Hill Harper is a humanitarian, an award-winning actor, best-selling author, entrepreneur, health and wellness ambassador and educator, and philanthropist. Harper is most recognizable for his starring role in the CBS hit television drama “CSI: NY” where he played the eccentric Dr. Sheldon Hawkes from 2004 to 2013 for which he won three NAACP Image Awards for “Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series.” Subsequently, Harper returned to CBS starring in “Covert Affairs”, the fast-paced drama “Limitless”, and Showtime’s award-winning drama “Homeland”.
Currently, Harper stars in ABC’s #1 television drama “The Good Doctor”, hosts “How It Really Happened with Hill Harper” on HLN, and stars in podcast “Legal Wars”. In theaters, Harper can be seen in “Concussion”, “All Eyez on Me”, and the 2019 summer release of Warner Bros. Pictures film, “A Sun Is Also A Star”.
In addition to his performing career, Harper has authored four New York Times bestsellers: “Letters to a Young Brother”, “Letters to a Young Sister”, “The Conversation”, and “The Wealth Cure” which chronicled his diagnosis with thyroid cancer and his journey to health. “Letters to a Young Brother” won several awards and was named “Best Book for Young Adults” by the American Library Association in 2007. Harper has been recognized with seven NAACP Image Awards, four of them for his writing. His latest book, “Letters to an Incarcerated Brother”, which speaks to the current mass incarceration crisis, was released to critical acclaim and was nominated for several awards.
Harper is the founder of the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved youth through mentorship, scholarships, and grant programs. Harper is also a successful businessman and entrepreneur. Among other ventures around the country, Harper bought the downtown Detroit Roasting Plant shop in 2017.
Former President Obama appointed Harper to serve on the President’s Cancer Panel in 2011. Harper graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and was named valedictorian of his department. He graduated cum laude with a JD from Harvard Law School, as well as with a master’s degree in public administration, with honors, from the Kennedy School of Government. He holds honorary doctoral degrees from seven universities.