Clarke Peters

From The Wire

Clarke Peters, born Peter Clarke April 7, 1952, is an American actor, singer, and writer. He portrays Lester Freamon. Peters appeared in the first season as a recurring guest start and is part of the starring cast for all four subsequent seasons.

Clarke Peters grew up in Englewood, New Jersey and graduated from Dwight Morrow High School in 1970.

Born in New York City, Peters earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical for writing the revue Five Guys Named Moe. As an actor, he has appeared on Broadway in The Iceman Cometh (1999), which won him the Theatre World Award, and as shady lawyer Billy Flynn in the revival of Chicago in 2000 and 2003. His West End theatre credits include Blues in the Night, Porgy and Bess, The Witches of Eastwick, and Chicago. In regional theatre he has appeared in Driving Miss Daisy, The Wiz, Bubbling Brown Sugar, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Carmen Jones, and The Amen Corner.

Peters is familiar to television viewers as Detective Lester Freamon in the HBO series The Wire. His screen credits include Notting Hill, K-Pax, and Freedomland.

When not on set, Peters is an avid horseback rider.

Clarke Peters lives in London.