Billy Dee Williams
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- April 6, 1937
- Birthplace
- New York City, New York, USA
William December "Billy Dee" Williams Jr. (born April 6, 1937) is an American actor, artist, and singer. He is best known as Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars franchise, first in the early 1980s, and nearly forty years later in The Rise of Skywalker (2019), marking one of the longest intervals between onscreen portrayals of a character by the same actor in American film history. He made his film debut in 1959 in The Last Angry Man starring Paul Muni, in which he portrayed a juvenile delinquent. His first big break was in the acclaimed television movie, Brian's Song in which he played Gale Sayers. In 1972 he played Billie Holliday's husband Louis McKay in Motown Productions' Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues. Diana Ross starred in Lady Sings the Blues opposite Williams; Motown paired the two of them again three years later in Mahogany. His work has earned him numerous awards and honors including three NAACP Image Awards, and the NAACP Lifetime Achievement award. He was inducted into the Black Filmmaker's Hall of Fame in 1984, and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1985.
Filmography
- Diamonds on the Silver Screen
Diamonds on the Silver Screen TBA
as Self
Dark Empire TBA
as Lando Calrissian
Brown Sugar TBA
as Host - Narrator
STZ 2025
as Broadcaster (voice)
Clear Lines of Sight: Sidney J. Furie at Paramount 2023
as Himself
Is That Black Enough for You?!? 2022
as Self
LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation 2022
as Lando Calrissian (voice)
In Search of Tomorrow 2022
as Self
Stallone: Frank, That Is 2021
as Self
LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special 2020
as Lando Calrissian (voice)
The Skywalker Legacy 2020
as Self
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 2019
as Lando Calrissian
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge - Adventure Awaits 2019
as Self
Quincy 2018
as Self
Movie Sound Effects: How Do They Do That? 2017
as Two-Face (voice)
Batman Is Just Not That Into You 2017
as Two-Face (voice)
Dirty Dancing 2017
as Tito
The Lego Batman Movie 2017
as Two-Face (voice)
I Am Not Your Negro 2017
as Self (archive footage)
The Man in 3B 2015
as Cain
Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal 2015
as Lando Calrissian (voice)
The Lego Movie 2014
as Lando (voice)
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll 2011
as Ace Millstone
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III 2010
as Lando Calrissian / Teacher (voice)
Barry Munday 2010
as Lonnie Green
3 Ways to Get a Husband 2010
as William
Pitching Man: Satchel Paige Defying Time 2009
as Narrator
Fanboys 2009
as Judge Reinhold
Diary of a Single Mom 2009
as Uncle Bo
Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II 2008
as Lando Calrissian / Man (voice)
Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight 2008
as Self
iMurders 2008
as Robert Delgado
Constellation 2007
as Helms Boxer
Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror 2006
as Pastor Charlie
Giraffes Can't Dance 2006
Actor
Merry F#%$in' Christmas 2005
as Self
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy 2004
as Self
When Star Wars Ruled the World 2004
as Self
The Maintenance Man 2004
as Melven
Epoch: Evolution 2003
as Ferguson
Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa 2003
as Narrator
Undercover Brother 2002
as Gen. Warren Boutwell
It's Black Entertainment 2002
as Self
The Last Place on Earth 2002
as Dr. Davis
The Visit 2001
as Henry
Good Neighbor 2001
as Sgt. Paul Davidson
The Ladies Man 2000
as Lester
Fear Runs Silent 2000
as Sheriff Hammond
The Contract 1999
as Senator Harmon
Hard Time 1998
as Leo Barker
Woo 1998
as Himself
The Fourth King 1997
as Gasparre
Steel Sharks 1997
as Adm. Jim Perry
Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery 1997
as Self
Afro Promo 1997
as Self (archive footage)
- The Prince
The Prince 1996
Actor
Moving Target 1996
as Detective Don Racine
Mask of Death 1996
as Agent Jeffries
Triplecross 1995
as Agent Oscar Pierce
Falling For You 1995
as Lieutenant Frank Lazaro
Message from Nam 1993
as Felix
Percy & Thunder 1993
as Ralph Tate
Alien Intruder 1993
as Commander Skyler
Marked for Murder 1993
as Capt. Jack Reilly
Giant Steps 1992
as Slate Thompson
Driving Me Crazy 1991
as Max
Voices That Care 1991
as Self - Choir Member
Dangerous Passion 1990
as Lou
Secret Agent 00 Soul 1990
as Secret Agent Zero
Batman 1989
as Harvey Dent
The Return of Desperado 1988
as Daniel Lancaster
Deadly Illusion 1987
as Hamberger
- Diana Ross: Red Hot Rhythm and Blues
Diana Ross: Red Hot Rhythm and Blues 1987
as Self
Number One with a Bullet 1987
as Det. Hazeltine
Courage 1986
as Bobby Jay
Oceans of Fire 1986
as Jim McKinley
Looney Tunes 50th Anniversary 1986
as Self
The Right of the People 1986
as Mike Trainor
Night of 100 Stars II 1985
as Self
Marvin & Tige 1985
as Richard Davis
The Impostor 1984
as Matthew Raines
Fear City 1984
as Al Wheeler
Time Bomb 1984
as Jake Calahan
Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi 1983
as Narrator (voice) / Self
Shooting Stars 1983
as Douglas Hawk
Return of the Jedi 1983
as Lando Calrissian
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever 1983
as Self
Nighthawks 1981
as Matthew Fox
Children of Divorce 1980
as Walter Williams
SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back 1980
as Lando Calrissian (archive footage)
The Hostage Tower 1980
as Clarence Whitlock
The Empire Strikes Back 1980
as Lando Calrissian
Christmas Lilies of the Field 1979
as Homer Smith
Scott Joplin 1977
as Scott Joplin
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings 1976
as Bingo
Mahogany 1975
as Brian
Carter's Army 1975
as Pvt. Lewis
The Take 1974
as Sneed
The Conversation 1974
as Man in Yellow Hat (uncredited)
Hit! 1973
as Nick Allen
Lady Sings the Blues 1972
as Louis McKay
The Final Comedown 1972
as Johnny Johnson
The Glass House 1972
as Lennox
Brian's Song 1971
as Gale Sayers
Lost Flight 1970
as Merle Barnaby
The Out-of-Towners 1970
as Clifford Robinson, Lost & Found Clerk
The Last Angry Man 1959
as Josh Quincy
Credits from TMDB.