Jesse L. Martin

Jesse Lamont Martin (born January 18, 1969) is an American actor and singer. He gained recognition for his portrayal of Tom Collins in the Broadway musical Rent and later played the character on film. On television, he is known for his roles as NYPD Detective Ed Green on Law & Order, Captain Joe West on The Flash, and professor Alec Mercer on The Irrational. Martin was born in Rocky Mount, Virginia to truck driver Jesse Reed Watkins and college counselor Virginia Price. He adopted his stepfather's surname after his mother remarried. Martin overcame shyness through an after-school drama program and began his acting career.