Lakeith Stanfield's 10 Best Movies And TV Shows

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LaKeith Stanfield

LaKeith Stanfield is one of the most talented actors working in Hollywood right now, with some incredible movies and TV shows to his name. Making his feature film debut with Short Term 12 in 2013, Stanfield has quickly climbed the ranks of fantastic actors, finding himself in films with incredible talent both in front and behind the camera. These include Uncut Gems, Selma, Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah, and Donald Glover's mesmerizing TV series, Atlanta.

LaKeith Stanfield hasn't really slowed down since he broke into the film industry, and he has several exciting projects coming up that are sure to show off the actor's immense talent. Some of these include Play Dirty, a new film by director Shane Black, and Die, My Love, a dark comedy horror movie adaption that will feature Hollywood stars Robert Pattinson and Jennifer Lawrence.

10 Dope (2015)

LaKeith Stanfield as Bug

In Nope, Malcolm (Moore), a geek surviving in a tough neighborhood, sees his life change when he receives an invitation to an underground party, leading to an incredible adventure across Los Angeles.

Release Date June 19, 2015

Runtime 115 minutes

Dope tends to fly under the radar, but it is a fantastic coming-of-age movie that features some knockout performances. Released in 2015 and directed by Rick Famuyiwa, Dope is about a group of three "nerdy" friends who find themselves accidentally caught up in the world of drug dealing, causing them to go on a wild adventure of self-discovery. It's a unique film in the coming-of-age genre that deserves more recognition for how great it is.

LaKeith Stanfield doesn't have that big of a role in Dope, playing a character named Bug, who is a local drug dealer that terrorizes main character Malcolm Adekanbi, with his first scene in the movie being him attempting to steal his shoes at school. It's not LaKeith Stanfield's most substantial work, but it's a good performance considering the limited screen time he is given, showing that even early into his career, he had a diverse range.

9 Sorry To Bother You (2018)

LaKeith Stanfield as Cassius Green

Written and directed by Boots Riley, Sorry to Bother You is a Comedy and Surrealist film released in 2018. Starring Danny Glover, Terry Crews, Patton Oswalt, and LaKeith Stanfield. The film follows a young man that gets a new job which he initially struggles with, only to begin excelling with practice. Once he finds out what the company is involved in, things get more complicated.

Release Date July 13, 2018

Runtime 112 Minutes

Cast Omari Hardwick , Steven Yeun , Tessa Thompson , Michael X. Sommers , Armie Hammer , Jermaine Fowler , Kate Berlant , Forest Whitaker , LaKeith Stanfield , Terry Crews , Danny Glover , Robert Longstreet

Director Boots Riley

Writers Boots Riley

Budget $3.2 million

Studio(s) Universal Pictures

Distributor(s) Universal Pictures , Focus Features

Sorry to Bother You is a mind-trip of a movie, tapping into surrealism to tell the story of a young black telemarketer who puts on his "white voice" to be more successful at his job. What makes Sorry to Bother You so great is how it plays with the concept of reality, heightening it to perfect levels while being a biting commentary on capitalism and racism in corporate America.

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LaKeith Stanfield is simply mesmerizing in Sorry to Bother You, playing main character Cassius Green. Stanfield is tasked with carrying most of the movie on his back, and he succeeds on every level, bringing a certain energy to his performance that fits right into the surrealist aspects of the film. Green is both vulnerable and manipulative and Stanfield is able to highlight the complexities of the character.

8 Selma (2014)

LaKeith Stanfield as Jimmie Lee Jackson

Selma is a historical drama film that retells the tumultuous three-month period when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. marched with others from Selma to Montgomery to rally for voting rights in a historically significant march for civil rights. The film chronicles the prejudice and challenges faced by Dr. King and the violent opposition he faced in the name of peace and equal rights.

Release Date December 25, 2014

Runtime 128 Minutes

Cast Tim Roth , Carmen Ejogo , David Oyelowo , Tom Wilkinson

Director Ava DuVernay

Writers Paul Webb

Budget $20 million

Studio(s) Paramount Pictures

Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures , 20th Century

Powerfully told, Selma chooses to focus on Martin Luther King Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights by marching from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965. Selma was directed by Ava DuVernay and was nominated for Best Picture at the 87th Academy Awards. It's an astonishing movie that looks at a monumental historical event with empathy, tenderness, and resolve, and is possibly the greatest film directed by DuVernay.

Playing an important historical figure is never easy, but LaKeith Stanfield gives him so much depth with the limited time he has as Jimmie Lee Jackson.

One of the earliest roles in his career, LaKeith Stanfield plays Jimmie Lee Jackson, a young activist who is eventually shot and killed by an Alabama state trooper following a civil rights protest in Marion, Alabama. His death helped inspire the Selma marches, and Stanfield handles his role as Jimmie Lee Jackson with grace and fortitude. Playing an important historical figure is never easy, but LaKeith Stanfield gives him so much depth with the limited time he has as Jimmie Lee Jackson.

7 Knives Out (2019)

LaKeith Stanfield as Lieutenant Elliot

When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, there are suspects aplenty. Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death.

Release Date November 27, 2019

Runtime 130 minutes

Franchise(s) Knives Out

Cast Chris Evans , LaKeith Stanfield , Katherine Langford , Daniel Craig , Toni Collette , Jamie Lee Curtis , Ana De Armas , Michael Shannon , Christopher Plummer , Don Johnson , Riki Lindhome

Studio Lionsgate

Budget $40 Million

Studio(s) 20th Century

Distributor(s) 20th Century

Rian Johnson's directorial follow-up to Star Wars: The Last Jedi is one of the most pleasant surprises of the past decade, as Knives Out is an incredible movie firmly within the whodunit genre. What makes Knives Out so great is how it simultaneously deconstructs and reveres the genre, crafting a mystery with a fantastic, cozy atmosphere. Johnson's strengths as a writer are on full display in it, and it features a knockout cast of characters.

Collage of Ready or Not, Knives Out, and Sherlock Holmes

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Rian Johnson's smash-hit murder mystery film Knives Out is a fun, comforting, hilarious watch, and there are plenty of enjoyable movies like it.

LaKeith Stanfield fits right into the stacked cast, playing Detective Lieutenant Elliot, who is in charge of investigating the murder of renowned mystery author Harlan Thrombey. Stanfield is great as the character, who is a no-nonsense guy set on solving the mysterious death. He is well-intentioned throughout, which stands out among a group of characters, all who have something to hide.

6 Judas And The Black Messiah (2021)

LaKeith Stanfield as Bill O'Neal

Judas and the Black Messiah tells the story of William O'Neal (LaKeith Stanfield), who is captured by the FBI and forced into a plea deal to gather information within the Black Panther Party. Judas and the Black Messiah was critically praised upon release and won two Oscars at the 2021 Academy Awards.

Release Date February 12, 2021

Runtime 126minutes

Cast Algee Smith , LaKeith Stanfield , Lil Rel Howery , Dominique Thorne , Jesse Plemons , Jermaine Fowler , Ashton Sanders , Dominique Fishback , Terayle Hill , Martin Sheen , Daniel Kaluuya

Director Shaka King

Writers Shaka King , Will Berson

Budget $26 million

Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures

In 2021, LaKeith Stanfield returned to a historical drama with his starring role in Judas and the Black Messiah. Telling the story of the FBI informant, Bill O'Neal, who would go on to betray Fred Hampton, the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panthers in the late-1960s. The movie was incredibly well-received, earning multiple Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Original Screenplay. The film won for Best Original Song.

Stanfield's brilliant performance makes the eventual betrayal all the more hard-hitting.

Judas and the Black Messiah is some of the finest work that LaKeith Stanfield has done so far in his career, playing Bill O'Neal, which ended up earning him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The complexities of Bill O'Neal are on full display in the film and Stanfield's brilliant performance makes the eventual betrayal all the more hard-hitting.

5 Uncut Gems (2019)

LaKeith Stanfield as Demany

A crime thriller from Josh and Benny Safdie, Uncut Gems follows New York jeweler Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) as his gambling addiction forces him to associate with increasingly dangerous individuals. After receiving an incredibly rare black opal, Howard believes he can finally free himself of his mounting debts, but not without engaging in one final high-stakes balancing act while fending off violent loan sharks.

Release Date December 13, 2019

Runtime 134 minutes

Cast Jonathan Aranbayev , Eric Bogosian , The Weeknd , Idina Menzel , Noa Fisher , Kevin Garnett , Tommy Kominik , LaKeith Stanfield , Jacob Igielski , Adam Sandler , Julia Fox , Keith Williams Richards

Director Josh Safdie , Benny Safdie

Writers Ronald Bronstein , Josh Safdie , Benny Safdie

Budget $19 million

Studio(s) A24

Distributor(s) Netflix , A24

Following the increasingly desperate escapades of a jewelry dealer who has a gambling addiction that he doesn't seem to want to give up. Uncut Gems is a masterclass in anxiety building and the best performance in Adam Sandler's storied career. Uncut Gems is able to build tension throughout the entirety of the movie, and by the time it is over, viewers can finally breathe a sigh of relief after the chaos that just took place.

LaKeith Stanfield has a significant role in Uncut Gems, as Demany, an intermediary who helps to bring in clients for Adam Sandler's Howard Ratner and his jewelry business. While Adam Sandler completely overshadows virtually everyone in the film, Stanfield's Demany fits well alongside him, contrasting the larger-than-life antics of Howard and working against him several times throughout, given he has his own agenda he wants to fulfill.

4 BoJack Horseman (2019-2020)

LaKeith Stanfield as Guy

Once the famous star of a hit sitcom, BoJack Horseman has fallen on tough times. Stuck in a major career slump and longing to relive his glory days, BoJack attempts to once more become relevant in an industry that has long since turned its back on him. With a few dysfunctional friends at his side, BoJack begins his long-overdue career comeback.

Release Date August 22, 2014

Finale Year November 30, 2019

Network Netflix

Seasons 6

Story By raphael Bob-Waksberg

Writers Raphael Bob-Waksberg

Directors Raphael Bob-Waksberg

Showrunner Raphael Bob-Waksberg

Premiering on Netflix in 2014, BoJack Horseman didn't achieve immediate success, and the critical reception was slightly above average. Since that first season, though, the show has been stellar, finding its place among the best animated shows of all time, running for six total seasons. Following the anthropomorphic horse BoJack Horseman, a washed up sitcom star from the 1990s, the series chronicles his life after his fame as he tries to find his place in the world. It's hilarious and thought-provoking in equal measure.

Despite having a great part in BoJack Horseman, LaKeith Stanfield didn't join the show until the sixth and final season, appearing in only seven out of the season's 16 episodes. Stanfield plays Guy, an American bison and freelance cameraman who eventually marries Diane Nguyen, one of the show's most important characters. LaKeith Stanfield's cool approach is perfect for Guy, who is laid back and supportive, making him one of the final season's best characters.

3 Short Term 12 (2013)

LaKeith Stanfield as Marcus

Short Term 12 follows Grace, a compassionate supervisor at a residential facility for at-risk teenagers, as she navigates her personal struggles while supporting the youths in her care. The film explores the dynamics and challenges within the group home setting, showcasing the resilience and dedication of its staff and residents.

Release Date August 23, 2013

Runtime 96 minutes

Director Destin Cretton

Writers Destin Cretton

Short Term 12 was LaKeith Stanfield's feature film debut and is also one of the best movies of his entire career. The film revolves around Brie Larson's character, Grace Howard, a supervisor of a group home for troubled teens. Like all the best independent films, Short Term 12 is content with exploring its characters in great depth, crafting an empathetic and heartwarming story of young adults just trying to understand their world.

LaKeith Stanfield's first acting role ever was in the Short Term 12 short film that was made in 2008 and was adapted into the feature-length film by the same director.

LaKeith Stanfield is a revelation in Short Term 12, playing Marcus, a resident who is about to turn 18 and trying to come to terms with having to leave the home. Stanfield played Marcus with so much authenticity and compassion that it is hard not to fall in love with his performance and his character. It's moving and heart-wrenching, and the fact that it is Stanfield's first true role makes it a mindblowing achievement.

2 Get Out (2017)

LaKeith Stanfield as Andre Logan King

Jordan Peele made his directorial Horror debut with Get Out, a terrifying Psychological Horror film starring Daniel Kaluuya. In the 2017 release, Chris Washington heads to Upstate New York to meet the family of his girlfriend, Rose. What follows is a horrifying ordeal for the anxious photographer.

Release Date February 24, 2017

Runtime 1 hour, 44 minutes

Cast Lyle Brocato , LaKeith Stanfield , Caleb Landry Jones , Betty Gabriel , Allison Williams , Marcus Henderson , Erika Alexander , Bradley Whitford , Jeronimo Spinx , Catherine Keener , Daniel Kaluuya

Budget 4.5 million

Studio(s) Universal Pictures

Distributor(s) Universal Pictures

Get Out was a monumental achievement in the horror genre, thrusting first-time director Jordan Peele into the spotlight as one of modern horror's best directors. Revolving around a young black man who discovers some disturbing secrets about his white girlfriend's family, Get Out took a look at race in a unique, often terrifying way, crafting something that is completely its own thing, winning an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, the first time an African-American was the winner.

LaKeith Stanfield isn't in Get Out for much of the runtime, but plays an integral part in the story, as Andre Hayworth (and then Logan King), who is seen being kidnapped during the cold opening of the film, eventually revealing that his body is now housing the brain of an older white guy, completely unable to do anything about it. The reveal scene is one of the most memorable in the whole film, and the brief intensity of Stanfield's performance is amazing.

1 Atlanta (2016-2022)

LaKeith Stanfield as Darius

Atlanta is a TV series created by and starring Donald Glover as Earnest "Earn" Marks as he navigates life in the Georgia capital. Most of Earnest's focus is on improving his and his daughter's life. From attempting to make amends with his former girlfriend Vanessa (Zazie Beats) to helping his cousin Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles, Earnest does what he can. Atlanta tends to follow separate story arcs in an anthology-like approach in the later seasons with a surreal style.

Release Date September 6, 2016

Finale Year November 30, 2021

Seasons 4

Story By donald glover

Created by Donald Glover and premiering in 2016, Atlanta is one of the best TV shows of the past decade, exploring race, class, and the pursuit of fame and dynamics within the Black community. It's deeply unafraid to dive into heavy topics, but always keeps its comedic chops throughout the entire series, making it one of the most creative shows out there. It's often strange and surreal, making it all the more special.

atlanta season 4 finale lakeith stanfield and cast

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LaKeith Stanfield plays a significant role in all four seasons of Atlanta, as Darius, the Nigerian-born friend of Donald Glover and Brian Tyree Henry's characters, as the series typically explores the trio's escapades throughout. Often talking about the human condition and wanting to explore more of what life has to offer, Stanfield's Darius can arguably be considered the most important character in Atlanta by the time the series ends and is the best performance in LaKeith Stanfield's already impressive career.