Printable Biography of Eriq La Salle

Eriq La Salle was born July 23.La Salle was born and raised in Hartford, Conn., one of four children.

In 1984, after studying for two years at Juilliard, he received a B.F.A. in theater arts from New York University's graduate theater program. Just before his graduation he was cast in the first of several productions for Joseph Papp's Shakespeare in the Park theater company. Weeks later he landed his first feature-film role, in a low-budget Italian movie shot in Florida. He soon found continuous acting work on Broadway, off-Broadway and in the daytime TV drama "One Life to Live" as reporter Mike Rivers

In 1991 La Salle moved to Los Angeles to co-star (with John Mahoney of NBC's "Frasier") in "The Human Factor," a series that lasted less than a year. He piled up TV credits by guest-starring on "L.A. Law," "Quantum Leap" and "A Different World" as well as in the "HBO Vietnam War Stories." Among his TV-movie credits are "Empty Cradle," "Circumstantial Evidence," "What Price Victory?" and "Leg Work." His feature films include "Coming to America," "Five Corners," "Jacob's Ladder," "The Color of Night" (starring Bruce Willis) and, most recently, "D.R.O.P. Squad" (of which Spike Lee was the executive producer). On stage he appeared in "Two Trains Running" at the Goodman Theatre.

La Salle is also making his mark in Hollywood as a director of film and television projects. He directed "Psalms from the Underground," a 35-minute feature film in which he also starred, as well as the HBO movie "Angel of Harlem," a story about legendary athlete Earl Manigault, whose drug addiction destroyed his promising basketball career. He also wrote, directed and produced two short films that won awards at the Worldfest Houston film competition and the USA Film Festival.

Eriq enjoys working out, shooting pool and cooking.(His favorite is seafood lasagna)