Deon Cole

Deon Cole (birthname: Deon Anthony Cole) is best known for his roles in the long-running series, Black-ish (2014-2022), and also as Dante in the Barbershop movie series. It was the original Barbershop (2002) movie that marked Cole’s feature debut, in a supporting role in a large ensemble led by Ice Cube, Anthony Anderson, Cedric the Entertainer, Keith David, Michael Ealy, Troy Garity, Sean Patrick Thomas, earning ($77 million globally) over six times costs ($12 million).

Cole returned as Dante in Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004), directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan, with the returning ensemble and new cast members Harry Lennix, Queen Latifah, and Keke Palmer, grossing $66 million, or triple its $18 million budget. The third time was the charm for Deon Cole with the next entry in the Barbershop franchise, Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016), rejoining the familiar ensemble with new cast members Regina Hall, J.B. Smoove, Lamorne Morris, Tyga, Common, and Nicki Minaj under Malcolm D. Lee’s direction, and earning $55 million globally, over double $20 million costs.

Cole joined co-writer-director-star Whitney Cummings for the comedy, The Female Brain (2017), co-starring Sofia Vergara, Toby Kebbell, James Marsden, Beanie Feldstein, Cecily Strong, and Blake Griffin, and given a micro-release by IFC Films. Stand-up comic Cole joined fellow comics Jay Pharoah, Katt Williams, Keke Palmer, and RonReaco Lee on the comedy-drama, 2 Minutes of Fame (2020), released by Lionsgate. Cole joined the ensemble of Malin Åkerman, Kat Dennings, Wanda Sykes, Margaret Cho, Aisha Tyler, and Jane Seymour in writer-director Nicol Paone’s Friendsgiving (2020), released theatrically by Saban Films.

Deon Cole co-starred in writer-director Leon Pierce Jr.’s Welcome Matt (2021), with Tahj Mowry, GG Townson, and Jazsmin Lewis, and released theatrically and VOD day-and-date by Gravitas Ventures. Cole had a small supporting role in co-writer-director Jeymes Samuel’s acclaimed Black Western, The Harder They Fall (2021), starring Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, Lakeith Stanfield, Danielle Deadwyler, and Edi Gathegi, released briefly in theaters by Netflix before its streaming premiere.

Cole had another small supporting role in the ensemble rom-com, You People (2023), co-written by Kenya Barris and star Jonah Hill and directed by Barris, with Lauren London, David Duchovny, Nia Long, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Eddie Murphy, and released theatrically and then streaming on Netflix. In one of his first major roles, Deon Cole co-starred with Nicole Ari Parker and Kimberly Elise in writer-director Kim Bass’s comedy, A Snowy Day in Oakland (2023).

Cole played support to cast members Fantasia, Colman Domingo, Taraji P. Henson, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Louis Gossett Jr., David Alan Grier, Aunjanue Ellis, and Jon Batiste in the movie musical version of Alice Walker’s The Color Purple (2023), produced by Quincy Jones, Scott Sanders, Steven Spielberg, and Oprah Winfrey, and released by Warner Bros. In writer-director Alex Fernie’s heist comedy for Lionsgate, Cole had a supporting role opposite Mike Castle, Jimmy Tatro, Hayley Magnus, and Rob Huebel in Action #1 (date to be announced).