Philip Akin


Philip Akin is a Canadian actor.
Akin has been acting and directing for over 40 years. He has had roles in American films such as The Sum of All Fears, S.W.A.T., and Get Rich or Die Tryin'. He has also done much voice work, including voicing the character of Bishop for the X-Men animated series and Tripp Hansen in Monster Force.

Life and career

Akin was born in Kingston, Jamaica, as a middle brother of five sons. His parents moved to Oshawa, Ontario in 1953, and he and his brothers followed suit the next year. He has lived in Ontario ever since. Shortly after attending high school, Akin attended Toronto's Ryerson Theatre School. In 1975, he became the school's first acting graduate, landing a role just a few days later in a Shaw Festival production of Caesar and Cleopatra.
In 1983, Akin began studying Yoshinkan aikido and is presently a 5th degree black belt in that art. He has also trained in Jing Mo kung fu and tai chi.
Akin first came to prominence in the early 1980s when he performed on the zany comedy series Bizarre. Other noteworthy roles include boxer Kid Cornelius in the "Shadow Boxer" episode of Friday the 13th: The Series and his regular role as the wheelchair-using computer expert Norton Drake in the first season of War of the Worlds, a Canadian/American television series. His recurring role as Charlie DeSalvo in Highlander: The Series has also brought him much recognition. In Shake Hands with the Devil, he portrays Kofi Annan, then United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations. In 2007, Akin performed at the Stratford Festival of Canada, a prestigious summer-long celebration of theatre held each year in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. He was cast in the title role of William Shakespeare's Othello, and also in the role of Crooks in the Festival's rendition of John Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men.
Philip Akin can also be seen in a long list of guest appearances on television series for example: F/X: The Series, Mutant X, Flashpoint and most recently, The Expanse.
Akin is a founding member and was the artistic director of the Obsidian Theatre Company, a Canadian theatre company comprising seasoned actors of African descent, devoted to the work of Black artists and creators. He won the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Direction of a Play/Musical in 2012 for his production of Suzan-Lori Parks' Topdog/Underdog, which starred Kevin Hanchard and Nigel Shawn Williams. In his role he helped foster mentorship programs aimed at Black theatre directors.
In the final year of his tenure as artistic director of Obsidian, Akin was awarded the biennial Herbert Whittaker Award for Distinguished Contribution to Canadian Theatre - and was named one of the Canadian artists of 2019 by The Globe and Mail. Upon his departure from Obsidian, the theatre established The Black Shoulders Award in Aikin's honour, to be awarded to Black artists to pursue their craft.
Akin was the director for the Shaw Festival's 2020 production of Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress.

Filmography

Film

Three Card Monte – Monte PlayerRunning – Chuck StoneImproper Channels – Motorcycle CopGas – Lincoln JonesCovergirl – CairoIceman – Dr. FisterpoonMartin's Day – Cop 1Prettykill – JoeyNowhere to Hide – HarveyBlue Monkey – Anthony RiversSwitching Channels – GuardMillennium – Kevin BrileyStella – Police OfficerF/X2 – Det. McQuayThe Big Slice – Reggie / ReginaMarried to It – Limo DriverThe Ref – State TrooperThe Stupids – Henchman #1Fly Away Home – Air Force ReporterWoo – Roger SmithAirborne – Romeo CortezDown in the Delta – ManagerOne Tough Cop – Insp. CheneyPushing Tin – PaulIn Too Deep – MinisterLeft Behind – Alan TompkinsThe Sum of All Fears – General WilkesThe Skulls III – Captain HarlanCube 2: Hypercube – The GeneralHow to Deal – Mr. BowdenS.W.A.T. – Hijacked Passenger The Perfect Man – English TeacherThe Man – Second I.A. AgentGet Rich or Die Tryin' – ReverendBottom Feeder – SargeShake Hands with the Devil – Kofi AnnanThis Beautiful City – Police ChiefP2 – KarlRobocop – Dr. Alan

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1980–1982The Littlest HoboPolicemand / Becker3 episodes
1982ShocktraumaSam HookerTV movie
1985–1987Night Heat7 episodes
1986The Park Is MineHardyTV movie
1986The High Price of PassionLocksmithTV movie
1987Friday the 13th: The SeriesKid Cornelius1 episode
1987Starcom: The U.S. Space ForceCol. John "Slim" Griffin 13 episodes
1988–1989War of the WorldsNorton Drake25 episodes
1991Swamp ThingBayou Jack5 episodes
1990–1993Top CopsDelbert Marion / Aldin Sims / Irving Robinson3 episodes
1992Quiet KillerDr. HenshawTV movie
1992–1995X-Men: The Animated SeriesBishop / Lucas Bishop7 episodes
1993–1995Highlander: The SeriesCharlie DeSalvo17 episodes
1993Liar, Liar: Between Father and DaughterDr. KerrTV movie
1993CounterstrikeThe DetectiveEpisode: "Free to Kill"
1996Ed McBain's 87th Precinct: IceDet. Arthur BrownTV movie
1996The Haunting of LisaSgt. HillTV movie
1996Talk to MePublic DefenderTV movie
1996TradersCarl Davison7 episodes
1997...First Do No HarmTV movie
1997Elvis Meets NixonCabbieTV movie
1997Time to Say Goodbye?Airport Police OfficerTV movie
1997The Don's AnalystDr. LustingTV movie
1997Ms. ScroogeGeorgeTV movie
1997The New Ghostwriter MysteriesMIles Robeson3 episodes
1997–2000PSI Factor: Chronicles of the ParanormalAubrey / Military Man2 episodes
1998Giving Up the GhostJudge GleasonTV movie
1998Highlander: The RavenSimon Clark1 episode
1998The Taking of Pelham One Two ThreeESU lieutenantTV movie
1998GoosebumpsBob Erikson3 episodes
1999Deep in My HeartOb-gyn doctorTV movie
1999To Love, Honor & BetrayDet. GondaTV movie
1999Strange JusticeCharles OgletreeTV movie
1999The Avengers: United They StandAttuma 1 episode
2000All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau StoryDet. AlbanyTV movie
2000Caitlin's WayMr. Watson4 episodes
2000Who Killed Atlanta's Children?Police SpokesmanTV movie
2000One KillGunnery Sgt. FinchTV movie
2000Relic HunterBudur1 episode
2000One True LoveMarkTV movie
2000Range of MotionFlozellTV movie
2001BlackoutFirst OfficialTV movie
2001BojanglesWilliamsonTV movie
2002Pretend You Don't See HerWitness Protection AgentTV movie
2002The Red SneakersMr. SeabrookeTV movie
2002Mutant XGeneral Sutton1 episode
2002Second StringDr. GranthamTV movie
2004H2OU.S. President Monroe
2005Knights of the South BronxAsst. Principal HillTV movie
2008Friends and HeroesIsaac / John Ralston13 episodes-
2008–2011FlashpointCommander Norm Holleran / Commander Holleran5 episodes
2009Taking a Chance on LoveJules GrandfieldTV movie
2010Who Is Clark Rockefeller?Det. Lewis CookTV movie
2011Lost GirlTshombe1 episode
2012KingDrew Bannon1 episode
2012Covert AffairsGreg McCarthy1 episode
2013Prosecuting Casey AnthonyJudge Belvin PerryTV movie
2014The Best Laid PlansManaging Editor3 episodes
2015The Book of NegroesJohn Cartwright1 episode
2015–2016The ExpanseCraig3 episodes
2018In ContemptJudge Cannon1 episode
2018Love, of CourseEdward SetonTV movie