Life in Film: Boris Kodjoe

From runway to red carpet, a look back at Kodjoe's career.

Boris Kodjoe: Life in Film - He may be one of the most recognizable actors working today, but Boris Kodjoe's life started as far from Hollywood as humanly possible. Raised in a small town in Germany, the 6'2" star moved to America in his late teens knowing only a few words of English. But with his dazzling smile and killer bod, which is put to good use in the upcoming Resident Evil: Retribution, it was only a matter of time before the world took notice...  (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images For BET)

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Boris Kodjoe: Life in Film - He may be one of the most recognizable actors working today, but Boris Kodjoe's life started as far from Hollywood as humanly possible. Raised in a small town in Germany, the 6'2" star moved to America in his late teens knowing only a few words of English. But with his dazzling smile and killer bod, which is put to good use in the upcoming Resident Evil: Retribution, it was only a matter of time before the world took notice...  (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images For BET)

TLC's "Red Light Special" (1995) - Kodjoe made a memorable debut in the sexy music video for TLC's "Red Light Special." The moment when Boris, playing a male stripper, seductively licked T-Boz's toe may have been the most freeze-framed moment of 1995. To this day, the actor and former model remains bashful about the attention he gets for his looks: "It's not something I can control, influence or take credit for," he told us recently. (Photo: Courtesy Laface Records)

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TLC's "Red Light Special" (1995) - Kodjoe made a memorable debut in the sexy music video for TLC's "Red Light Special." The moment when Boris, playing a male stripper, seductively licked T-Boz's toe may have been the most freeze-framed moment of 1995. To this day, the actor and former model remains bashful about the attention he gets for his looks: "It's not something I can control, influence or take credit for," he told us recently. (Photo: Courtesy Laface Records)

Love and Basketball (2000) - After several years of modeling and semi-professional tennis, Boris got a shot on the big screen in Black rom-com classic Love and Basketball.  His role as Sanaa Lathan's jealousy-inducing love interest was small, but it was enough to kick off a prolific acting career. (Photo: Courtesy 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks) 

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Love and Basketball (2000) - After several years of modeling and semi-professional tennis, Boris got a shot on the big screen in Black rom-com classic Love and Basketball.  His role as Sanaa Lathan's jealousy-inducing love interest was small, but it was enough to kick off a prolific acting career. (Photo: Courtesy 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks) 

Brown Sugar (2002) - Kodjoe's second turn on the big screen reunited him with his Love and Basketball co-star Lathan, in a similar but much bigger part. As Lathan's sweet-but-clueless basketball player fiance, Boris got a lot more screen time (lucky for us!) and also enough exposure to land him a spot on People's 50 Most Beautiful list that year.  (Photo: Courtesy Fox Searchlight Pictures) 

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Brown Sugar (2002) - Kodjoe's second turn on the big screen reunited him with his Love and Basketball co-star Lathan, in a similar but much bigger part. As Lathan's sweet-but-clueless basketball player fiance, Boris got a lot more screen time (lucky for us!) and also enough exposure to land him a spot on People's 50 Most Beautiful list that year.  (Photo: Courtesy Fox Searchlight Pictures) 

Boston Public (2003) - Kodjoe played a high school basketball coach in a three-episode arc on the popular drama series. The role put him on screen with some great co-stars, including Chi McBride, Rashida Jones and Loretta Devine. (Photo: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox Television)

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Boston Public (2003) - Kodjoe played a high school basketball coach in a three-episode arc on the popular drama series. The role put him on screen with some great co-stars, including Chi McBride, Rashida Jones and Loretta Devine. (Photo: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox Television)

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Soul Food (2000-2004) - In this television adaptation of George Tillman, Jr.'s groundbreaking film, Kodjoe played a character relative close to his own life: a biracial, college-educated man from a conservative family who strikes his own path. Life further imitated art when Kodjoe fell in love with his on-screen love interest, Nicole Ari Parker. Still self-conscious about this English, "Nicole would read my lines to me and I would mimic them back," he revealed. (Photo: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox Television)

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Soul Food (2000-2004) - In this television adaptation of George Tillman, Jr.'s groundbreaking film, Kodjoe played a character relative close to his own life: a biracial, college-educated man from a conservative family who strikes his own path. Life further imitated art when Kodjoe fell in love with his on-screen love interest, Nicole Ari Parker. Still self-conscious about this English, "Nicole would read my lines to me and I would mimic them back," he revealed. (Photo: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox Television)

The Gospel (2005) - Kodjoe has said that playing R&B star-turned-gospel singer David Taylor in this 2005 film was his most challenging role. "I grew up in Germany, I didn't know anything about Black culture in America, gospel music, nothing," he told BET.com recently. To his credit, it's impossible to tell on screen. (Photo: Courtesy Screen Gems)

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The Gospel (2005) - Kodjoe has said that playing R&B star-turned-gospel singer David Taylor in this 2005 film was his most challenging role. "I grew up in Germany, I didn't know anything about Black culture in America, gospel music, nothing," he told BET.com recently. To his credit, it's impossible to tell on screen. (Photo: Courtesy Screen Gems)

Madea's Family Reunion (2006) - For Black actors in Hollywood, having a Tyler Perry film on the resume is a must. Kodjoe joined the Madea family in 2006 as Frankie Henderson, the too-good-to-be-true bus driver who wins Vanessa's (Lisa Arrindell Anderson) heart. While making the film, Kodjoe expanded his own family when he and wife Nicole Ari Parker welcomed their first child, daughter Sophie. Son Nicolas was born eighteen months later. That year, the Kodjoe's moved from LA to Atlanta, "a great place for a young family," Boris said. (Photo: Courtesy Lionsgate)

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Madea's Family Reunion (2006) - For Black actors in Hollywood, having a Tyler Perry film on the resume is a must. Kodjoe joined the Madea family in 2006 as Frankie Henderson, the too-good-to-be-true bus driver who wins Vanessa's (Lisa Arrindell Anderson) heart. While making the film, Kodjoe expanded his own family when he and wife Nicole Ari Parker welcomed their first child, daughter Sophie. Son Nicolas was born eighteen months later. That year, the Kodjoe's moved from LA to Atlanta, "a great place for a young family," Boris said. (Photo: Courtesy Lionsgate)

Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) - With his romantic comedy credentials in place, Kodjoe transitioned to action star. First with a part in Starship Troopers, and then a leap to starring in the Resident Evil franchise as Luther West. The dedicated actor trained for six weeks so he could perform his own stunts. "Fitness is a lifestyle for us," Kodjoe says of himself and Parker. "It's not something we think about." (Photo: Courtesy Constantin Film International)

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Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) - With his romantic comedy credentials in place, Kodjoe transitioned to action star. First with a part in Starship Troopers, and then a leap to starring in the Resident Evil franchise as Luther West. The dedicated actor trained for six weeks so he could perform his own stunts. "Fitness is a lifestyle for us," Kodjoe says of himself and Parker. "It's not something we think about." (Photo: Courtesy Constantin Film International)

Undercovers (2010) - Kodjoe got the opportunity every actor dreams of when J.J. Abrams cast him opposite Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a CIA agent with a hidden identity. After the show's untimely cancellation, Kodjoe told BET.com, "Undercovers had the best possible elements to it. You just never know. The sad thing is I worked with people that I love. It’s tough because we were together for a year.” (Photo: Courtesy NBC)

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Undercovers (2010) - Kodjoe got the opportunity every actor dreams of when J.J. Abrams cast him opposite Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a CIA agent with a hidden identity. After the show's untimely cancellation, Kodjoe told BET.com, "Undercovers had the best possible elements to it. You just never know. The sad thing is I worked with people that I love. It’s tough because we were together for a year.” (Photo: Courtesy NBC)

Resident Evil: Retribution - This September, Kodjoe reprises his role as survivalist Luther West in the latest installment of the Resident Evil franchise. Moviegoers will be able to see Boris — and his biceps — in 3-D and IMAX!   (Photo: Courtesy Constantin Film International)

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Resident Evil: Retribution - This September, Kodjoe reprises his role as survivalist Luther West in the latest installment of the Resident Evil franchise. Moviegoers will be able to see Boris — and his biceps — in 3-D and IMAX!   (Photo: Courtesy Constantin Film International)