Phillip Edward Van Lear

Phillip Edward Van Lear is an American actor known for his role as C.O. Louis Patterson on the Fox series Prison Break. Born in Aurora, Illinois in 1951, Van Lear has appeared in a variety of movies including Barbershop 2: Back in Business, Magic Mike, Chicago Cab, Night of the Lawyers, A Family Thing, and Thieves Quartet. He also starred alongside Oprah Winfrey in the film There Are No Children Here, portraying a thug and vandal. Van Lear was initially cast as Ray Charles in the movie Ray but ultimately Jamie Foxx took on the role. In 2004, he embarked on a spiritual journey in Cameroon. Van Lear is the proud father of three children: Nathaniel, Tasha, and Ethan.