George Wilson's journey to an acting career was not planned, but it was certainly a winding path. Born and raised in Bastrop, his first taste of fame came as the drum major in the Morehouse High School band. After graduating in 1965, Wilson moved to Michigan, where he worked at a General Motors plant, but the work did not agree with him. He began attending Michigan State University in Lansing, taking classes while an acquaintance was enrolled, and soon found himself enrolled in the theater program at Lansing Community College.
From there, Wilson transitioned to Michigan State University, where he continued to hone his acting skills. He auditioned for a theater company in Detroit, but his initial reading with a fellow thespian did not go well. Five seasons later, Wilson decided to take his talents to Los Angeles, enrolling in an acting workshop, but things did not go as planned on the West Coast.
For the next 10 years, Wilson worked as a diesel driver in Shreveport, seemingly putting his acting career behind him. However, auditions and acting workshops began to pop up around town, and Wilson decided to get back in the game. He landed his first movie role as a detective in the 2007 film "Cleaner."
Wilson's next big break came when he worked as an extra on "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," followed by a more substantial role in the 2007 film "The Great Debaters." The Golden Globe-nominated film tells the story of Professor Melvin Tolson, who coached the Wiley College debate team in Marshall, Texas in the 1930s. The film was produced by Oprah Winfrey and directed by Academy Award winner Denzel Washington.
Wilson's role as Samuel required him to spend 30 hours in the makeup chair, being made to appear injured. Watching Denzel Washington at work, both as director and actor, helped enhance his own acting ability. Wilson has since landed parts in the films "Longshot," "The Lazarus Heart," "W," and most recently "Cool Dog," slated to be released in December 2011.
At 62, with some gray hair, Wilson has no trouble getting roles that call for older men, and he continues to pursue his passion for acting.
