Jesse Martin was born Jesse Lamont Watkins in Virginia's Blue Ridge mountain range. His mother, Virginia Price, was a college career counselor. His father, Jesse Reed Watkins, was a truck driver. His parents divorced when he was very young. His mother then moved his family to Buffalo, New York. He and his four brothers took the surname of his mother's second husband. His family calls him by his middle name, Lamont. As a fourth-grader, a teacher cast him in a play and he found his passion. After graduating from high school, he worked in restaurants to afford the tuition at New York University. He then got work on soaps and did commercials. His breakthrough came in a role in Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical Rent (1996). That was followed up with TV exposure in his first starring role in the series 413 Hope St. (1997), which aired on Fox.

Upgrade membership to get access to client roster details.

Upgrade to see how you're connected to other professionals through your credits.

Upgrade membership to unlock contact and representation information.

Upgrade membership to unlock box office data.

Upgrade membership to add and manage your images.

Select your profession and Known For titles

Access full contact and representation details

Find the right people with Discover advanced search

View contact info and get hired with IMDbPro

Add your primary image and get discovered

Find contact info for agents and management

View connections to industry professionals

See who's working on in-development titles

Upgrade membership to access historical STARmeter charts for yourself and other professionals.

Get insights on who this person is frequently credited with.

Upgrade membership to add and manage demo reels.

Jesse L. Martin and David Harbour in Law & Order (1990)

Jesse L. Martin in Rocky Horror 25: Anniversary Special (2000)

Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin, and Chris Noth in Law & Order (1990)

Geraldine Chaplin, Jane Krakowski, and Jesse L. Martin in A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004)

Jesse L. Martin in A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004)

Kelsey Grammer and Jesse L. Martin in A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004)

Taye Diggs, Rosario Dawson, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Jesse L. Martin, Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, and Tracie Thoms in Rent (2005)

Tony Goldwyn, Maura Tierney, Hugh Dancy, Reid Scott, David Ajala, and Odelya Halevi in Law & Order (1990)

Jesse L. Martin and Rick Cosnett in The Letter Carrier (2016)

Jesse L. Martin

Jesse L. Martin

Known for

Credits summary

Photos314

Videos60

STARmeter

Contacts

Frequently credited with