B’nard Lewis

B’nard Lewis


By DALE RICARDO SHIELDS 

Actor/Writer/Director/Producer

A Columbus, Ohio native, and a member of S.A.G./A.F.T.R.A., is no stranger to film, television, comedy, stage plays, and commercials. He has acted, directed, written, and produced in every genre and format.

In the Ohio region, he’s appeared in commercials and print work for Kroger, Elder-Beerman, Cota, Chrysler, and Value City. The theatrically released films and nationally aired film and television dramas, and comedies, he’s appeared in have production budgets totaling over $80 million dollars and grossing over $300 + million dollars in U.S. theaters, with additional revenue from DVD sales, cable and TV rights, foreign markets, seen by tens of millions, and were produced by media giants ABC, CBS, NBC, HBO, Alcon Entertainment, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, Columbia/Tri-Star Pictures, and Lionsgate/Tyler Perry Studios.  He has acted in such stage production plays as Purlie, Frankenstein, The Fantasticks, Golden Boy and The First Breeze of Summer.He was also a morning drive on-air radio personality on Z-103FM/Johnstown on the Brian & Lewis Show. B’nard has played the opposite of such actors like Owen Wilson, Katt Williams, Ed Helms, Andre Braugher, Sinbad, Jackee, Sherman Hemsley, Loretta Devine, Joe Pantoliano, Obba Babatunde, Cindy Herron, Anna Marie Horsford, and Rene Jones to name a few. 

B’nard is vastly considered one of the, if not thee, top acting instructor, writer, and production executives in the Midwest region who is actually working nationally. 

APPEARANCES, RECOGNITIONS, HONORS, AND AWARDS:

ABC Television Network’s Talent Development ProgramNamed: ‘One To Watch’ by TV Guide MagazineNamed: ‘A Natural’ by The Columbus DispatchFeatured on Good Morning America Featured on: A.M. Los AngelesColumbus Public Schools/City of Columbus’Artist-In Schools Course Instructor in the areas of: Acting and Media Arts

Film and Television credits:(writer/producer/LF&E) The Alien, We(writer/producer/In Development/LF&E) The A.I.M.(actor/writer/In Development/LF&E) Apartment 304(writer/In Development/Relky Star) A Perfect Chaos(actor/Alcon/Warner Bros.) Father Figures(comic/Code11) Getting To The Punchline(actor/director/LewisFilms) The First Shot(actor/HBO) A Better Way To Die(actor/Disney/Caravan) Houseguest(actor/ABC) Heart & Soul(actor/NBC) Jackee(actor/NBC) Amen(actor/CBS) Hard Time On Planet Earth

B’nard is an Alumni Member of ABC’s Television Network’s Talent Development Program.

He is also the CEO of LewisFilms & Entertainment Co. LLC, a full-service production entity,

and the only author of LF&E’s entire library of literary content totaling over 50+ titles.

www.LewisFilmsEnt.com

“It is said that a man’s course is akin to his velocity and ability to turn on a dime. He must be stealth-like. Reflexes of a living wind. The agility of calm. The ability to turn on a dime. A shadow before the shadow. This is akin to his course.” – Anonymous

 

B’nard Lewis, born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. B’nard is a working Sag/Aftra member and has been so since 1987. B’nard’s most recent acting role is that of ‘Officer 2’ in Warner Brother’s ‘Father Figures’, released in theaters on December 22, 2017. B’nard is currently in the financing stage for his self-written and directed film ‘Apartment 304’. B’nard is also the co-writer on ‘A Perfect Chaos’ currently in development in Los Angeles. B’nard has co-starred in ‘A Better Way To Die’ for HBO. He’s featured in ‘Houseguest’ for Disney/Caravan Pictures. He has co-lead roles in the ABC and NBC aired television pilots ‘Heart & Soul’ and ‘Jackee.’ B’nard also has guest-starred on ‘Amen’ (NBC) and ‘Hard Time On Planet Earth’ (CBS). He’s the creator and writer for 3 film trilogies in development ‘Prince Numasha,’ ‘The Alien, We’ and ‘The A.I.M.’
I’m 14 years old. 5’8″ – 114 pounds. After 4 years of karate and boxing had not put any size on me. Was very discouraged because some of my friends had their own beards and mustaches by then. I was like “WTF! This is some bulls$it! I need some of that muscle formula advertised on the back of comic books. You know where they had the muscle-bound guy on the beach kicking sand in the skinny guy’s face.”

I grew up on all sides of Columbus, Ohio. Mainly the Southside (Southfield). I was raised in government Metropolitan housing for most of my youth. I used to get kicked out of middle school and high school for being a class clown and disruptive. Truth be told, I wasn’t challenged enough academically. The school was too slow for me.
My friends were and are many, from my hood days to government offices, to corporate America. I’ve lived in some of the roughest cities in America from coast to coast, north, east, south, and west while studying my craft and paying my way through school through blood, sweat, and tears. So I am blessed to have represented these companies and their brands. I am blessed to still be here through the pain and misfortune that we as everyday people experience. I convert challenges to positive outcomes. It’s what has made me that has always been my secret formula. What makes you is yours. It is. Trust me, I know. My brand is my journey.

My brand is my experiences. I won’t change who I am, I just improve on who I am. As a positive message, If I can do it, so can you! So whatever it is you’re going through right now, just remember, be encouraged. Be vigilant. Be visionary. Be you. And share your experiences and how you overcame them with others. 

APARTMENT 304 FEATURE FILM:
DECLASSIFIED MISSION DOSSIER #2

 

 

B’nard Lewis
L.G. Spence
Activity in APT 304 Cover In Cover assignments with U.S. Intelligence International Co-Ops. The actor was last seen as a police officer in the film Father Figures from Warner Bros./2017. Research shows high-level work in human target elimination in the film A Better Way To Die/HBO. Lead actor in Heart and Soul/ABC, Jackee/NBC. Appearance in Houseguest/Hollywood-Caravan, and Captain Jack/Cardinal Films. Recipient of ABC Television’s Talent Development Program. Prolific writer. Writer/Actor/Director. Known military background: Father was in U.S. Airforce. Four Uncles and first cousins served in U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Marines. Currently training in Krav Maga tactical close combat.

 

Master The Foundation of Acting
“For The Adult Actor, MTFOA Strengthens Your Acting Abilities Through Intensive Work
While, You, The Actor, Grow In Your Craft and Learn To Enjoy The Process of Acting
In Your Chosen Area of Film, Television, Commercial and Stage Acting.”

 

“For The Kid Actor To Be, MTFOA Builds Their Confidence Through Fun Acting Games!”
– B. Lewis
MTFOA Founder  

LewisFilms & Entertainment, Co. LLC

 

Actor B’nard Lewis arrives at the premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Father Figures” at TCL Chinese Theatre on December 13, 2017, in Hollywood, California.
(Dec. 12, 2017 – Source: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images North America)


Where can you find B’nard Lewis these days?
He’s back in his home town Columbus, Ohio, fulfilling a dream and an artistic promise.
The Dream?
To make major projects in his hometown.
The Artistic Promise.
To bring a national presence in the arts at the very highest of levels to Columbus, by way of workshops in the areas of acting and writing for the screen.
Everything thing is possible!
Seems like B’nard, knows that, and wants to let the artist in Columbus know that too.
After all, being a local artist, like himself, is the coolest thing!

 

LINKS

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0506942/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

B’nard Lewis (Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio) is an actor/writer/director, known for ‘Bastards’ (Warner Bros. 2016), ‘Apartment 304’ (LewisFilms/Hidden Soldier Inc. 2017), ‘A Perfect Chaos’ (Relkystar 2017), ‘A Better Way to Die’ (HBO), ‘Getting to the Punchline’ (Code 11 Comedy 2012), ‘The First Shot’ (LewisFilms & Ent.) and ‘Houseguest’ (Disney/Caravan). B’nard started out in the theater in Columbus, Ohio and Los Angeles taking on lead and supporting roles in such plays as ‘First Breeze of Summer,’ ‘Golden Boy’ and ‘The Fantasticks.’ Discovered as a kid by Dustin Hoffman in Los Angeles, California, B’nard was cast on the spot in the film ‘Straight Time’ and so his acting career began with his scene with Dustin Hoffman left on the cutting room floor. B’nard would go on to study acting at Centre Stage Theater under Carol Khan-White, at Cincinnati’s Eden Park Conservatory under Dewey Hawthorne; voice, diction, and theater at West Valley College and over 15 years with Method Acting and Sense Memory Coach Pierre Robin at the Young Actor’s Studio Workshop near The Ohio State University Campus. To make ends meet as an actor B’nard has moonlighted as an early a.m. Disc Jockey, stand-up comic, print model, and factory worker. B’nard would go on to be selected by ABC Television for their Talent Development Program landing him the lead in the (aired) pilot ‘Heat & Soul’ and later a co-starring role in the (aired) NBC pilot ‘Jackée.’ B’nard has been named by TV Guide Magazine as “one to watch”. B’nard has 40 + film, TV, and game show titles to be produced. B’nard is signed with Midwest Talent Management in Los Angeles, California.

– IMDb Mini Biography By: LFE

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED 

(c) All Rights Reserved iforcolor.org (Dale Shields)

iforcolor

ARCHIVIST, EDUCATOR, HISTORIAN, and ARTiST
Dale Ricardo Shields is a 2017 winner of The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award®, 2017 and 2015 Tony® award nominee for the Excellence in Theatre Education Award, the 2017 AUDELCO/"VIV" Special Achievement Award, 2020, 2021, and 2022 ENCORE AWARD / The Actors Fund and winner of the 2022.

Recently, he won the 2022 Legend Award from his alma mater Ohio University.

He is the 2021 winner of the Paul Robeson Award, presented (jointly) by the Actors Equity Association and the Actors Equity Foundation.

Research Accomplishments:
His extensive professional credits as a Director, Stage manager, and Actor (Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and Regional) As an actor he has appeared on Saturday Night Live, Another World, Guiding Light, The Cosby Show, and the ITV television series "Special Needs" and commercials and film.

Professor Shields is a member of the Actors Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the American Guild of Musical Artists performance unions and an associate member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

He began his artistic academic career in New York City at Playwrights Horizon, The South Bronx Action Theatre, and Mind Builders, and then was invited to join the teaching staff at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre (New York Shakespeare Festival). He represented the United States for Theatre Young Audiences at the ASSITEJ Theatre Festival in London, England.

He has been a Professor and Visiting Artist at Ohio University, The College of Wooster, Denison University, Macalester College, Randolph- Macon College, Susquehanna University, and SUNY Potsdam.

He holds B.F.A and M.F.A, Degrees from Ohio University.

Website(s)

Iforcolor.org [Research]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Ricardo_Shields [Career]