*Emmy award-winning Actor Obba Babatundé, one of the busiest actors in Hollywood will receive the Peachtree Village International Film Festival‘s “Legends Award” in Atlanta, GA., this weekend. He is also receiving a Proclamation from the city of Atlanta.
From a plethora of movies, multiple Broadway credits, daytime soaps and even behind the scenes, co-producing, directing and writing, Babatundé is no stranger to the stage and is an exemplary actor who takes pride in his craft.
“I am absolutely honored and thrilled beyond measure to be recognized by an organization in the eleventh year of business. I’m thrilled and honored and pleased that they are honoring me,” says Babatundé.
Currently starring on CBS’s daytime drama, “The Bold & Beautiful”, for which he received the 2016 Daytime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series”, Babatunde knows a bit about longevity, and he has had a long, successful acting career in Hollywood. He also received a supporting actor Primetime Emmy nomination for Miss Evers’ Boys and a NAACP Image Award nomination for his portrayal of Harold Nicholas in HBO’s “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge.”
Babatundé’s acting portfolio includes the blockbuster motion pictures, The Manchurian Candidate, The Notebook, The Celestine Prophecy, John Q, Philadelphia, The Silence of the Lambs, The role of Berry Gordy in The Temptations, Life, Soul Food and many others. With multiple Broadway credits under his belt and his Tony-nominated role in the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls and his role of the legendary jazz artist ‘Ferdinand ‘Jelly Roll’ Morton’ in the world premiere of Jelly’s Last Jam, he is just as comfortable on stage as he is on the big screen.
READ RELATED STORY: VIDEO: OBBA BABATUNDE STARS IN ‘THE FALLEN FAITHFUL’
“It’s an excess of four-and-a-half decades, and I first say I’m blessed and extremely prepared. In everything I do, I excel in excellence. What you invest is what you get back,” says Babatundé. “The advice I would give to an up-and-coming actor or anyone is what I said earlier. Whatever you invest in, you will get a return on it. Whatever you invest, that’s what you’ll get back. Apply yourself and continue to hone your craft and you will receive the benefits,” says Babatundé.
With no plans of slowing down anytime soon, he is currently working on several movies and television series. Babatundé has a new talk show, “Go Beyond the Lens with Obba Babatundé” and a new TV-series, “Horse Talk” coming to your screen soon.
“Go Beyond the Lens with Obba Babatundé” is a very interesting show. The lens is not the camera lens. The lens are a purveyor of what you see through. What you ‘do’ is not necessarily your ‘who’ because what you do is what you do in life, but your ‘who’ is how you affect change in other’s lives,” Babatundé says.
He adds, “I talk to a lot of celebrities. I learn about who they are and what’s important to them and what they truly want in life, not just what they do,” says Babatundé. Some of the actors he has interviewed include Morgan Freeman, Richard Roundtree, Blair Underwood and many others.
When Babatundé is not acting, producing or directing, this Renaissance man can be found hanging out with his beloved horses. From his conversation, he is obviously a passionate horse lover and he is taking his horse whisperer skills to the next level. He is currently in negotiations with the Animal Planet network and hopes to see his show hit the screen worldwide very soon.
“I’m a horse whisperer. What that means is I train horses. I speak the language of horses,” he says. “I don’t break horses; I whisper. A horse is a pure spirit. A horse can’t be bribed to do anything. Horses deal with trust and mistrust. I think we can learn a lot from them. The only way you gain a horse’s trust is to earn them through true investment of time.”
Babatundé recently joined the ensemble cast of Showtime’s new hour-long comedy series I’m Dying Up Here in recurring roles. Executive produced by Jim Carrey, I’m Dying Up Here follows up-and-coming comedians in Los Angeles in the 1970s, who are mentored by “Goldie” (Melissa Leo), a brassy comedy club owner who rules over her business with an iron fist and nurtures her comedians with tough love. Babatundé will portray Barton Royce, a comedy manager.
Stay tuned, there is so much more in store for this talented actor….
Make sure you check him out at the PVIFF… He will be joining the ‘Cast Me If You Can’ panel.
Click HERE for MORE at the PVIFF/Peachtree Village Film Festival.
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EURweb associate journalist Angela P. Moore is based in the Atlanta area. A passionate writer-and-photographer-at-heart, she freelances for local and national magazines. She pens articles on celebrity profiles, art, music, business, travel, entertainment, health, self-help, and consumer-related issues. She is also the founder and owner of APM Public Relations. In the realization of her life-long passion for writing, Angela will release her debut book winter 2016. She can be reached via [email protected].
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