Stocky and heavyset African-American supporting player Omar Benson Miller (whose looks recalled a young Forest Whitaker) debuted onscreen in the early 2000s. Miller appeared in a host of films of varying quality, including 8 Mile (2002), the Richard Gere remake Shall We Dance? (2004), and the direct-to-video sexploitation comedy American Pie Presents: Band Camp (2005). In 2007, Miller tackled slightly more somber material with a key role in the Halle Berry-Benicio Del Toro psychological drama Things We Lost in the Fire, about the relationship between a grieving widow and a heroin addict. Miller would continue to find success on screen for years to come, appearing in movies like Miracle at St. Anna and The Sorcerer's Apprentice, as well as on the TV series CSI: Miami.
Omar Benson Miller
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- Named best male actor in his San Jose State graduating class.
- Founded the Omar Miller Foundation, which feeds hungry L.A.-area residents, using food left over from film and TV productions.
- Costarred with the likes of Eminem (2002's 8 Mile) and Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon (2004's Shall We Dance?).
- Made his directorial debut with the 2007 film Gordon Glass.
- Lost 60 pounds to portray a WWII G.I. in the 2008 Spike Lee film Miracle at St. Anna.
- Known for his role as art-theft expert Walter Simmons on the popular crime series CSI: Miami, he is also recognized for his resemblance to Forest Whitaker. In an interview with CY, he noted that he and the Oscar-winning actor are "the only people who think we don't look alike, yet the world is convinced I am a younger version of him, and I am absolutely fine with that."