Seth Gilliam

Gilliam began his film career in the early 1990s, appearing in acclaimed movies such as Still Alice. His other notable film roles include playing Sergeant Sugar Watkins in the 1997 action film Starship Troopers and Sergeant Steven Altameyer in the 1996 drama Courage Under Fire.

On television, Gilliam has taken on a variety of recurring roles. He appeared as Aaron Dexter, the boyfriend of Erika Alexander’s character, during the seventh season of The Cosby Show, and later portrayed Alan Deaton on Teen Wolf. His most prominent TV role was on The Wire, where he gained attention in 2008 for criticizing the show’s lack of Emmy recognition despite its widespread critical acclaim. He has also made guest appearances on shows like CSI: Miami, Nurse Jackie, Skins, Person of Interest, and The Good Wife. Additionally, he played Clayton Hughes on Oz. In May 2014, Gilliam joined the cast of AMC’s The Walking Dead as Father Gabriel Stokes, becoming the third actor from The Wire to join the series, alongside Chad Coleman and Lawrence Gilliard Jr.

Gilliam is also an accomplished stage actor. In 1993, he played Prince Edward in a production of Richard III. He later starred as the title character in Othello—first in 2010 with Boston’s Commonwealth Shakespeare Company and again in 2011 at the Houston Shakespeare Festival, both productions directed by his wife, Leah C. Gardiner. In 2013, the couple returned to Houston for a production of Antony and Cleopatra, with Gilliam playing Antony and Gardiner directing. Gilliam has expressed his love for theater, noting that while he enjoys working in film and television, he finds stage acting more rewarding: “Acting for the stage is a lot more fun. There is instant communication with the audience. An actor can tell whether or not they’re connecting with the audience or if the audience understands what’s happening.”