Person biography:
Donn Swaby was born on August 20th, 1973, in Queens, New York, to Donald Sr. and Nesline Swaby, both immigrants from Jamaica. He was raised in Queens and developed an interest in acting at an early age.
Swaby attended Boston University's School of Theatre Arts, where he began his professional career under the guidance of his acting professor, Prof. Jon Lipsky. He performed in several productions, including the Boston premier of George C. Wolfe's play, The Colored Museum, and Stop and Frisk, both directed by Prof. James Spruill.
After graduating with a BFA in Acting in 1995, Swaby moved to New York and began performing in Off-Broadway, regional theater, radio, television, and film. He landed his first speaking role in the film G.I. Jane, starring Demi Moore and Viggo Mortensen, and directed by Ridley Scott.
Swaby's breakthrough role came when he was cast as Chad Harris on NBC's soap opera, Passions, which he played for three years. He has also appeared in several feature films, including Nora's Hair Salon and Nora's Hair Salon II, and has guest-starred on various TV shows, such as Judging Amy, Crossing Jordan, and Half and Half.
In addition to his acting career, Swaby is a writer and musician. He has written for the Huffington Post and served as a staff writer for an alternative women's magazine, Melt Magazine for Women. He has also written several stage plays and screenplays, one of which was produced as a feature film.
Swaby is the founder of the Foundation Theatre Company and has produced and directed several productions, including Fool for Love by Sam Shepard and Slow Dance on the Killing Ground by William Hanley. He has won several awards for his work, including a Best Ensemble Nomination for the N.A.A.C.P. Theatre Awards and a Best Ensemble Award for Black Angels Over Tuskegee.
In his free time, Swaby enjoys hiking, live music, reading, and volunteering as a reader to children via the Screen Actors Guild Book Pals Program.
