- Fishburne’s diverse roles, from Pee-wee’s Playhouse to Boyz n the Hood, showcase his unparalleled acting range.
- Despite Oscar recognition for Ike Turner, the acclaimed actor deserves more Academy Award nominations for standout performances.
- Fishburne embraces comedy, animation, and comic book roles, proving his ability to command every scene.
Whether he was inspiring audiences as Dap in School Daze, delivering unforgettable fatherly wisdom as Furious Styles in Boyz n the Hood, freeing minds as Morpheus in The Matrix, or scene-stealing as the Bowery King in the John Wick franchise, Laurence Fishburne has spent more than five decades proving he’s one of Hollywood’s most versatile performers.
Now, in honor of the legendary actor’s 65th birthday, BOSSIP and Cassius are giving the Emmy and Tony winner his well-earned flowers on the latest episode of The Black Watch.
The brands released a new installment of their editorial-led series examining notable films, television projects, and entertainment figures through thoughtful discussion and cultural commentary.
This week’s episode brings together BOSSIP Managing Editor Dani Canada, ONE Digital Director of Content for the Men’s Division Alvin Blanco, executive producer Serita Wesley, and comedian-writer Richard Jones for a spirited conversation celebrating Fishburne’s remarkable career, unforgettable performances, and lasting impact on Hollywood.
“You might know him as Morpheus, Furious, or Cowboy Curtis,” Dani says while opening the discussion. “But whatever you do, just don’t call him Larry.”
The panel begins by reflecting on the first time they encountered Fishburne onscreen, and the answers perfectly illustrate the breadth of his résumé.
For Serita, it was his beloved portrayal of Cowboy Curtis on Pee-wee’s Playhouse.
“Probably Pee-wee’s Playhouse. Cowboy Curtis,” she says. “I used to be obsessed with that show.”
Richard followed by sharing some top-tier Hollywood history that connected Fishburne’s children’s television role to one of the most influential Black films ever made.
“His role as Furious Styles comes specifically because of his role as Cowboy Curtis,” Richard explains.
According to Richard, filmmaker John Singleton worked security on the set of Pee-wee’s Playhouse before approaching Fishburne and asking him to read an early draft of Boyz n the Hood.
“So Boyz n the Hood exists because of Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”
For Alvin, however, it was Fishburne’s commanding performance as activist Dap Dunlap in Spike Lee’s School Daze that first made him take notice.
“The first time I was like, ‘OK, this is the dude. This is the man,’ was when he was Dap Dunlap in School Daze,” he says.
Alvin joked that the performance inspired him to become the socially conscious leader of his own college campus.
“I wanted to go to college to be him—to be that woke man on campus, ready to shut the school down if we had to.”
Dani agreed that School Daze made an impression on her as well but admitted her favorite Fishburne performance remains Furious Styles.
“I forgot how good he was in that,” she says. “I went back and watched, and especially now that we’re getting the saxophones trend on TikTok, it’s like the saxophones are getting louder.
It makes me think about that all the time.
As the conversation continued, the panel shifted its attention to one of Fishburne’s most surprising career statistics.
Despite collecting six Emmy Awards and a Tony Award throughout his career, the acclaimed actor has received just one Academy Award nomination—for his unforgettable portrayal of Ike Turner opposite Angela Bassett in What’s Love Got to Do with It.
The group questioned why an actor with such an expansive body of work has never received additional Oscar recognition.
“As much as we hate Ike, for a minute Laurence couldn’t get right with me because I was just like, ‘You are Ike Turner,’” Serita says. “He played the hell out of that role. You absolutely hated him in that movie.”
Richard recalled hearing stories about the emotional aftermath of filming one of the movie’s most difficult scenes.
“When the director yelled cut, people wouldn’t talk to him for like two days,” he says.
While everyone agreed Fishburne deserved the nomination, the panel argued several of his other performances—including Othello, The Matrix and Boyz n the Hood—were equally deserving of Academy recognition.
“He was incredible as Morpheus,” Serita says.
“Every character he plays, he is that character,” she adds. “He is Furious. He is Ike Turner.”
Richard admitted he was so captivated by The Matrix that he watched it repeatedly during its theatrical run.
“I saw The Matrix in theaters seven times,” he says. “I was literally calling friends and dragging friends to come see this movie.”
Beyond prestige dramas and blockbuster franchises, the panel praised Fishburne’s willingness to embrace comedy, animation and comic book storytelling throughout his career.
Richard highlighted the actor’s hilarious performance as Pops on Black-ish, noting that Fishburne never failed to command every scene.
“I’ve always liked that he doesn’t always take himself too seriously,” Richard says. “Every scene he was in, he still managed to steal the show.”
The conversation also spotlighted Fishburne’s extensive voiceover career, including performances in Osmosis Jones, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and the upcoming animated feature Gatto.
“He literally is everywhere,” Serita joked.
Richard also pointed out that Fishburne is a longtime comic book enthusiast, making his work in Marvel and DC-inspired projects a natural extension of his interests.
By the end of the conversation, one point was undeniable: whether portraying Shakespearean heroes, revolutionary college students, wise fathers, cyberpunk prophets, sitcom patriarchs or comic book icons, Fishburne has consistently disappeared into every role while maintaining a career that has remained relevant for more than 50 years.
“He really does have the range,” Dani says. “From Shakespeare to Boyz n the Hood, it just goes to show how astute of an actor he is.”
At 65, Laurence Fishburne’s résumé remains one of the most respected, and one of the most diverse, in Hollywood.
Watch The Black Watch below!