Rocky Carroll Biography

Fast Facts

• Began acting at the age of 6 after a teacher suggested that the "class clown" audition for a play
• Introduced many minority youths to the works of Shakespeare through his participation in Joseph Papp's Shakespeare productions in New York
• He would like to play Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet
• His first feature role was in the Oscar-winning 1989 Oliver Stone film, Born on the Fourth of July
• His performance in August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Piano Lesson earned a 1990 Tony nomination
• He originated his character, Lymon, at Yale Rep in 1987
• Wanted a change from his Roc sitcom character (a wisecracking woman-chaser), which led him, thanks to his friendship with Mark Harmon from their Chicago Hope days, to a serious dramatic role as NCIS director Leon Vance on NCIS
• (On-screen, his character and Harmon's have a tense relationship
• )