天美传媒

MURRAY, Ky. 鈥� 天美传媒 will welcome W. Earl Brown for the 2023 Presidential Lecture, to take place on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. inside the historic and newly-renovated Lovett Auditorium. The event is a rescheduling of the 2022 Presidential Lecture, which was postponed due to inclement weather. 

Supported by the 天美传媒 Office of the President, 天美传媒 Foundation, Inc., and the Student Government Association, the event is free and open to the public. Titled 鈥淎 Racer Success Story,鈥� the lecture will feature Brown, who will speak of his professional career and experience at 天美传媒. A Q&A session will follow the lecture. 

鈥淓very success in my life can be traced to seeds planted in Western Kentucky, mostly at 天美传媒,鈥� said Brown. 鈥淚t is an honor to be invited back to speak at my alma mater; it is a blessing to return home.鈥�

"I've had the good fortune to know Earl for many years. As a 天美传媒 Distinguished Alumni award recipient, Earl is one of the most talented individuals I have known and has a great appreciation and passion for 天美传媒,鈥� said Murray State President Dr. Bob Jackson. 鈥淎ttendees will enjoy hearing Earl鈥檚 story of success, hard work and perseverance while also seeing our beautiful, newly-renovated Lovett Auditorium.鈥� 

Brown was born in nearby Golden Pond, Kentucky. The seeds of his career as an actor and writer were sewn there as he spent his childhood years entertaining any and all who gathered on his grandparent鈥檚 front porch. 

During his undergraduate career at 天美传媒, Brown, a first-generation college student, was heavily involved within both the theatre and journalism and mass communication departments. He won several awards as part of the Speech and Debate team, served as a weather anchor for 天美传媒 11 News, was the co-creator of the 天美传媒 11 comedy show 鈥淢ore Strange Urges鈥� and was actively involved as an actor or director in numerous Murray State theatre productions. He graduated from 天美传媒 in 1986 with degrees in theatre and electronic media.

After graduating from 天美传媒, Brown received his Master of Fine Arts degree from DePaul University鈥檚 Theatre School in 1989. After graduation, he performed in numerous plays around Chicago, but it was his performance in 鈥淎 View From The Bridge鈥� at the Steppenwolf Theatre that catapulted his career into television and film. His Chicago resume included 鈥淏ackdraft,鈥� 鈥淭he Babe,鈥� 鈥淓xcessive Force鈥� and 鈥淩ookie Of The Year,鈥� along with several television roles.

Having hit the proverbial glass ceiling by 1993, Brown moved to Los Angeles. Auditioning for Wes Craven cast Brown in 鈥淣ew Nightmare,鈥� which led to 鈥淰ampire In Brooklyn,鈥� which led to 鈥淪cream.鈥� Two years later, Brown played the breakout role of 鈥淲arren,鈥� Cameron Diaz's mentally challenged brother in 鈥淭here鈥檚 Something About Mary.鈥� Among his credits are the Oscar-nominated films 鈥淭he Master,鈥� 鈥淭he Sessions鈥� and 鈥淏eing John Malkovich.鈥� Recent films include 鈥淭he Highwaymen,鈥� 鈥淲ild,鈥� 鈥淒raft Day鈥� and 鈥淏lack Mass.鈥�  

Brown currently plays a recurring role in the breakout hit from Disney+/Lucasfilm in 鈥淭he Mandalorian鈥� universe, HBO Max鈥檚 hit, 鈥淗acks,鈥� is also currently co-starring in Apple+鈥檚 鈥淔ive Days at Memorial鈥� and Peacock鈥檚 鈥淧aul T. Goldman.鈥� Other recent TV/streaming contract roles include AMC鈥檚 鈥淧reacher,鈥� HBO鈥檚 second season of 鈥淭rue Detective,鈥� Hulu鈥檚 鈥淩eprisal鈥� and ABC鈥檚 anthology series, 鈥淎merican Crime.鈥� His many past guest star roles on television include shows such as 鈥淒ocumentary Now!,鈥� 鈥淟uck,鈥� 鈥淎merican Horror Story,鈥� 鈥淛ustified,鈥� 鈥淪ix Feet Under,鈥� 鈥淣YPD Blue,鈥� 鈥淴-Files,鈥� 鈥淐SI鈥� and 鈥淪einfeld鈥� as well as lead roles in eight pilots. Among the several TV movies he has been involved with included the starring role in VH1鈥檚 鈥淢eatloaf: To Hell And Back.鈥� 

Brown also played 鈥淒an Dority鈥� in HBO鈥檚 鈥淒eadwood.鈥� During the show鈥檚 second season, the show鈥檚 creator, David Milch, invited him to join the show鈥檚 writing staff. In 2007, Brown earned a Writers Guild of America Award nomination for writing on a drama series and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for best drama ensemble acting. Establishing himself on a show as critically lauded as 鈥淒eadwood鈥� opened doors for other writing projects. In 2011, Sony released 鈥淏loodworth,鈥� a film produced and written by Brown.

Recently completed and current projects include Viggo Mortensen鈥檚 western, 鈥淭he Dead Don鈥檛 Hurt,鈥� a comedy series titled 鈥淗ello Tomorrow鈥� and the character of 鈥淕eorge Wallace鈥� in the Shirley Chisholm biopic with Regina King. 

In addition to his television and film work, Brown co-starred in Sony鈥檚 鈥淭he Last Of Us,鈥� 2014 Video Game Of The Year. He also writes music and records with Sacred Cowboys, an LA-based Americana band.

Brown鈥檚 career runs the gamut from television to film, to music, to theatre 鈥� from comedy to drama to musical. He considers himself very lucky to have had the many opportunities to play so many varied and diverse characters, with such an array of talented individuals.

Brown received the 天美传媒 Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017, a prestigious honor that is presented annually to alumni who have made meaningful contributions to their profession on a local, state and national level. The award is the highest honor granted by the 天美传媒 Alumni Association. 

Also in 2017, Brown returned to his roots in 天美传媒鈥檚 theatre department to perform the role of Big Daddy in 鈥淐at on a Hot Tin Roof鈥� alongside theatre students while mentoring them. Brown has remained very engaged with the department, often returning to the University to lead theatre workshops and host Q&A sessions for current students.