Born and bred in New York City, Perrineau studied dance with the Alvin Ailey Company before segueing to acting in his twenties. He won accolades for his portrayal of a wayward teen in the indie flick
Smoke, despite being already in his thirties during filming. After tackling a number of TV guest roles and supporting film parts, he came to prominence as the philosophically minded, wheelchair-dependent narrator of
Oz. Although Perrineau continued to appear in movies---including two installments of the
Matrix trilogy---television remained his medium, and in 2004 he made his biggest splash to date as a single father on
Lost.
Harold Perrineau Fast Facts:
- Changed last name of Williams to mother's maiden name Perrineau after joining the Screen Actors Guild, which already had a member named Harold Williams.
- Started his acting career in theater.
- Landed first television role on the series I'll Fly Away in 1990.
- Won an NAACP Image Award for his role in Topdog/Underdog in 2001.
- Nominated for Best Supporting Male for the Independent Spirit Award for his part in Smoke (1995).
- Skilled in martial arts.
- Started taking swimming lessons on the location of Lost.
- Harold Perrineau Relationships:
- Aurora Robinson Perrineau - Daughter
- Brittany Robinson - Wife
- Wynter Aria Perrineau - Daughter
- Harold Perrineau Awards:
- 2005 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series - Winner
- College:
- Attended Shenandoah Conservatory, Winchester, VA