David Michael Harewood Bio
David Michael Harewood OBE (born 8 December 1965) is an English actor and presenter whose career began in 1990 and spans stage, film, television, radio and video games. He is best known for his television roles as David Estes in Homeland and as J’onn J’onzz / Martian Manhunter and Hank Henshaw / Cyborg Superman in Supergirl. Harewood has appeared in films including The Merchant of Venice and Blood Diamond, voiced characters in major video games, and has served as President of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art since February 2024.
Early Life and Background
David Michael Harewood was born in the Small Heath area of Birmingham on 8 December 1965 and raised in a family whose parents were part of the Windrush generation, having moved to England from Barbados. He attended St Benedict’s Junior School and Washwood Heath Academy before joining London’s National Youth Theatre, an early step that directed him toward professional acting. Harewood later gained a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he completed formal training that set the foundation for his stage and screen career.
Harewood has described working in his youth in Birmingham and the influence of theatre training on his development as an actor. His upbringing in a Windrush family and his education at RADA are frequently cited in profiles and interviews as formative to his perspective and public work, including advocacy and charity activity later in his career.
Path to Celebrity
Harewood’s entry into professional drama began in 1990 and moved through theatre and supporting television roles during the 1990s and 2000s, building a reputation for range and intensity. Early stage work included notable performances at the National Theatre, where in 1997 he became the first black actor to play Othello at that company, a milestone in his early public profile. Film appearances followed, with roles in The Merchant of Venice and later Blood Diamond contributing to his visibility on international screens.
Harewood broadened his profile with steady television work on British series and single dramas, including portrayals of historic figures and complex characters on stage and screen. These roles created the platform for his move into major international television drama and genre work that reached wider audiences in the 2010s.
David Michael Harewood Career
Early Career (1990–2010)
Harewood began acting professionally in 1990, working across theatre, radio and television. He earned recognition on the stage with performances at the National Theatre and in prominent productions, and he established a screen presence with roles in British television series such as Ballykissangel, The Vice and Fat Friends. Film work in this period included The Merchant of Venice and other independent features that showcased his adaptability between classical and contemporary material.
He also contributed to radio drama and voiced characters for broadcast, expanding his craft into multiple media and building a career that combined classical training with screen work. These years established Harewood as a dependable character actor and set the stage for larger international projects in the following decade.
Homeland Breakthrough (2011–2012)
Harewood first reached a broad international audience when he joined the Showtime series Homeland as David Estes, director of the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center. He appeared across the series’ early seasons and his character played a central role in season storylines before being written out at the end of season two. The Homeland role increased Harewood’s visibility in the United States and opened doors to larger television opportunities and recurring genre roles.
During and after his Homeland run, Harewood continued to take diverse screen and voice roles, including work in video games such as Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. His performance work in this period demonstrated a capacity to anchor both dramatic ensemble television and action-driven projects, broadening his professional range.
Supergirl Era (2015–2021)
In October 2015 Harewood joined the main cast of the CBS series Supergirl, portraying Hank Henshaw and the series’ version of J’onn J’onzz / Martian Manhunter. The role involved a duality between Henshaw’s human persona and the alien J’onn J’onzz, giving Harewood an extended platform on a high-profile network series and exposing him to a global fanbase in the superhero genre. His performance earned recognition from viewers and genre media across the show’s run through 2021.
Supergirl provided Harewood with recurring visibility and allowed him to balance mainstream genre performance with continued work in film, theatre and audio drama. The series is among his most widely recognized television credits and contributed significantly to his international reputation.
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Era (2024–Present)
In February 2024 David Michael Harewood was announced as President of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, succeeding Kenneth Branagh in the role. The appointment formalized a long connection to RADA as an alumnus and positioned him in leadership within one of the United Kingdom’s foremost drama schools. His presidency aligns with ongoing public work in theatre education, advocacy and institutional representation.
Alongside the RADA role, Harewood has continued to perform and to expand into new creative areas, including a revealed intention to make a feature directorial debut announced in 2021 for a boxing film exploring a historic rivalry. He has also remained active in voice acting for major video game and audio projects into the early 2020s.
Notable Events and Milestones
Harewood’s career includes several public milestones: in 1997 he was the first black actor to play Othello at the National Theatre; he received an MBE in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to drama and an OBE in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to drama and charity; and he delivered the 2023 Richard Dimbleby Lecture. His documentary David Harewood: Psychosis and Me was nominated for a BAFTA Television Award in the Single Documentary category, reflecting his public engagement with mental health issues.
David Michael Harewood Career Wins
Harewood’s career has been recognized with honours and festival awards that reflect both performance and public service. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2012 and Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2023. In 2018 he won Best Actor at the British Urban Film Festival for his work in the film Free in Deed.
Awards Highlights
The MBE and OBE mark official recognition of Harewood’s contributions to drama and charity. His Best Actor award at the British Urban Film Festival and the BAFTA nomination for his documentary work underscore a career that spans acting and substantive public engagement with social issues.
Other Wins & Perfromances
Harewood’s performances have been honored at festivals and in curated lists, including inclusion in the Powerlist of the 100 most influential Black Britons in 2019. He has also taken part in high-profile charity events such as Soccer Aid, where he played as England’s celebrity goalkeeper and contributed to fundraising for UNICEF.
David Michael Harewood Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Harewood was born to parents who migrated from Barbados as part of the Windrush generation; his family background and Caribbean heritage have informed both his public commentary and creative work. He has siblings and has recounted aspects of his upbringing in Birmingham as influential to his worldview and career choices.
Personal Life
Harewood is married to Kirsty Handy, with their partnership recorded in public sources. He lives in the Streatham area of London and is a public supporter of his hometown football team Birmingham City. Harewood has publicly discussed his own mental health experience and is a campaigner on that subject; his 2019 documentary David Harewood: Psychosis and Me explored his personal history and helped raise awareness of psychosis and mental health care.
2025 Season Performance
As of his 2024 appointment to the presidency of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Harewood balances institutional leadership with ongoing creative work across screen and audio. He has announced a feature directorial project and continues to take acting and voice roles, alongside advocacy and public speaking engagements. No specific, verified list of 2025 credits is provided in source materials, but his stated interests and recent appointments indicate continued activity in performance, direction and drama education.