Actor

Jimmy Gary Jr. was born in Stuart, Florida and grew up in Okeechobee. He is a former college and professional athlete whose ambitions took him from the football field to New York City. After living in a car that he bought for a hundred dollars, he pounded the pavement and landed his first TV role in All My Children.   On television, Gary is known best for his role as CO Rikerson in the Netflix series Orange is the New Black (2015-2017). He has appeared in many guest and co-star roles on other major networks, such as Hulu's The Path (Justin); Showtime’s Nurse Jackie (Marco Prince); Showtime’s Ray Donovan (Andrew); and NBC’s New Amsterdam (Big Mike Kiggens). Gary’s most recent role is in the newly-released (May 2019) Netflix mini-docuseries When They See Us; the story about the Central Park Five, directed by Ava DuVernay.   

His film credits include First Match; By Dawn; Better Dayz (Sammy), written and directed by Norman C Linton; and From Other Worlds (Sam), written by Barry Strugatz. Gary also played Officer Jones in Josh Radnor’s Happy. Thank You. More Please. The film won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2010. Gary is an accomplished stage actor. He was last seen on stage in MAAFA: Rebelliousness as Nat Turner, the slave who led the first successful slave revolt on U.S. soil. He has starred in three productions with the historic Negro Ensemble Company: A Soldier’s Play (Private C.J. Memphis); Hercules Didn’t Wade in the Water (Eugene); and Day of Absence (Clem). Other theater credits: The Whaleship Essex (William Bond); Unforgivable Blackness (Jack Johnson); As You Like It (Charles); Fly'n West (Will Parish); Guns, Shackles & Winter Coats (Sergeant Brown); Esther Armah's Forgive Me? (Zach); and Still Life Goes On (Buster). Gary also starred as TC Thomas in a staged reading of the film The Jones Men, directed by Woodie King Jr.

His commercial credits include Hellmann's Light Mayonnaise; JCPenney; Starburst; Bank of America; and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Jimmy Gary Jr. is a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. When he is not acting, Jimmy enjoys motivational speaking. He believes in giving back and inspires others to step into their greatness.