Anthony Anderson is an actor from the United States who rose to prominence after starring in his own sitcom, ‘All About the Andersons.’ Given the prevalence of gang violence, drive-by shootings, and drug selling in Compton, Anderson’s life was complicated. His ambition to follow in his mother’s footsteps (who worked as a movie extra) got him through it all and more. He entered the world of glitz and glamor early in his youth, with his first appearance in front of the camera being for television commercials. Anderson was quickly enlisted to portray a variety of roles on both the big and small screens. Though he became well-known quickly after his debut in 1999, it was with his sitcom ‘All About the Andersons’ in 2003 that he became a household figure. He has been in a number of well-known television shows and films over the years. Interestingly, despite his comedic strengths, Anderson has excelled in serious dramas, with his portrayal of Detective Kevin Bernard in Law & Order serving as the clearest example. Anderson is now starring in the teleseries ‘Black-ish’ as Andre ‘Dre’ Johnson, Sr.
Childhood and Adolescence
Anthony Anderson was born in Compton, California on August 15, 1970 to Doris and Sterling Bowman. His mother worked as a telephone operator and background actress, while his father was the owner of a clothes store. Young Anderson soon followed in his mother’s footsteps and began starring in ads on television. He was accepted into Los Angeles Performing Arts High School because of his remarkable skills. With the help of a drama scholarship, he was able to advance his career in the entertainment industry by enrolling at Howard University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts in 1993.
Career of Anthony
Anderson’s first attempt at stand-up comedy was a complete failure. For The Comedy Act Theater, his performance as ‘Tasty Tony, the One and Only, and if there’s another, he’s a phony’ was a complete disaster. He did not, however, budge despite Guy Torry’s words of sympathy and encouragement. In 1996, he starred in the television movie ‘Alien Avengers.’ His performance in ‘Avengers’ landed him a cameo spot on NBC’s Saturday morning adolescent sitcom, ‘Hang Time.’ He was soon promoted to a regular. Teddy Brotis, a high school basketball fan, was rounded out by Anderson.
In addition to ‘Hang Time,’ he went on to star in a number of other TV shows, including ‘In The House’ and ‘NYPD Blue.’ Anthony Anderson’s major break came with the film ‘Life’ in 1999. The picture, which was set in the 1930s and starred Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence, was a jail comedy. He appeared in two additional films that year, ‘Liberty Heights’ and ‘Trippin’. Anderson’s career progressed significantly in the year 2000. In the comedic film ‘Big Momma’s House,’ he played the character of Nolan. His character, as much as the film, was warmly received. In the same year, he appeared in ‘Romeo Must Die,’ ‘Urban Legends: Final Cut,’ and ‘Me, Myself, and Irene,’ with the latter gaining him critical acclaim.
After a few of comedies, Anderson shifted his focus to drama, portraying Junior Slocumb in the 2001 picture ‘Kingdom Come.’ In the same year, he also directed the action thriller ‘Exit Wounds.’ Anderson, although not being the primary character, stole the night with his talent and timing. The year 2003 was a watershed moment in his career. First, he starred in the critically acclaimed picture ‘Kangaroo Jack,’ which was a commercial hit. On the Warner Brothers Network, he followed up with ‘All About Anderson,’ a self-produced, written, and starring television sitcom.
In the fall of 2003, the sitcom premiered. ‘All About Anderson’ was inspired in part by Anderson’s own experiences. Anderson played the major role of an aspiring actor who, together with his young kid, returns home to live with his parents while unemployed. The show was hysterically funny. Despite the fact that some critics lambasted the sitcom, it was a commercial success. Anderson alternated between television and movies, allowing him to enjoy the best of both worlds. ‘Veronica Mars,’ ‘The Bernie Mac Show,’ ‘K-Ville,’ and ‘Chappelle’s Show’ were among his many television appearances after his flagship show ended in 2004.
He starred in one of television’s most popular criminal dramas, ‘Law & Order,’ in 2008. Detective Kevin Bernard was the character he played. In 2010, the show came to an end. Following that, he appeared as a guest on a number of television episodes, including ‘Soul Man,’ ‘Raising Hope,’ and ‘Rake.’ He debuted as a director in 2009 with a one-minute short film starring Jeremy Sisto. The brief initially broadcast during the ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ episode ‘Reality Bites.’ He was cast in a tiny role in ‘Scream 4’ the following year. In 2013, he played Mr Sandpaper Hands in the boxing film ‘Grudge Match.’ He then starred as “Lone Wolf” Morales in the 2014 film “The Town That Dreaded Sundown.” In the same year, he hosted the ‘Eating America’ series of food festivals. He is currently seen as Andre ‘Dre’ Johnson, Sr. on the sitcom ‘Black-ish,’ which is about a middle-class African-American family.
Major Projects of Anthony
Anderson is well known for his sitcom ‘All About the Andersons,’ which aired in 2003. The play, which was self-written, produced, and starred in, was a huge smash during its one-year run. It showed Anderson’s early years, when he had returned home after graduating but was unemployed. In ‘Law & Order,’ he played Detective Kevin Bernard, who was a memorable character. In blockbuster pictures such as ‘Life,’ ‘Barbershop,’ ‘Big Momma’s House,’ ‘The Transformers,’ and ‘The Departed,’ he has perfected the role of the second fiddle.’
Personal History and Legacy
In 1995, he married Alvina, one of his college sweethearts. The couple has two children together.
Because Anderson has Type 2 Diabetes, he advocates diabetes awareness. He engages in everyday exercise and encourages others to do so as well.
Estimated Net Worth
Anthony Anderson is an American actor and writer with a net worth of $25 million dollars, and thanks to his combined acting and producing pay as well as his share of the show’s back-end, he earns about $9 million per year in his part on the popular comedy series Black-ish.
Trivia
Anderson would not have entered the stage and become renowned if it hadn’t been for comedian Guy Torry’s comfort and support following his first effort at comedy. He was inspired by the nature and behavior of his own family for the sitcom ‘All About the Andersons,’ which had gone so insane with his no-work life that they padlocked the refrigerator and replaced home appliances with pay phones, coin-operated washer and dryer, and so on.