More than fifty years after his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. remains one of the most recognizable figures in American history. Each year, Martin Luther King Day invites reflection on his life and work, and mediums like film, television, and theater have helped expand that picture, offering different ways to understand the man behind the movement.
Over the decades, storytellers have returned to King’s life with varying intentions. Some projects focus on major public events, while others explore the moments that shaped his decisions and relationships. What stands out across these performances is the range of perspectives used to tell King’s story. In projects such as King, Boycott, and Selma, he is the central figure. In others, he appears through the experiences of people around him, showing how his leadership affected the bigger picture. This approach allows audiences to see how his influence extended beyond speeches and marches.
Iconic actors like Samuel L. Jackson, James Earl Jones, and Courtney B. Vance, among others, have had a turn as the important civil rights figure. Additionally, the role has also served as a launching pad for the careers of up-and-comers, namely Kelvin Harrison Jr., and the late Nelsan Ellis, giving variety to the narratives surrounding the impact of Dr. King.
In observance of Martin Luther King Day, this list looks at actors who have portrayed Dr. King across different mediums. Together, these performances reflect how his legacy continues to be kept alive through storytelling.
Kelvin Harrison Jr. portrays Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in National Geographic’s Genius: MLK/X, focusing on the internal pressure of leadership during the later years of the civil rights movement. Told across eight episodes, the series places King opposite Aaron Pierre’s Malcolm X, examining how their relationship shifted as events forced both men to reassess their methods.
While Rustin centers on Bayard Rustin’s behind-the-scenes leadership, the film also features a measured portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through Aml Ameen’s performance. Positioned within Rustin’s orbit, King appears as a strategic partner whose moral authority shaped the March on Washington without placing him at the narrative’s center.
Anthony Mackie portrays Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in HBO’s All the Way, appearing within a political drama centered on Lyndon B. Johnson’s push to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. His performance presents King as a principled negotiator, balancing moral urgency with the realities of working alongside a cautious White House.
David Oyelowo delivers a commanding portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Ava DuVernay’s Selma, which centers on the 1965 voting rights campaign and the march from Selma to Montgomery. His performance earned a Golden Globe nomination and an NAACP Image Award, anchoring a film that reframed King within the urgency of political action.
Lifetime’s Betty & Coretta presents Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through his relationship with Coretta Scott King, as portrayed by Malik Yoba. The film shifts focus away from public moments, using King’s presence to underscore how leadership shaped the private lives left behind.
Seen through the lens of American history unfolding inside the White House, The Butler features Nelsan Ellis as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. within Cecil Gaines’ sweeping life story. His appearance situates King among pivotal civil rights moments, notably sharing the screen with David Oyelowo, who would take on the role in Selma the next year.
Samuel L. Jackson made his Broadway debut portraying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in The Mountaintop, a stage play set during King’s final night at the Lorraine Motel. Appearing opposite Angela Bassett, his performance centers on private moments and difficult conversations as the future closed in.
Dexter Scott King portrays his father in the television film The Rosa Parks Story, and the the narrative centers on Parks’ role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. His appearance carries added weight given the family connection, placing Dr. King within a broader account of collective action rather than positioning him as the sole focus.
LeVar Burton appears as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Ali, entering the story during pivotal moments of public protest and political unrest. Acting opposite Will Smith’s Muhammad Ali, Burton’s portrayal places King within the broader climate of activism that shaped the boxer’s evolving public stance.
Jeffrey Wright portrays Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the television film Boycott, which recounts the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955–56 and its role in launching King onto the national stage. The project earned strong critical recognition, including NAACP Image Award attention and a Peabody Award, cementing its place among early screen portrayals of the movement.
Courtney B. Vance takes on the role of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the television miniseries Parting the Waters, which chronicles key moments in the early civil rights movement. Spanning several years, the project situates King within a broader political and spiritual struggle as his national influence steadily grows.
Clifton Powell plays Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Charles Burnett’s Selma, Lord, Selma, a television film set in 1960s Alabama. Told largely through the eyes of a young girl portrayed by Jurnee Smollett-Bell, the story connects King’s influence to the early stirrings of activism surrounding the Selma-to-Montgomery march.
James Earl Jones appears as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the miniseries Freedom to Speak, reading portions of King’s speeches rather than acting in a scripted narrative. The series consists of direct speech readings from multiple historical figures, placing King’s words within a broader collection of American public addresses.
Set during John F. Kennedy’s presidency, Prince Jack includes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as part of a story focused on White House politics. Robert Guillaume appears in the role as the film explores how the administration responded to the civil rights movement during that period.
Paul Winfield starred as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in NBC’s three-part miniseries King, one of the earliest long-form television dramatizations of his life and work. The production earned multiple Emmy nominations, including one for Winfield’s performance, and featured Cicely Tyson as Coretta Scott King with involvement from members of King’s family.
