Early life

He was born in Chicago, IL, the son of Mattie, a housewife, and John Harris, a bus driver. He is the older brother of Wood Harris. He attended St. Joseph High School in Westchester, IL, a private school known for developing star athletes. Steve was a running back. He then played linebacker for Northern Illinois University, where he studied drama. His athletic career was cut short due to a torn ligament in his ankle.

Career

He has done voice work for the animated television show The Batman as Ethan Bennett. He has also appeared on Law & Order and earlier had a role in Homicide: Life on the Street's pilot. In 2006, he appeared in the now-cancelled TV series Heist. He also appeared in an episode of Grey's Anatomy. He appeared in several episodes of New York Undercover. He has appeared in a number of films including; Quarantine, Tyler Perry's Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Bringing Down The House, The Rock, The Mod Squad, Takers, and Minority Report

Harris will star in actress Regina King's directorial debut Let The Church Say Amen which will be adapted from ReShonda Tate Billingsley's 2005 best selling novel. The film is scheduled to premiere on BET in 2013.

He is currently in the TNT show, "Legends", playing Nelson Gates, the boss of troubled FBI agent Martin Odum (Sean Bean).

Awards

He was nominated six times for an NAACP Image Award for his work on The Practice and won in 2004.

• 1999 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series - Nominee
• 2000 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series - Nominee
• 2000 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series - Nominee
• 1999 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series - Nominee
• 1998 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series - Nominee

Personal life

He has also played on various teams for the NBAE League.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1985	Don't Miss With My Sister	Radio Announcer
1988	Seven Hours to Judgment	Van Driver
1991	The Good Policeman	Big Blue
1993	Sugar Hill	Ricky Goggles
1994	Against the Wall	Cecil	Television movie
1996	The Rock	Private McCoy
1997	George Wallace	Neal	Television movie
1998	Nightmare Street	Detective Miller	Television movie
1998	Lovers and Liars	FBI Agent
1999	The Mod Squad	Briggs
2000	King of the World	Sonny Liston
2000	The Skulls	Detective Sparrow
2001	Beyond the City Limits	Troy
2002	Minority Report	Jad
2003	Bringing Down the House	Widow
2004	Death and Texas	Barefoot Bobby Briggs
2005	Diary of a Mad Black Woman	Charles McCarter	Nominated—Black Movie Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
2005	The Unseen	Roy
2007	Protect and Serve	Dennis Harvey	Television movie
2008	Good Behavior	Will Stone	Television movie
2008	Ball Don't Lie	Rob
2008	Quarantine	Scott Percival
2009	12 Rounds	George Aiken
2010	Takers	Lt. Carver
2014	In Your Eyes	Giddons
2015	Chi-Raq	Ole Duke

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1993	Homicide: Life on the Street	Bernard	Episode: "Gone for Goode"
1994	New York Undercover	Bulldog	Episode: "The Friendly Neighborhood Dealer"
1994	Law & Order	Joey 'Dogs' Lang	Episode: "Wager"
1994	Heaven and Hell: North and South Book III	Magic Magee	2 episodes
1995	Dark Eyes	Jay Staples	Unsold TV pilot
1995	Law & Order	Calvin Tiller	Episode: "Act of God"
1995	Murder One	Daryl Jackson	Episode: "Chapter Two"
1995	New York Undercover	Terry Ellers	2 episodes
1997	Chicago Hope	A.S.A. Charles Lamb	Episode: "Lamb to the Slaughter"
1997-2004	The Practice	Eugene Young	163 episodes NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Drama Series Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated—Prism Award for Best Performance in a Drama Series Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated—Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Drama Series
1998	Ally McBeal	Eugene Young	Episode: "The Inmates"
2000	The Wild Thornberrys	Makai	Episode: "Critics Masai"
2004-2006	The Batman	Detective Ethan Bennett	11 episodes
2005	Higglytown Heroes	Sports Coach Hero	Episode: "Havin' a Ball"
2006	Heist	James Johnson	6 episodes
2006	Grey's Anatomy	Omar Troussant	Episode: "Time Has Come Today"
2008	Eli Stone	Jayson Turk	3 episodes
2009-2010	Friday Night Lights	Virgil Merriweather	6 episodes
2011	Eden	Max Hunt	Episode: "Pilot"
2011	Harry's Law	Jeffrey Rollins	Episode: "Innocent Man"
2012	Awake	Detective Isaiah Freeman	13 episodes
2014	Justified	Roscoe	4 episodes
2014	Legends	Nelson Gates	Main role; post-production
2015	NCIS (TV series)	Gerald Tanner	Episode: Cadence (1 episode)

[ Source: Wikipedia ]