Hometown: Frederick, Maryland

Current residence: Crockett, Texas

Willis spent three seasons with the prestigious Oregon Shakespeare Festival, acting in "Twelfth Night," "Much Ado About Nothing," "Henry VI, Parts 2 and 3," "Wild Oats," "Daughters of the Revolution" and "A Raisin in the Sun." Houston audiences recently got to see his strong work as Malcolm X in "The Meeting" and Harlem Renaissance poet Countee Cullen in "Knock Me a Kiss," (which earned him a 2013 Giorgee Award for Best Leading Actor) both at the Ensemble Theatre.

Apart from stage acting, Willis is a prolific audio book narrator and has lent his voice to more than 100 projects. He also has appeared in numerous television series and films including “Private Practice,” “Without A Trace,” “Monk,” “24,” “Seinfeld,” “Cheers,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Universal Soldier” and got to act in “Independence Day" with Will Smith in 1996.

Awards:

-2011 Audie Nominee for A Raisin in the Sun (Best Ensemble)

-2011 Audie Nominee for Williams Leap for Freedom (Best Original Work)

-Odyssey Honor for Elijah of Buxton By Chirstopher Paul Curtis

-Earphone Award Winner for The Translator By Daoud Hari

-Earphone Award Winner for Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead

-Earphone Award Winner for The King of Ragtime by Larry Karp

-Earphone Award Winner for Magic Street by Orson Scott Card

-Earphone Award Winner for A Day Late and a Dollar Short by Terry McMillan

-Audiofile Magazine Best Voices of 2009