Lewis Powell is an award‑winning actor, director, and filmmaker with a 20‑year career in Hollywood and more than 30 broadcast television and film credits. He has appeared in Chicago Med, Reasonable Doubt, Dexter, Bones, MOM, ER, Squatters, and Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s Kings starring Halle Berry and Daniel Craig. He recurs as Officer Norman on CSI: Vegas and has starred in major national campaigns for Nike, Subaru, QuickBooks, Lowe’s, AT&T, and Modelo.
A Washington, DC native, Powell is also a second‑generation Master Barber whose 30+ years in the craft have shaped his creative voice. Beginning at age five in his family’s barbershop, he built a respected bi‑coastal career from DC to South Central Los Angeles, grooming more than 50 celebrities — including 50 Cent, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Stevie J, the late John Singleton, and others. Powell spent three years working with OutKast, with his grooming work seen throughout their peak era — including when the group accepted their Grammy Award. He also groomed André 3000 for multiple projects, including cutting his signature braids for the film Idlewild. His work has appeared in Bloomberg Businessweek, Black Enterprise, Ebony, and other national publications, and his clientele includes innovators such as venture capitalist Hamet Watt. Powell often describes himself as a “voyeur of life,” drawing from decades of real human stories and experiences to fuel the authenticity of his acting and directing.
Powell attended Howard University on a writing scholarship, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration & Management, and later studied Feature Film Development at UCLA. His acting training includes John Rosenfeld Studios, Judith Weston, Actors Comedy Studio, AIDA – Australian Actors Institute, Ivan Markota/Van Marr Academy, and the Beverly Hills Playhouse.
As a filmmaker, Powell has written, directed, and produced feature films, short films, and music videos. His feature How 2 Build a Rapper was acquired by Vanguard Cinema and features Big Boi of OutKast, Jazze Pha, Zukhan Bey, and Chucky Thompson. He has also produced music videos featuring leading comedic talent, including comedian Pierre and Oscar‑winner Mo’Nique.
His award‑winning dramatic music video for LaRussell, Dollar 2 The Rich — a short film centered on mental health — has earned 15 wins and more than 30 festival selections including BronzeLens, Micheaux Film Festival, Hollywood Shortfest, and Dances With Films.
Since its inception, Powell has been a key creative partner with the HBCU First Look Film Festival, mentoring and developing emerging Black filmmakers through panels, workshops, film challenges, and hands‑on creative direction.
Behind the scenes, Powell served as Head of Production and Development for comedian Affion Crockett during the launch of his FOX sketch comedy series In The Flow. He also worked as a Production Consultant to producer Ellene V. Miles on Ava DuVernay’s acclaimed documentary This Is The Life, contributing to one of the foundational projects of DuVernay’s early filmmaking career.
Powell’s entertainment journey began in music, producing albums under his independent label Col’Beast Entertainment and collaborating with artists including E‑40, Too Short, Scarface, Edley Shine (Born Jamericans), B‑Legit, and Nonchalant. His single “How We Do” charted for 18 weeks on Billboard’s Hot Rap Singles, peaking at #2, and his music has appeared on America’s Next Top Model, Making the Band, and other television series. His work has been featured in The Source, XXL, Vibe, Billboard, and Impact Magazine.
Among Powell’s most acclaimed works is Padlock Men, the award‑winning short film he wrote, directed, starred in, produced, and scored. Inspired by youthful memoirs and loosely connected to a little‑known civil‑rights vigilante group, the film earned 33 official selections — including two Oscar‑qualifying festivals — and 17 awards. Padlock Men is now streaming on Amazon Prime and is being developed as a limited series.
Powell’s latest project, The Quickening, is a psychological thriller currently in development, continuing his mission to create bold, character‑driven stories rooted in authenticity, lived experience, and cultural truth.
