USA Today has named actor Sterling K. Brown as the TV Person of the Year for his portrayal of state prosecutor Christopher Darden in “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”
The media outlet cited his character’s embodiment of nobility, pain, and conflict in the highly-lauded TV series, which earned for him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie.
In a post on his Facebook account following his naming as TV Person of the Year, the 40-year-old Sterling K. Brown said that never in his wildest dreams that he would be given such prestigious honor.
A native of St. Louis, Brown is also known on the small screen for his role as Roland Burton on the Lifetime drama series “Army Wives.” He also stars as Randall Pearson on the critically-acclaimed NBC drama, “This is Us.”
While he has had success as a TV actor, his biggest break, described by USA Today as his coming-out party, was in “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” on FX.
Brown’s scenes with Sarah Paulson’s Marcia Clark displayed a vulnerability and compassion as the two state prosecutors grapple with pressure and loss.
He also had a riveting scene with Courtney B. Vance, who took on the role of Simpson lawyer Johnnie Cochran, which showed a searing defiance in the face of condescension.
All three of them, Brown, Paulson, and Vance won Emmy Awards for their roles in the crime anthology TV series.
Not resting on his laurels
After his superb performance in “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” Brown moved on to broadcast TV’s buzziest fall hit “This Is Us,” which is a family drama that has drawn both critical praise and high ratings.
As Randall, Brown is a successful business executive and family man who is emotionally torn after finding out that his birth father is about to die of cancer.
Brown once again stands out for his portrayal of a man who struggles with perfectionism and an uncertainty about his identity which is being shaped partly by his well-meaning white adoptive family.
He shows compassion and anger towards his mother, played by Mandy Moore, who hid his birth father’s identity from him.
The citations and work keep coming
Last month, Brown also earned a Screen Actors Guild nomination for both his roles in “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” and “This Is Us.”
He will also be seen in the upcoming movies “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” and “Marshall” due to hit theaters this year. In “Marshall,” he plays the role of Thurgood Marshall and the movie focuses on his legal work before he became a Supreme Court justice of America.
In a recent statement, he said that to have come from “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” to where his career now, he finds it really extraordinary. He said that he feels like there has just been an abundance of blessings that have been coming his way and he hopes it continues.
While he has been acting for the past 20 years both on the stage and on the screen, it was only recently when he got noticed that in a recent interview, Brown said that if someone has not done shows that are on everyone’s radar, then he is somebody out of nowhere.
He said that a lot of people weren’t checking on him the same way his family was. Nonetheless, he is grateful for the fans who have been following his trajectory.
He explained that to be in the most fortunate position of having had the two roles back-to-back, referring to “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” and “This Is Us,” those have given him the opportunity to show some of the things that he can do, details The Hollywood Reporter.