Character: Charlie Duchamp

Chosen as one of Variety's “Top Ten Actors to Watch in 2009,” actor Laz Alonso can be seen top lining the series Breakout Kings. The series is created and executive produced by Prison Break vets Nick Santora and Matt Olmstead. Also executive producing are Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope and Gavin Hood, who directed the pilot. The premiere broke records for the network.

On Mother’s Day weekend 2011, fans saw a different, softer side to Laz in Columbia Pictures' romantic comedy Jumping the Broom. Laz lead the cast along with Paula Patton in a movie about the clash of two families from opposite ends of the socioeconomic spectrum meeting for the first time during a weekend wedding in Martha's Vineyard. The film’s cast is rounded off with Mike Epps, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine and Romeo Miller. In addition to the 2011 release of Broom, Laz appeared in the strong supporting role of ‘Sheriff John Burke’ in Rod Lurie’s remake of the Sam Peckinpah classic Straw Dogs. The film stars James Marsden and Kate Bosworth, and tells the story about a young couple who relocate back to the wife’s hometown and find that much of the backwards thinking that permeated her small town when she was growing up is still alive.

Laz played the lead role of “Tsu’Tey” in the highest grossing film of all time, James Cameron's 2009 release Avatar. Directed by Cameron, this sci-fi epic stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, and Sigourney Weaver. The film is one of the most technically complex productions ever mounted, making extensive use of cutting edge 3-D, computer animation and motion capture F/X technology. Earlier the same year, Laz played the lead villain role of “Fenix” in the fourth installment of the highly popular Fast and the Furious franchise, which posted the highest April weekend opening ever. The movie generated over $350,000,000 in worldwide box office sales, and along with DVD sales and rentals, went on to be the highest grossing film in 2009 for Universal Pictures.

In early 2008, Laz executive produced and starred opposite Danny Glover in Alan Jacobs’ Down for Life (aka Por Vida), which ended up with a much-coveted position in the Toronto Film Festival, for which it was critically acclaimed. The same year, Laz starred in Miracle at St. Anna for director Spike Lee, in which he played one of four leads opposite Derek Luke, Michael Ealy and Omar Benson. The film also stars John Leguizamo, John Tuturro and Kerry Washington.

His past movie credits include lead roles in the Sony/Screen Gems’ hits Stomp The Yard and This Christmas; a lead role in 2006 Roland Joffe psychological thriller Captivity, and a co-starring role in the 2005 hit Jarhead, opposite Academy Award® winner Jamie Foxx, Jake Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard. Mr. Alonso’s past TV credits include guest-starring roles on The Unit, Bones, CSI: Miami, The Practice, Navy: NCIS and Eyes, as well as a recurring role in the critically acclaimed series Southland.

Born and raised in Washington DC, Laz always knew he wanted to be an actor. He remembers at a very early age entertaining his family by imitating relatives and family friends. He graduated from the prestigious Howard University School of Business, earning a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing. After college, he worked on Wall Street at an investment-banking firm. He and two partners eventually started their own marketing business, promoting mainstream products to the trend-setting urban market. Owning and operating his own successful business freed up Laz’s time to finally explore his passion for acting. Laz began taking classes in the evening to hone his craft and it didn’t take him long to begin landing roles in commercials and videos.

From D.C. to New York, Laz feels his upbringing not only taught him how to deal with the school of hard knocks, but also prepared him for his biggest goal, his acting career. He credits the move to NYC as his move into manhood and the city holds many great memories for him. Laz also credits his acting ability to these life experiences, as he is able to bring a little of what he knows or has dealt with into his characters.