D. B. Woodside
An actor whose commanding presence and quiet intensity have made him a steady, beloved force across decades of television drama.
Born 1969 (age 57)·American actor·Birthday: July 25·Generation X
Biography
D.B. Woodside built a career not on explosive fame, but on the solid foundation of being the actor you trust to hold a scene. Standing at six-foot-three, his physical stature is matched by a resonant voice and a thoughtful demeanor. He broke through playing real-life Motown legend Melvin Franklin, but found a lasting niche as the grounded, often morally centered figure in genre-bending shows. Whether as a high school principal navigating a hellmouth on 'Buffy,' the conflicted angel Amenadiel learning humanity on 'Lucifer,' or a political operator on '24,' Woodside specializes in characters who project authority while wrestling with complex internal dilemmas. His performances are studies in restraint, making his moments of vulnerability or power all the more impactful for their scarcity.
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.
D. was born in 1969, 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 D. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1969
#1 Movie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Best Picture
Midnight Cowboy
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
D.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1969Born
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Started school
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Became a teenager
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Could drive
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1987Could vote
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Turned 21
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1999Turned 30
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 40
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 50
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 57 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed the angel Amenadiel across all six seasons of the hit supernatural drama 'Lucifer,' becoming a fan-favorite character.
- Played President Wayne Palmer on the thriller series '24,' stepping into a role originally held by his on-screen brother.
- Landed a recurring role as attorney Jeff Malone on the popular legal drama 'Suits.'
- Earned critical praise for his portrayal of Motown bass singer Melvin Franklin in the NBC miniseries 'The Temptations.'
Did You Know?
He is a trained stage actor and performed in August Wilson's 'Jitney' at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.
He taught high school English and drama in the Bronx before his acting career took off.
He is an avid fan of the New York Knicks basketball team.
He played college basketball at the University of Albany.
“I show up prepared, I know my lines, and I do the work.”
