Call This Caribbean Born Actor ‘Your Excellency’

By NAN ET Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Jan. 17, 2020: Caribbean born Hollywood actor, Joseph Marcell, has been called many things, but now you can add “Your Excellency” to the list.

Marcell, who was born in St. Lucia and is best known for his role as Geoffrey Butler, the butler on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from September 1990, along with Will Smith, was recently given the title of Goodwill Ambassador of his homeland, which comes with the title.

Marcell moved to the United Kingdom with his family at age nine and grew up in Peckham, South London. He went on to study theatre and science at the University of Sheffield, then took courses in speech and dance at the Central School of Speech and Drama. His first acting role was in Antony and Cleopatra as ‘Eros.’ He went on to appear on the British Caribbean comedy, Desmond’s, in the 1990’s before signing on as the butler on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for 146 seasons from 1990-1996.

He is currently part of the cast of ‘HERO,’ a film by Caribbean Canadian filmmaker, Frances-Ann Solomon that is inspired by The Extraordinary Life and Times of Ulric Cross and will open the Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) on Tuesday February 11th, 2020 at the Directors Guild of America Theater, 7920 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles.  Marcell plays Trinidadian author CLR James in HERO.

The actor will also be conferred with the Saint Lucia Medal of Merit Gold and be issued with an official or diplomatic passport as awarded by Cabinet and a decorated red “laissez-passer” signed by the Governor General.