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Donald Wayne Johnson (born December 15, 1949) is an American actor, producer, director, singer, and songwriter. He's best known for his role as Det. James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s television series Miami Vice, winning a Golden Globe for his work in the role.
In 1984, after more then a decade of acting on television, Johnson landed a starring role as undercover police detectiveΒ Sonny CrockettΒ in theΒ Michael Mann/Universal TelevisionΒ cop series,Β Miami Vice (1984-1990). Miami ViceΒ made him "a major international star."Β According toΒ Rolling Stone, "No one had more swagger in the Reagan era than Don Johnson."
His work onΒ Miami ViceΒ earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama, in 1986, and he was nominated for the same award in 1987.Β He was also nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1985. Between seasons onΒ Miami Vice, he gained further renown through TV miniseries such as the 1985 remake ofΒ The Long, Hot Summer. In 1996, he had a supporting role in Tin Cup, along with Kevin Costner, Rene Russo, and Cheech Marin. Johnson received a star on theΒ Hollywood Walk of FameΒ in 1996.
He later starred in the 1996β2001 CBS-TV police dramaΒ Nash Bridges with Cheech Marin,Β Jeff Perry,Β Jaime P. Gomez,Β Kelly Hu, Wendy Moniz,Β Annette O'Toole, Jodi Lyn O'KeefeΒ as his daughter Cassidy, andΒ James GammonΒ as his father Nick.
In October 2010, he began appearing on theΒ HBOΒ seriesΒ Eastbound & Down, playingΒ Kenny Powers' long-lost father, going by the alias "Eduardo Sanchez." He also reprised his role as Sonny Crockett for aΒ NikeΒ commercial withΒ LeBron JamesΒ in which the NBA player contemplates acting and appears alongside Johnson on Miami Vice.
He had a supporting role in the 2012 Quentin Tarantino filmΒ Django Unchained, playing a southern plantation owner named Spencer "Big Daddy" Bennett. In 2014, Johnson starred as the character "Jim Bob" opposite Sam Shepard and Michael C. Hall in Jim Mickle's critically acclaimed crime film,Β Cold in July. In 2014, he had a supporting role in the film The Other Woman as Cameron Diaz's character's father. In 2015, Johnson began starring in the ABC prime time soap operaΒ Blood & Oil.
In 2018, he starred as the character of Arthur, the love interest of Vivian, played byΒ Jane FondaΒ in Bill Holderman's romantic-comedyΒ Book Club.Β In 2019, Johnson played the role of Richard Drysdale inΒ Rian Johnson's murder-mysteryΒ Knives Out; and starred as Police Chief Judd Crawford in the HBO seriesΒ Watchmen.
In 2021, he co-starred onΒ Kenan, until its cancellation in May 2022. He also appeared in aΒ Nash BridgesΒ television film, with co-starΒ Cheech Marin, on theΒ USA NetworkΒ in 2021.
