, ,

Father’s Day 2025: Fave Black Dads in TV and Film

From films like "The Pursuit of Happyness" and "Daddy's Little Girls" to shows like "Family Matters" and "Black-ish," we're celebrating our favorite dads in media.

While many harmful tropes have certainly been perpetuated in Hollywood, we’ve also had plenty of powerful, moving, and uplifting portrayals of all the Black dads out there.

From our favorite sitcoms like “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Black-ish” to films like “King Richard” and “Daddy’s Little Girls,” we’ve had some pretty amazing Black dads to watch on our screens. Whether we grew up watching them every week with our families, or saw the actors go on to win Academy Awards for the roles, these are Black dads that stay with us forever.

Celebrate Father’s Day with us as we look back at some of our favorites.

Uncle Phil

How could we start with anyone else? For an entire generation, Uncle Phil is simply our TV dad. He was always there to provide a powerful lesson for his children, even if their antics drove him crazy from time to time.

The Pursuit of Happyness – Chris Gardner

One of Will Smith’s most memorable roles was Chris Gardner, who did everything in his power, even struggling with homelessness, to fight and provide for his son, played by his real-life son Jaden Smith.

My Wife & Kids – Michael Kyle

Michael Kyle gave us some of the biggest laughs ever from a sitcom dad. Even though he was pretty hard on his kids from time to time, it was always because of the love he had for them.

Moonlight – Juan

One of the most powerful depicitons of Black fatherhood in recent cinema came from a character who was not a biological father at all. In “Moonlight,” Mahershala Ali’s Juan stands as the father figure in Chiron’s life, guiding him through the most pivotal moments of his childhood. Ali won the Oscar for his portrayal, and for good reason.

Daddy’s Little Girls – Monty

One of Idris Elba’s most memorable roles, Monty in Tyler Perry’s “Daddy’s Little Girls” fights hard for the custody of his three daughters.

Family Matters – Carl Winslow

Another dad who was on the stricter side, Carl Winslow on Family Matters certainly laid down the law in his home, but always made sure to teach his children, and even Steve when the Winslows took him in, important lessons.

Sister Sister – Ray Campbell

Ray Campbell stands as one of the most compassionate, caring fathers we’ve seen on TV, opening up his home to his daughter’s long lost twin sister and her mother, Lisa. While on the more neurotic side, he had a big heart, and cared not only for the girls but for Lisa as well.

King Richard – Will Smith

Yes, Will Smith has played plenty of dads, but playing Richard Williams, Venus and Serena’s tough and stern father, earned him his Oscar. While his parenting style is certainly questionable, he pushed his daughters to greatness, and you despite his shortcomings, you never doubt his love of his family.

Black-ish – Andre Johnson

It’s hard to believe “Black-ish” is off the air, but just a little over a decade ago we all met Andre Johnson, who loved his kids hard. Was he a little paranoid? Sure. But he often showed his emotional side, and showed up for his family at every turn.

Daddy Day Care – Charlie Hinton

After losing his job, Charlie Hinton (Eddie Murphy) opens up an at-home child day care to provide for his family. While certainly one of the funnier movies, we see Charlie show up strong for his son, and also the children of his day care, which eventually turns into quite the success.

Good Times – James Evans

How could we not add James Evans of “Good Times”? He was tough, for sure, but always made sure to explain to his children exactly why his lessons were so important.

Boyz N the Hood – Furious Styles

Laurence Fishburne’s portrayal of Tre Styles’ father, Furious Styles, in “Boyz N the Hood” is perhaps one of our greatest depictions of Black fatherhood. He is strict in his ways, but also loving and understanding, stressing the importance of responsibility to Tre at an early age.

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.

Latest from The Root

If You Thought You Knew Everything About Prince, Here Are Some Things That Will Shock You

If You Thought You Knew Everything About Prince, Here Are Some Things That Will Shock You

June 7 would have been Prince's 67th birthday. Here are a few things few people know about the legendary rocker ...
Photo by Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Trigger Warning…All of the Shocking Testimony From Diddy’s Federal Trial

From federal raids to gruesome details of Cassie's alleged abuse, witnesses at Diddy's trial paint a scary picture ...

You Know Of The Tuskegee Airmen, But  You Don't Know What 'The Harlem 'Hellfighters' Did to Win The War

You Know Of The Tuskegee Airmen, But You Don’t Know What ‘The Harlem ‘Hellfighters’ Did to Win The War

There are many Black people who served in the U.S. Army with honor. Let's give them their flowers ...
Sole Survivor Explains How He's Alive After Air India Crash

Sole Survivor Explains How He’s Alive After Air India Crash

An Air India flight crash that claimed over 240 lives had one remarkable sole survivor. Viswashkumar Ramesh, 40, was one of the 242 people on board the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which crashed in the northwestern Indian city of Ahmedabad about half a minute after takeoff on Thursday. While recovering ...
Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET

The Very Short List of Black Celebs Speaking Out Against Trump’s ICE Raids

Although the list is short, folks like Doechii, Vic Mensa and Ava DuVernay are not happy with Trump's handling of anti-ICE protests ...
White George Floyd Advocate and Husband 'Target of Political Assasination' but It Gets Worse

White George Floyd Advocate and Husband ‘Target of Political Assasination’ but It Gets Worse

This is a sad day for America. But we all knew something like this coming ...
The Wild, Unbelievable Timeline of Kendrick Lamar's First Toronto Show Post-Drake Diss

The Wild, Unbelievable Timeline of Kendrick Lamar’s First Toronto Show Post-Drake Diss

Lamar touched down in Drake's hometown for his Grand National Tour and let's just say things went off-script in the most hilarious way ...
Expert: Brace Yourself For Anti-Ice Protests, But That's Not The Scary Part

Expert: Brace Yourself For Anti-Ice Protests, But That’s Not The Scary Part

Father’s Day weekend might be met with a side of anti-fascist chaos… across the country ...
Fans Get Too Close to Rumi Carter at the 'Cowboy Carter Tour' Until They See ...Jay-Z

Fans Get Too Close to Rumi Carter at the ‘Cowboy Carter Tour’ Until They See …Jay-Z

“Beyoncé’s youngest daughter was among the crowd during the latest ‘Cowboy Carter’ show in London.” ...
Embattled Shannon Sharpe Claps back At Nicki Minaj! Here's What We Know?

Embattled Shannon Sharpe Claps back At Nicki Minaj! Here’s What We Know?

Minaj took aim at Sharpe in a new song and now that he's gotten wind of it, he's a got a whole lot to say! ...
Former NBA Star Grabs His Privates and Pays a <i>Huge</i> Price For What He Does to a Fan

Former NBA Star Grabs His Privates and Pays a Huge Price For What He Does to a Fan

DeMarcus Cousins catches a steep penalty from his basketball team for very unsportsmanlike conduct caught on camera ...
Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images

Behind Florida’s Sheriff’s ‘We Will Kill You’ to Anti-Trump Protesters

With Sheriff Ivey basically giving the green light for violence against Americans using their First Amendment right, Black folks took it all in ...
What Black Men Secretly Want For Father's Day

What Black Men Secretly Want For Father’s Day

It's not socks. Nor is it cologne. What Black men want for Father's Day is simple and free ...
How Trump is Now Involved in R. Kelly's Legal Mess, Explained

How Trump is Now Involved in R. Kelly’s Legal Mess, Explained

The once beloved R&B singer is pulling out all the stops to try to get out of prison and his latest attempt just might involve the president! ...
Detroit Mother Kicked Out Of Zoom Court For Making Daughter A PB&J

Detroit Mother Kicked Out Of Zoom Court For Making Daughter A PB&J

Turns out you can't make PB&Js during a court hearing, even if it's on Zoom ...
Kenny Lattimore and Faith Jenkins Go After Youtubers For Spreading Lies About Them

Kenny Lattimore and Faith Jenkins Go After Youtubers For Spreading Lies About Them

Lattimore, a popular singer, has remained out of the headlines as of late. But this new development has now changed that! ...
Black Internet Reacts To Nelly And Ashanti's New Reality Show Trailer

Black Internet Reacts To Nelly And Ashanti’s New Reality Show Trailer

If reality TV wasn't already starting to get juicy with the comeback of Love Island USA, it's definitely going to get interesting with a new show everyone is talking about. Spin the block couple, Nelly and Ashanti, are coming out with a reality TV show, "Nelly & Ashanti: We Belong ...
Wait...Who's Trying to Kill R. Kelly??

Wait…Who’s Trying to Kill R. Kelly??

Kelly, the disgraced R&B singer, has been trying to get out from under his 31 year prison sentence. But this latest attempt might be the wildest ...
Will Ryan Gosling Play Black Panther? Answered

Will Ryan Gosling Play Black Panther? Answered

After a new Marvel comic introduces a white Black Panther, fans discuss whether Ryan Gosling should take on the role ...