Actor And Producer Michael Ealy To Deliver Dillard University 2021 Commencement Address

From Dillard University:

Actor and producer Michael Ealy will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Dillard University on Saturday, May 15, at the University’s 85th Commencement Exercise. The University will hold its commencement at 8 a.m. on the historic Avenue of The Oaks.

Michael Ealy rose to fame after appearing in several off-Broadway productions. His
first film roles were in cult-classics “Bad Company” and “Kissing Jessica Stein.”
Ealy's performances in these films led him to his break-out role as Ricky Nash in
the Barbershop movie series. Ealy entered the “Fast and Furious” franchise in 2003
and later appeared in “Never Die Alone” with rapper DMX in 2004. Known for his electric
charm, Ealy established himself as one of Hollywood’s leading men in 2005 when he
acted alongside Academy-award-winning actress Halle Berry in the television film adaption
of Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” Ealy earned an NAACP Image Award for his portrayal of Teacake in the television miniseries.

Ealy also starred in the television series “Californication,” Emmy award-winning “The
Good Wife,” and “The Following” where he was hailed as “the new face of evil” for
his chilling portrayal of serial killer Theo. His most acclaimed television role was
in Showtime's “Sleeper Cell” which earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination. Ealy
also starred opposite Gabrielle Union in the BET drama series “Being Mary Jane,” and
as the lead suspect in the second installment of the ABC primetime series “Secrets
and Lies” with Juliette Lewis.

Ealy served as an executive producer and starred as the title character in the SONY
thriller “The Perfect Guy” which opened number one at the box office and earned him
an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture. His past
films include the remake of “Jacob’s Ladder,” “Think Like A Man,” “Think Like A Man
Too,” “About Last Night,” “Underworld: Awakening,” “For Colored Girls” and “Takers.”

Michael Ealy is a graduate of the University of Maryland-College Park and resides
in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.

True to its tradition, Dillard University continues to invite dynamic leaders in government,
literature and entertainment to serve as commencement speakers such as Michelle Obama,
Chance The Rapper, Cicely Tyson and Denzel Washington.

Dillard University, located in New Orleans at 2601 Gentilly Blvd., is a private four-year
liberal arts historically black institution with a history dating back to 1869. For
more information, please visit www.dillard.edu. Also, follow us on Twitter, Facebook @DU1869 and Instagram, Dillard University.

This press release was produced by Dillard University. The views expressed are the author's own.