Orlando Jones

Multi-talented Orlando Jones first came to prominence as an original member of the "MADtv" (Fox, 1995-2009) ensemble before going on to a prolific film career. Receiving his start as a staff writer and story editor on popular series such as "A Different World" (NBC, 1987-1993), Jones came to "MADtv" armed with a writer's instinct and a performer's manic determination to make people laugh. After two hilarious years on the long-running show, Jones left to focus on film work that included such projects as the beloved workplace comedy "Office Space" (1999). It was around that time that he became a nearly ubiquitous television presence after he was hired as the spokesman for the popular soft drink 7UP via a massive commercial campaign.

The start of the next decade saw Jones in a slew of feature films; among them "Bedazzled" (2000), "Double Take" (2001), "Evolution" (2001), and "Drumline" (2002). Although other endeavors proved less successful - "The Orlando Jones Show" (FX, 2003) and "The Evidence" (ABC, 2005-06) - the talented comedic actor worked steadily with guest spots on series such as "Rules of Engagement" (CBS, 2006-13) and in feature films like "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant" (2009). With his background as a writer and producer, as well as a demonstrated ability to switch gears between comedic and dramatic fare, Jones was prepared for a lengthy career in the always shifting landscape of film and television.

Born Orlando Jones on April 10, 1968 in Mobile, AL, his father - a former professional baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies - moved the family to Mauldin, SC when he was a teenager. Jones enjoyed theatrical pursuits while at Mauldin High School before graduating in 1985. He attended the College of Charleston, South Carolina, but left prior to earning his degree in order to focus on his film and television aspirations. Jones entered the industry as writer and story editor for the college-themed Cosby spin-off "A Different World" (NBC, 1987-1993) from 1991 to 1992. The following year, he jumped networks with similar duties on the working-class family sitcom "Roc" (Fox, 1991-94) as a writer and executive story editor. Jones continued to climb the entertainment ladder when in 1993 he began working on the network's "The Sinbad Show" (Fox, 1993-94) as co-producer and executive story editor. Apart from a brief 1992 guest shot on the Fox sitcom "Herman's Head" (1991-94), Jones would not appear before the camera until 1994, when he became the host of a daily music magazine series, "Sound fX" (FX, 1993-95).

From there Jones landed a role as one of the founding cast members on the raunchy and irreverent sketch comedy series "MADtv" (Fox, 1995-2009). During his tenure on the show, Jones took on such varied characters as laid back hip-hop superstar Snoop Dogg, wacky sports celebrity Dennis Rodman, and gave the nefarious likes of Ike Turner and O.J. Simpson their comedic comeuppance. Additionally, fans of the series would undoubtedly remember Jones' flamboyant character Dexter, the scantily-clad drummer and musical director for the surrealistic talk show sketch "Cabana Chat." Jones' work on "MADtv" provided exposure that led to supporting turns in features films, including Larry David's critically-reviled comedy of greed, "Sour Grapes" (1998), and the formulaic Jada Pinkett Smith vehicle "Woo" (1998). More fondly remembered was Mike Judge's live-action directorial debut "Office Space" (1999), in which Jones shared screen time with fellow former "MADtv" cast member David Herman and delivered a hilarious performance as a crooked door-to-door magazine salesman. Jones' career picked up even more momentum when he signed on as the spokesman for a highly successful 7UP soft drink campaign in 1999, launching with the humorous "Make 7... Up Yours!" slogan.

Later that year, the comedic actor went from one highly-anticipated ensemble drama to the next, first appearing as a drug dealer in Barry Levinson's acclaimed "Liberty Heights" (1999), before moving on to Paul Thomas Anderson's affecting psychodrama "Magnolia" (1999). Jones took a role as a butter-fingered running back opposite Keanu Reeves in the sports-themed "The Replacements" (2000). With his movie career picking up steam, he appeared alongside Brendan Fraser as several characters in the remake of the fantasy-comedy "Bedazzled" (2000), as well as in the action-comedy "Double Take" (2001) opposite Eddie Griffin, and in the comedic monster romp "Evolution" with David Duchovny and Julianne Moore (2001).

Other work from this prolific period included a turn as an AI computer in an updated version of H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" (2002), a supporting role as the leader of a prestigious college marching band in "Drumline" (2002), and as a member of an underground motorcycle racing club in "Biker Boyz' (2003). That same year, the up-and-coming personality landed his own late-night talk show, "The Orlando Jones Show" (FX, 2003). Ratings-challenged from the start, the program was soon cancelled.

Undeterred, Jones bounced back with a role in "Evolution" co-star David Duchovny's directorial debut, "House of D" (2004), a sentimental family drama which Duchovny also wrote and appeared in. Jones next joined another television show as a cast member on the San Francisco-based police procedural "The Evidence" (ABC, 2005-06), until the series was unceremoniously cancelled mid-season. In an equally short-lived endeavor, Jones co-created and provided voice talent for the animated comedy "The Adventures of Chico & Guapo" (MTV2, 2005-06), followed by a co-starring role in the giant crocodile horror film "Primeval" (2007), and a recurring guest spot on the David Spade comedy series "Rules of Engagement" (CBS, 2006-13) during the show's 2009 season.

Jones then played a denizen of a traveling circus freak show in "Cirque De Freak: The Vampire's Assistant" (2009), an adaption of the popular young adult horror novels. In 2010 he made an appearance on the immensely popular medical drama "House" (Fox, 2004-12) as the brother of Dr. Eric Foreman (Omar Epps), and co-starred in the independent alternative lifestyle comedy "Misconceptions" (2010), as one-half of a gay couple hoping to have a baby via a surrogate mother (A.J. Cook).