Billy Dee Williams
Actor · Since 1966
Known for
An American actor best known to generations of moviegoers as Lando Calrissian, the smooth, charismatic gambler he introduced in 'The Empire Strikes Back' (1980) and reprised in 'Return of the Jedi' (1983). Born in New York City, Williams broke ground as one of the first Black actors to reach mainstream Hollywood stardom, and later played Harvey Dent in Tim Burton's 'Batman' (1989). He returned to voice and live-action versions of Lando, including 'The Lego Batman Movie' (2017). A suave, velvet-voiced screen presence, he remains a beloved figure of American popular cinema.
Billy Dee Williams
Actor · Since 1966
54 Movies · 34 Series
An American actor best known to generations of moviegoers as Lando Calrissian, the smooth, charismatic gambler he introduced in 'The Empire Strikes Back' (1980) and reprised in 'Return of the Jedi' (1983). Born in New York City, Williams broke ground as one of the first Black actors to reach mainstream Hollywood stardom, and later played Harvey Dent in Tim Burton's 'Batman' (1989). He returned to voice and live-action versions of Lando, including 'The Lego Batman Movie' (2017). A suave, velvet-voiced screen presence, he remains a beloved figure of American popular cinema.
Movies
Plays Lando Calrissian
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
2019
Plays Lando Calrissian
The Empire Strikes Back
1980
Plays Two-Face (voice)
The Lego Batman Movie
2017
Plays Lando Calrissian
Return of the Jedi
1983
Plays Lando (voice)
The Lego Movie
2014
Plays Harvey Dent
Batman
1989
Plays Gen. Warren Boutwell
Undercover Brother
2002
Plays Lando Calrissian (voice)
LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation
2022
Plays Matthew Fox
Nighthawks
1981
Plays Clifford Robinson, Lost & Found Clerk
The Out-of-Towners
1970
Plays Tito
Dirty Dancing
2017
Plays Lando Calrissian
Dark Empire
Plays Senator Harmon
The Contract
1999
Plays Sgt. Paul Davidson
Good Neighbor
2001
Plays Al Wheeler
Fear City
1984
Plays Lester
The Ladies Man
2000
Plays Pastor Charlie
Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror
2006
Plays Lonnie Green
Barry Munday
2010
Plays Max
Driving Me Crazy
1991
Plays Ferguson
Epoch: Evolution
2003
Plays Louis McKay
Lady Sings the Blues
1972
Plays Lando Calrissian / Man (voice)
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II
2008
Plays Secret Agent Zero
Secret Agent 00 Soul
1990
Plays Adm. Jim Perry
Steel Sharks
1997
Plays Ace Millstone
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll
2011
Plays Bingo
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings
1976
Plays Det. Hazeltine
Number One with a Bullet
1987
Plays Josh Quincy
The Last Angry Man
1959
Plays Helms Boxer
Constellation
2007
Plays Cain
The Man in 3B
2015
Plays Detective Don Racine
Moving Target
1996
Plays Sneed
The Take
1974
Plays Hamberger
Deadly Illusion
1987
Plays Nick Allen
Hit!
1973
Plays Clarence Whitlock
The Hostage Tower
1980
Plays Johnny Johnson
The Final Comedown
1972
Plays Brian
Mahogany
1975
Plays Henry
The Visit
2001
Plays Commander Skyler
Alien Intruder
1993
Plays Robert Delgado
iMurders
2008
Plays Agent Jeffries
Mask of Death
1996
Plays Dr. Davis
The Last Place on Earth
2002
Plays Two-Face (voice)
Movie Sound Effects: How Do They Do That?
2017
Plays Sheriff Hammond
Fear Runs Silent
2000
Plays Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin
1977
Plays Matthew Raines
The Impostor
1984
Plays Two-Face (voice)
Batman Is Just Not That Into You
2017
Plays Felix
Message from Nam
1993
Plays Richard Davis
Marvin & Tige
1985
TV Shows
Plays Burton Hardesty
18 Wheels of Justice
2000
Plays Billy Diamond
Double Dare
1985
Plays Adm. Bitchface (voice)
Titan Maximum
2009
Plays Tyler Watts
Chiefs
1983
Plays Francis Cardozo
North and South
1985
Plays Self
Black in the 80s
2005
Plays Edward Tobin
The F.B.I.
1965
Plays Berry Gordy
The Jacksons: An American Dream
1992
Plays Charles White
Street Time
2002
Plays Jerry Rose
The Hughleys
1998
Plays Lindo Calrissian (voice)
LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles
2013
Plays Lando Calrissian (voice)
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures
2016
Plays Lando Calrissian (voice)
LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales
2015
Plays Leroy Jethro Moore
NCIS
2003
Plays Coach Paysinger
The Rebels
2014
Plays Lando Calrissian (voice)
Star Wars Detours
Plays The Second Technician
Coronet Blue
1967
Plays Lando Calrissian (voice)
LEGO Star Wars: The Resistance Rises
2016
Plays Sensei Carrot / Cucumber Referee (voice)
The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange
2012
Plays Billy Dee Williams (voice)
Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?
2019
Plays Pastor Dan
That '70s Show
1998
Plays Billy Dee Williams
Martin
1992
Plays Otis 'Omar Funk' Wright
Half & Half
2002
Plays Henry
Private Practice
2007
Plays Billy Dee Williams
Lost
2004
Plays Private Austin George
The Defenders
1961
Plays Ford / Bradford Toman
White Collar
2009
Plays Lawrence Todd
And Just Like That…
2021
Plays Langston Paige
A Different World
1987
Plays Lando Calrissian (voice)
Star Wars Rebels
2014
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
Is That Black Enough for You?!?
Full Filmography 88
STZ
Broadcaster (voice)
2025
LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation
Lando Calrissian (voice)
2022
And Just Like That…
Lawrence Todd · 1 episode
2021–
Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?
Billy Dee Williams (voice)
2020Season 2
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Lando Calrissian
2019
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures
Lando Calrissian (voice)
2017Season 2
Movie Sound Effects: How Do They Do That?
Two-Face (voice)
2017
Batman Is Just Not That Into You
Two-Face (voice)
2017
Dirty Dancing
Tito
2017
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Billy Dee Williams and where are they from?
Billy Dee Williams is 89 years old, born on April 6, 1937 in New York City, New York, USA.
What are the most famous roles of Billy Dee Williams?
Billy Dee Williams is best known for roles in The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
How many movies has Billy Dee Williams been in?
Over a 67-year career (since 1959), Billy Dee Williams has appeared in 53 movies and 33 TV shows.
What was Billy Dee Williams's first movie?
The career of Billy Dee Williams began with The Last Angry Man (1959).
What is Billy Dee Williams's most recent movie or series?
Billy Dee Williams's most recent release is STZ, which premiered on November 21, 2025.
What TV shows has Billy Dee Williams appeared in?
On television, Billy Dee Williams has appeared in Lost, Modern Family, NCIS, That '70s Show.
Billy Dee Williams
1937-04-06 · New York City, New York, USA
William December "Billy Dee" Williams Jr. (born April 6, 1937) is an American actor, artist, and singer. He is best known as Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars franchise, first in the early 1980s, and nearly forty years later in The Rise of Skywalker (2019), marking one of the longest intervals between onscreen portrayals of a character by the same actor in American film history.
He made his film debut in 1959 in The Last Angry Man starring Paul Muni, in which he portrayed a juvenile delinquent. His first big break was in the acclaimed television movie, Brian's Song in which he played Gale Sayers. In 1972 he played Billie Holliday's husband Louis McKay in Motown Productions' Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues. Diana Ross starred in Lady Sings the Blues opposite Williams; Motown paired the two of them again three years later in Mahogany.
His work has earned him numerous awards and honors including three NAACP Image Awards, and the NAACP Lifetime Achievement award. He was inducted into the Black Filmmaker's Hall of Fame in 1984, and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1985.