It’s been a while since The Bold and the Beautiful fans saw the character Julius Avant onscreen, but in real life, the actor behind the role, Obba Babatundé, is celebrating a significant milestone—his 72nd birthday on December 1, 1951, in Queens, New York.
Babatundé began his career in the arts during his post-college years, working as a teacher by day and exploring acting by night.
He gained recognition in the theater world through off-Broadway plays and touring productions like Guys and Dolls in 1976, alongside Leslie Uggams and the late Richard Roundtree.
His Broadway debut took place in 1978 with Timbuktu!, followed by a Tony Award nomination for his role as C.C. White in the 1982 production of Dreamgirls.
Transitioning to film and television, Babatundé made his first TV appearance on America’s Musical Theater and film debut in Leonard Part 6 (1987).
In the soap opera realm, he appeared in episodes of All My Children (1987) and gained a recurring role as Julius Avant on The Bold and the Beautiful starting in 2015.
Outside of the soap world, Babatundé contributed to various TV shows, including Dawson’s Creek (1999-2000), Soul Food (2001-2002), Karen Sisco (2003-2004), and Kingdom (2014).
His rich, velvet voice has led him to voice animated characters, notably Lando Calrissian in Star Wars video games.
His film credits include That Thing You Do! (1996), John Q (2002), The Wild Thornberrys Movie (2002), Kangaroo Jack: G’Day U.S.A.! (2004), The Notebook (2004), The Manchurian Candidate (2004), and Pup Star (2016), as well as roles in TV series like Rocket Power (1999-2004) and Max Steel (2000).
Besides his acting career, Babatundé has produced documentaries such as Oscar’s Black Odyssey (which he also directed), Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty, and TV in Black: The First 50 Years.
Fans and friends joined in wishing Obba Babatundé a happy birthday, with the actor’s impressive and diverse career earning admiration and accolades.