Dwayne Barnes

Dwayne Barnes was born and reared in Detroit, Michigan where he witnessed some of life's harsh realities, which has consequently affected and transformed him as an artist and human being. In his senior year in high school, Barnes, voted "Most Likely to Succeed," won a citywide acting competition and was awarded a scholarship to attend Eastern Michigan University. However, after a few years of collegiate life, Barnes heard the call of his destiny and chose to immediately set his sights on moving to Los Angeles and stardom. Not just an actor, Barnes is also blessed with vocal talent and just two years after moving to Los Angeles, his performance in Robert Townsend's, "The Five Heartbeats: The Musical," was nominated BEST ACTOR for an NAACP Theater Award. Barnes also starred in the musicals, "Letters from Nam", which was written and produced by Emmy award-winning director, Paris Barclay, and "Dorian," which The Denver Daily New said, Barnes "gave a knockout performance." Barnes' musical talents also led to a contract with Capitol Records, where he recorded an album with the group H20. The group disbanded before the album was released. Barnes has guest-starred in over 30 different episodic shows, including such hit shows as C.S.I, E.R, and Cold Case. Other network guest appearances include, "Without a Trace", "Angel", "Judging Amy", "Numbers", "The Shield" and "Six Feet Under." Following in the shoes of such greats as, Samuel L. Jackson, Halle Berry (Jungle Fever) and Chris Rock (New Jack City), Barnes' haunting portrayal of the cheeseburger loving crack addict in the urban classic Menace II Society has garnered him critical acclaim throughout Hollywood. Barnes next project, which is due out in the Fall 2006 is a suspense thriller "The Flock" starring Richard Gere and Claire Danes. Refusing to be just another actor on the circuit, Barnes co-wrote and starred in, Memorial Street (2003), a short film, inspired by his real life relationship with his mother. The film is a touching portrayal of a mother and son's broken relationship and the challenges that they are forced to go through, and somehow sustain the undying love innately shared between the two. Memorial Street was chosen by A.F.I's Women in Film Program and also starred, "Magnolia's" April Grace. Dwayne Barnes is destined to become one of the greats of our times. He is a dedicated and focused man on a mission to change lives for the better through expression of his art and life's journey. His passion, drive, and mission to succeed will surely lead him to doing just that.