Narrator
- Brave New Voices 2010 as Himself - Host
2009
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- Terminator Salvation as Barnes
2008
- Wanted as The Gunsmith
- Street Kings as Coates
2007
- Keeping Up with the Kardashians as Self
- American Gangster as Turner Lucas
- Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life as Self
2006
- Smokin' Aces as Sir Ivy
- I Love the '70s: Volume 2 as Self
2005
- Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out
- Dave Chappelle's Block Party as Self
- The Notorious B.I.G BET Official presents
- Kanye West: College Dropout [Video Anthology] as Self (segment "Two Words")
- Letter to the President as Self
- Soundz of Spirit as Self
- Black in the 80s as Self
2004
- 5 Sides of a Coin as Himself
- Game Over as Himself (voice)
2003
- Real Time with Bill Maher as Self
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
- Beef as Self
- Chappelle's Show
- Godfathers and Sons as Self
2002
- Brown Sugar as Self
2001
- Scrubs as Common
- One on One as Darius
2000
- Girlfriends as Omar
1999
- Mark Twain Prize as Self - Musical Guest
1998
- TRL
- Pete Rock: Soul Survivor as Common
1997
- The View as Self
- The Chris Rock Show
1996
- The Daily Show as Self
1993
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
1989
- The Simpsons as Common (voice)
1986
- American Masters as Self
1984
- MTV Video Music Awards as Self - Presenter
1981
- Entertainment Tonight as Self
1975
- Saturday Night Live as Self - Cameo (uncredited)