Biography
Who is Anthony Anderson?
Early life and education
Anthony Anderson was born in Compton, California. His mother, Doris Bowman, worked as an actress and telephone operator. His stepfather, Sterling Bowman, moved to Los Angeles from Arkansas to work in the steel industry before owning clothing stores. Growing up, the actor had the nickname Tugga because he struggled to say the word sugar.
DNA analysis indicates that he has ancestry from the Bubi people of Bioko Island, as well as the Tikar, Hausa, and Fulani groups of Cameroon. He attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and later Hollywood High School, graduating in 1988. He initially went to Howard University as a theater major. Financial struggles forced him to leave before his junior year concluded. Decades later, he returned to Howard University to complete his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2022. He studied at the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts. He has even announced plans to teach an acting masterclass at his alma mater.
Television and film career
Anthony Anderson began his career with minor television parts in the 1990s. Early credits include the teen series Hang Time and guest spots on NYPD Blue and Ally McBeal. His film debut happened in 1999 with Liberty Heights. He gained more notice for supporting film roles in projects like Big Momma's House, Barbershop, and The Departed.
In 2008, he joined the cast of the NBC crime drama Law & Order, playing Detective Kevin Bernard for three seasons. He later returned to this role when the show was revived in 2022. One of his most significant roles was Andre Dre Johnson on the ABC sitcom Black-ish. This series ran from 2014 to 2022. During this time, he received multiple nominations for Primetime Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards. He also acted as an executive producer for the spinoff shows Grown-ish and Mixed-ish.
Work as a television host
Beyond acting, he has a long history as a television host and game show personality. He hosted the ABC revival of the classic game show To Tell the Truth from 2016 until 2022. In 2024, he began hosting the Fox show We Are Family alongside his mother. He also fronted the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2024.
Netflix named him the host of their Star Search reboot, which is set to debut in 2025. He previously worked on other shows like the summer series Eating America with Anthony Anderson and was a frequent judge on Iron Chef America. He also directed a short film for the Responsibility Project in 2009.
Personal life and health
The actor was married to Alvina Stewart from 1999 until their divorce in 2023. They have two children together. His son, Nathan, appeared on the Netflix show Richie Rich and guest-starred on Black-ish. Anthony Anderson has been vocal about his health, specifically his struggle with type 2 diabetes. He actively supports diabetes awareness.
In 2011, he appeared on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and won 250,000 dollars for the Alzheimer's Association. He is an honorary member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, having been inducted in 2020. Also, he co-owns a restaurant with his friend Cedric the Entertainer.
Birthday and age
Anthony Anderson was born on August 15, 1970, which makes Anthony 56 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. Anthony shares the date with 56 other famous people.
Explore more
