André Holland
An actor of profound stillness and emotional intelligence, he brings quiet dignity to stories of race, identity, and human connection.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American actor·Birthday: December 28·Generation X
Biography
André Holland commands the screen not with volume, but with depth. A graduate of NYU's Tisch School and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he honed his craft on stage before making a striking transition to film and television. While his breakthrough came as the compassionate doctor Algernon Edwards in the cinematic series 'The Knick,' it was his role as Kevin in Barry Jenkins's 'Moonlight' that cemented his status. In that film, his portrayal of a man reconciling with a lost love from his past was a masterclass in restrained longing. Holland consistently chooses projects that grapple with complex social and personal histories, from the baseball drama '42' to the Shakespearean adaptation 'Othello' in Central Park. He operates with a deliberate grace, building a body of work defined by its thoughtful intensity and its commitment to illuminating the inner lives of his characters.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
André was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When André Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
André's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Delivered a critically acclaimed performance as Kevin in the Best Picture-winning film 'Moonlight.'
- Starred as Dr. Algernon Edwards in two seasons of Steven Soderbergh's period drama 'The Knick.'
- Played the lead role of Othello in a Public Theater production in New York's Central Park.
- Executive produced and starred in the Hulu series 'The Big Door Prize,' adapting the novel by M.O. Walsh.
Did You Know?
He lived in London for a time while studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
He is a passionate fan of the Boston Red Sox.
He initially studied accounting in college before switching to pursue acting.
He played sportswriter Wendell Smith in the Jackie Robinson biopic '42.'
“I'm interested in the spaces between the words, the things that are not said.”
