LEWIS
BLACK

Lewis Black is an American comedian, actor, writer and playwright born on 30 August 1948 in Washington, D.C. Raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, he became known for a stage persona that turns frustration into pointed comic commentary.

Theatre was an important part of Black’s early career. He wrote plays and became playwright-in-residence at the West Bank Café’s Downstairs Theatre Bar in New York, while also developing his stand-up comedy.

His Back in Black commentary on The Daily Show brought his exasperated delivery to a wider television audience. The segment made space for him to examine public life and everyday absurdities through the rhythm of an escalating rant.

In Pixar’s Inside Out (2015), Black voiced Anger, one of the emotions in Riley’s mind. He returned for Inside Out 2 (2024), bringing his recognizable vocal energy to an animated character for a family audience.

Alongside screen and stand-up work, Black has written books and continued to draw on his background in theatre. His career connects carefully constructed writing with the immediacy of a live comic performance.