Nelson was born in the Co-op City section of Bronx, New York. He began his acting career at age 10 when he landed a role in an off-Broadway play Hey Little Walter. Sean Nelson turned 13 shortly before beginning principal photography on his debut film, writer-director Boaz Yakin's Fresh. Prior to that, he had made his TV debut in a 1992 episode of the NBC series Here and Now.
Television
Law & Order as Damon Fox (1 episode, 1994), Shawn Foreman (1 episode, 2005), and Lt. Van Buren's unnamed son (2009)
Independent Spirit Awards Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s) 1995 Won Independent Spirit Award Best Debut Performance for: Fresh (1994)
Sundance Film Festival Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s) 1994 Won Special Jury Recognition for: Fresh (1994) For technical acting.
Young Artist Awards Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s) 1995 Nominated Young Artist Award Best Performance by a Young Actor Starring in a Motion Picture for: Fresh (1994)
2000 Nominated Black Reel Theatrical - Best Actor for: The Wood (1999)
Image Awards Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s) 2001 Nominated Image Award Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special for: "The Corner" (2000) (mini)
2001 Nominated Black Reel Network/Cable - Best Actor for: "The Corner" (2000) (mini)
Black Reel Awards Year Result Award Category/Recipient(s) 2006 Nominated Black Reel Best Supporting Actor - Television for: "Miracle's Boys" (2005) (mini)
Filmography
Actor
-
SIn (post-production) as
Kareem
-
The Realtor (post-production) as
Maurice
-
15 Minutes (Short) (completed) as
Jamaal
2023
Broken Exchange Uncoded (Short) (completed) as
Mayor Kelly elliot
2023
Angie's Cure as
JD
2023
Power Book II: Ghost (TV Series) as
Kai
- Deal or No Deal (2023) - Kai
- Land of Lies (2023) - Kai
- Your Perception, Your Reality (2023) - Kai
2022
Blue Bloods (TV Series) as
Marcus
- Smoke & Mirrors (2023) - Marcus
- Cold Comfort (2022) - Marcus
2022
A Father's Pride as
Detective
2022
Tales (TV Series) as
Stokely Overton
- Fight the Power (2022) - Stokely Overton
2020
Jackie Robinson Table Read Documentary: The Social Distance Activity (Documentary short) as
Donnie Newcombe
2020
Balance (Short)
2018
New Amsterdam (TV Series) as
Manny Daye
- Anthropocene (2018) - Manny Daye
2018
Deception (TV Series) as
Carlo
- Getting Away Clean (2018) - Carlo
2015
Deadbeat (TV Series) as
Detective Simmons
- Good Will Haunting (2015) - Detective Simmons
- The Occult Leader (2015) - Detective Simmons
- The Ex-orcism (2015) - Detective Simmons
2015
The Good Wife (TV Series) as
Busboy Tim
- The Debate (2015) - Busboy Tim
2014
The Money (TV Movie) as
Sergio (uncredited)
2014
Deliver Us from Evil as
Cop
2014
The Breaking Point as
Jay
2014
Elementary (TV Series) as
Shawn Menck
- Ears to You (2014) - Shawn Menck
2011
Juxed (Short) as
Ron
2011
Stake Land: Origins (TV Series short) as
Willie
- Willie (2011) - Willie
2010
Stake Land as
Willie
2009
Last of the Ninth (TV Movie) as
Detainee #1
1994
Law & Order (TV Series) as
Van Buren's Son / Steven 'Four Strike' Foreman / Damon Fox
- Boy Gone Astray (2009) - Van Buren's Son
- Great Satan (2009) - Van Buren's Son
- Ain't No Love (2005) - Steven 'Four Strike' Foreman
- Sanctuary (1994) - Damon Fox
2009
Mercy (TV Series) as
Dominick Jimenez
- Hope You're Good, Smiley Face (2009) - Dominick Jimenez
2009
The Taking of Pelham 123 as
ESU One
2007
The Mannsfield 12 as
Lil Rich
2006
Premium as
Austin Price
2005
The Orphan King as
Damon
2005
The Gospel as
Young Frank
2005
Miracle's Boys (TV Mini Series) as
Charlie
- Bond of Brothers (2005) - Charlie
- Free Day (2005) - Charlie
- Miracle's Song (2005) - Charlie
- Who's to Blame? (2005) - Charlie
- In the Game of Life (2005) - Charlie
- New Charlie (2005) - Charlie
2005
Their Eyes Were Watching God (TV Movie) as
Hezekiah
2004
Date (Short) as
James
2004
The Jury (TV Series) as
McKinley Jones
- Bangers (2004) - McKinley Jones
2003
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (TV Series) as
Taye Powers
- Cuba Libre (2003) - Taye Powers
2002
The Year That Trembled as
Phil Robbins
2001
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) as
Tito Frank
- Runaway (2001) - Tito Frank
2000
The Corner (TV Mini Series) as
DeAndre McCullough
- Everyman's Blues (2000) - DeAndre McCullough
- Corner Boy Blues (2000) - DeAndre McCullough
- Dope Fiend Blues (2000) - DeAndre McCullough
- Fran's Blues (2000) - DeAndre McCullough
- DeAndre's Blues (2000) - DeAndre McCullough
- Gary's Blues (2000) - DeAndre McCullough
1999
A Stranger in the Kingdom as
Nathan Andrews
1999
The Wood as
Young Mike
1998
Bronx County (TV Movie) as
Andre
1997
Promised Land (TV Series) as
Calvin Cantrell
- Amazing Grace: Part 2 (1997) - Calvin Cantrell
1997
Touched by an Angel (TV Series) as
Calvin Cantrell
- Amazing Grace: Part 1 (1997) - Calvin Cantrell
1996
American Buffalo as
Bob
1995
Sisters (TV Series) as
Jesse Bayliss
- Taking a Gamble (1996) - Jesse Bayliss
- Housecleaning (1996) - Jesse Bayliss
- Impersonators (1996) - Jesse Bayliss
- Double, Double, Toil and Trouble (1996) - Jesse Bayliss
- Sleeping Beauty (1995) - Jesse Bayliss
- A Perfectly Reasonable Explanation (1995) - Jesse Bayliss
- Renaissance Woman (1995) - Jesse Bayliss
- For Everything a Season: Part 1 (1995) - Jesse Bayliss
1996
The Client (TV Series) as
Justin Mayfield
- Motherless Child (1996) - Justin Mayfield
1994
New York Undercover (TV Series) as
Al / Mark Hopkins
- Manchild (1995) - Al
- Pilot (1994) - Mark Hopkins
1995
Homicide: Life on the Street (TV Series) as
Ronnie Sayers
- Every Mother's Son (1995) - Ronnie Sayers
1994
Fresh as
Fresh
1992
Aibobo (Short)
1992
Here and Now (TV Series) as
Ronnie
- One on Won (1992) - Ronnie
Producer
2017
The Turnaround (producer)
2014
The Breaking Point (producer)
2011
Juxed (Short) (producer)
2011
Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave (Short) (producer)
Assistant Director
2011
Juxed (Short) (second unit director)
2011
Oh What a Tangled Web We Weave (Short) (second unit director)
Miscellaneous
2007
Day Zero (adr loop group)
Self
1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #1.58 (1996) - Self
1995
10th Anniversary Independent Spirit Awards (TV Special) as