For five decades, Keith David has built a career that spans over 400 screen credits, from genre classics like The Thing and Platoon to animated hits like Rick and Morty. At 70, he remains as busy as ever, recently landing his first standalone lead role in the Rick and Morty spinoff President Curtis.
David’s deep, resonant voice has become his trademark, lending gravitas to warriors, gods, and cartoon oddballs alike. In a recent interview, he reflected on the discipline that has defined his journey. 'One thing I always say is: Don’t quit before the blessing. You never know what it’s gonna take, or what’s in front of you,' he said.
From The Thing to President Curtis
David’s film career began with John Carpenter’s The Thing in 1982, but the film was initially overlooked. 'It didn’t get the popular vote,' he recalled. 'I thought, well, I got an honorable mention. Maybe I’m not going to have a life in the movies.' Four years passed before he landed his next role, in Oliver Stone’s Platoon, which broke his slump and led to steady work.
During Platoon, David famously saved Charlie Sheen’s life during a helicopter scene. 'I just grabbed him instinctually,' David said. 'We’ll never know how close it came, but, praise God, it didn’t happen, and we live to tell the tale.'
A Voice for Every Role
David’s voiceover work has been equally prolific, from Ken Burns documentaries to the Rick and Morty universe. He credits actors like Orson Welles and James Earl Jones as inspirations. 'What they were able to do in the realm of voiceover was just fascinating to me,' he said. 'I wanted to be able to do that too, just by the voice, take you on a journey.'
His collaboration with Rick and Morty creator Dan Harmon began on Community, where David narrated an episode. Harmon later brought him onto the animated series, first as a parasite giraffe and then as President Curtis. The spinoff President Curtis marks David’s first lead role, showcasing the full range of his voice.
Finding Humanity in Every Character
As a Black actor navigating Hollywood, David made a conscious choice to find the humanity in stereotypical roles. 'I’ve played hustlers and pimps and all that,' he said. 'My criteria is, I need to know why he made those choices so the audience understands the man. I want you to understand Black men as full-scope human beings.'
Beyond film and TV, David has appeared in children’s programming like Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, where he played a carpenter. He recalled the profound effect Fred Rogers had on a child with autism on set. 'It was moving. It was a lesson,' David said.
David shows no signs of slowing down, despite a recent muscle injury from a workout. 'I keep in shape for whatever role happens to come along,' he said. With his father approaching 90 and grandmothers living into their 80s and 90s, David feels he has many productive years ahead. 'You wind up shortening your life, worrying about how long it’s going to be rather than how well you’re going to live.'
