Dennis Haysbert is best known for his portrayal of President David Palmer on the series 24, for which he received his first Golden Globe nomination. His other feature film credits include Jarhead, Far From Heaven, Love and Basketball, Absolute Power, Love Field, Major League, Heat, Random Hearts, What's Cooking, Waiting to Exhale, The Thirteenth Floor, Navy Seals, Suture and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, as the voice of Kale.

His career began in an Emmy Award-winning episode of CBS's Lou Grant, in which Jesse Jackson guest starred. He is very active campaigner in the fight against AIDS and is the spokesperson for the National Leadership Commission on AIDS, as well as The Western Center on Law and Poverty.

Haysbert was born and raised in Northern California and currently resides in Los Angeles.