Curtiss Cook's life and career highlights from Broadway to Hollywood stardom

Curtiss Cook's life and career highlights from Broadway to Hollywood stardom

Curtiss Cook is a famous American actor best known for his roles in The Chi, Manifest, Chicago Med, House of Cards, and others. The celebrated black actor's road to fame has been paved with resilience, hard work, and dedication to breaking barriers in the industry. Uncover his inspiring rise to success.

Curtiss Cook poses during the world premiere of Dexter: New Blood (R). The Hollywood actor poses on the red carpet of the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards (L).
Cook attends the premiere of Dexter: New Blood (R). The actor poses on the red carpet of the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards (L). Photo: Arturo Holmes, Momodu Mansaray/WireImage (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

  • Curtiss Cook, also known as Curtis I. Cook was born on 2 October 1968.
  • He is married to Angelica Edwards with whom he has two children, Harlem and Jade Cook.
  • He has three children from a previous relationship, Kimani, Curtiss Jr., and Isis Cook.
  • Cook attended the UK's leading drama school, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.
  • He has appeared in Broadway productions, Hollywood films and TV dramas such as The Chi, Manifest and West Side Story.

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Profile summary

Full name

Curtis I. Cook

Nickname

Curtiss Cook

Gender

Male

Date of birth

2 October 1968

Age

56 years as of 2025

Zodiac sign

Libra

Place of birth

Dayton, Ohio, United States

Current residence

New York City, New York, United States

Nationality

American

Ethnicity

Black

Sexuality

Straight

Height in centimetres

180

Height in feet

5'10"

Weight in kilograms

73

Weight in pounds

160

Eye colour

Brown

Hair colour

Black

Parents

Alice Rena and Clifton Cook Sr.

Siblings

4

Marital status

Married

Spouse

Angelica Edwards Patterson

Children

5

High school

Belmont High School

Education

Dayton Contemporary Dance Company Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts

Profession

Actor, writer, producer

Net worth

$2 million

Social media

Facebook

,

Instagram

,

Threads

Curtiss Cook's biography

The Hollywood actor was born on 2 October 1968 to Alice Rena 'Shang' and Clifton Cook Sr. in Dayton, Ohio, in the United States. The Chi actor is 56 years old as of 2025 and his zodiac sign is Libra.

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According to Alice Cook's obituary, Curtiss is the eldest of five siblings; Clifton II, Cameron, Renae, and Chatauqua Curtiss Cook.

Five facts about Curtiss Cook.
Top five facts about Curtiss Cook. Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images (modified by author)
Source: Original

Cook was raised in a working-class family with both parents working as public school teachers. Growing up in Dayton prepared him for his future career and roles in works such as The Chi. Speaking to The Atlanta Voice, he said:

I grew up in the inner city, so certain things become part of everyday life. Unknowingly, I had been prepping for this show from the time I was born in Dayton.

Before his acting career took off, the struggling actor met his first wife and had three children; Kimani, Curtiss Jr., and Isis Cook. Later, Curtiss Cook's family grew larger after meeting his second wife, Angelica Edwards. His two youngest children are Harlem and Jade Cook.

Career

His entry into acting started as early as kindergarten. In the seventh grade, he joined the drama club. In high school, his dedication to the arts was nurtured and supported by his theatre teacher, Patricia Copland. He grew his interests through the Muse Machine, a non-profit organisation that helps students explore the creative world.

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His music and dance career also started in high school under the instruction of Ms Corbin, his music teacher. He later trained to dance at the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company.

After graduating from high school, Cook did not give much thought to his acting career, opting to join the US Navy. However, his fortunes turned when the principal of the Muse Machine put him in contact with Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, a prestigious drama school in London.

After completing his scholarship in London, he moved back to the United States where he began performing on Broadway.

Curtiss Cook performs as a violinist on an episode of the Manifest television series.
Curtiss Cook performs as Radd Campbell in episode 102 of the Manifest television series. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal
Source: Getty Images

Filmography

He played in Broadway roles such as The Lion King and Miss Saigon and in regional and national tours of works such as Five Guys Named Moe. As per his IMDb profile, he is an actor, writer, producer and director who has appeared in 62 films and television series. Here is an overview of some of his productions.

Film/TV series

Character

Year

Carry On

Lionel Williams

2024

The Chi

Otis 'Douda' Perry

2019-2024

Manifest

Radd Campbell

2018-2023

Chicago Med

Lieutenant Reginald Scott

2021-2022

The Devil You Know

Anthony Cowans

2022

West Side Story

Abe

2021

Pose

Thomas

2021

The Bold Type

Marcus Edison

2018-2020

Tommy

Deputy Chief Castro

2020

Inside Game

US Attorney

2019

Remember Amnesia

Mr Marks

2019

Mayans M.C.

Bowen

2018

Luke Cage

Pistol Pete Stokes

2016-2018

Madeline's Madeline

George

2018

Narcos

Gilbert Mills

2017

House of Cards

Terry Womack

2013-2017

Roxanne Roxanne

Dave

2017

Bull

Dean Poole

2017

Elementary

Detective Sybert

2016

Blue Bloods

Detective Jones

2013

All Is Bright

Kevin

2013

Golden Boy

Lyle Creasmen

2013

Person Of Interest

Terrence King

2012

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

Ron Robbins

2007-2010

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Is Curtiss Cook married?

The multitalented actor is married to Angelica Edwards. Like her husband, Edwards is an actor and dancer, best known for her role on The Lion King on Broadway. As of 2024, she had played Nala, Sarabi, Rafiki, and Shenzi as the understudy or replacement.

FAQs

  1. Who is Curtiss Cook? Cook is an American actor best known for his roles in The Chi, Carry-On and The Devil You Know.
  2. When was Curtiss Cook born? The black actor was born on 2 October 1968.
  3. What is Curtiss Cook's age? Cook is 56 years old as of 2025 and his zodiac sign is Libra.
  4. How tall is Curtiss Cook? He is approximately 5 feet 10 (178 centimetres) tall.
  5. What is Curtiss Cook's net worth? According to National Birthday, the Hollywood actor has an alleged net worth of $2 million.
  6. Is Curtiss Cook a Sigma? He is a member of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
  7. Who is Curtiss Cook's wife? The theatre and film actor is married to Angelica Edwards, an actor at Walt Disney Theatrical Productions.
  8. Was Curtiss Cook in The Sopranos? He played Credenso Curtis in the television series, The Sopranos.
  9. Why did Curtiss Cook leave The Chi? In the season 6 finale of The Chi, Cook's character, Douda was killed off.

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Curtiss Cook is a polished actor, writer, producer and director. His journey to global stardom as an entertainer has grown despite encountering numerous challenges. His most recent appearance as Otis 'Douda' Perry on The Chi has played a vital impact on his actor's profile, showcasing him as a versatile performer.

Legit.ng has published an article about Andrew Schulz's net worth. Schulz is a renowned American actor, comedian and podcast host.

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Ciku Njuguna avatar

Ciku Njuguna (Lifestyle writer) Ciku Njuguna is a journalist with more than four years of experience in writing and content creation while working with Legit.ng, Sports Brief and CyberSchool technologies. She has a BSc in Nutrition and Dietetics (2018) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Nairobi (2022). Ciku joined Legit.ng in 2024, covering lifestyle content. In 2023, she finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and participated in the Google News Initiative training program. Email: ciku.njuguna1@gmail.com