Damon Carter
Encyclopedia
Damon Carter is a fictional character
from the Showtime television series Soul Food. He is the only major Soul Food character that was created specifically for the television series, and not the 1997 motion picture
. He is portrayed by Boris Kodjoe
.
descent) and Walter Carter (James Avery
), a retired African American
judge of national stature. Fluent in German
, French
, and Portuguese
, the college-educated Damon grew estranged from his father after choosing not to follow in Walter's footsteps by attending Harvard Law School
. Eventually, the twentysomething Damon became a courier in downtown Chicago
.
While making a delivery, he met 31-year-old attorney Teri Joseph
(Vanessa L. Williams
, Nicole Ari Parker
), shortly after her divorce from her second husband Miles Jenkins (Michael Beach
, Isaiah Washington
). Immediately taken with the slightly older woman, he convinced her to go out with him. Despite Teri's misgivings about dating a younger man with a blue-collar job, the couple spent the night together on their first date. The two fell in love in a relatively short time period, and Damon became close to the entire Joseph family. He was wrought with guilt after he inadvertently caused a traffic accident which almost killed Teri's sister "Bird" Van Adams (Nia Long
, Malinda Williams) and brother-in-law Kenny Chadway
(Jeffrey D. Sams
, Rockmond Dunbar
).
Following the accident, Damon and Teri began to drift apart, even as his new white-collar career as a sports agent
was just beginning. Soon he slept with a former girlfriend, tennis pro Christine Hughes (Anais Granofsky
). Although Teri broke up with him, he never stopped loving her. When he informed a pregnant Christine that he had no plans to remain with her (and suggested she abort their unborn child), she committed suicide. Spiraling into a tailspin of depression and alcoholism, he turned to Teri who eventually reconciled with him.
Damon later proposed to Teri, and after the two were engaged they took in a foster child named Mandel (Tyson Fennell). However Damon accidentally injured the formerly abused boy, and he was returned to Child Protective Services
. The resulting argument with Teri brought an end to their engagement, and prompted Damon to leave Chicago.
About a year later, Teri discovered that Damon had moved to San Francisco, joined Alcoholics Anonymous
and remained sober, and had used his father's influence to acquire custody of Mandel. He proposed again, and although she initially turned him down, she soon changed her mind and the two were finally married. Damon and Teri subsequently moved to Los Angeles
with Mandel, whom they adopted.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the Showtime television series Soul Food. He is the only major Soul Food character that was created specifically for the television series, and not the 1997 motion picture
Soul Food (film)
Soul Food is a 1997 American comedy-drama film, produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Tracey Edmonds, and Robert Teitel, and released by Fox 2000 Pictures. Featuring an ensemble cast, the film stars Vanessa L. Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long, Michael Beach, Mekhi Phifer, Jeffrey D. Sams, Irma...
. He is portrayed by Boris Kodjoe
Boris Kodjoe
Boris Frederic Cecil Tay-Natey Ofuatey-Kodjoe , better known as Boris Kodjoe, is an Austrian-born German actor and former fashion model who works primarily in the United States...
.
Character Background
Damon is the biracial son of Gerta Carter (who is of GermanGermans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
descent) and Walter Carter (James Avery
James L. Avery, Sr.
James L. Avery, Sr. is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of the patriarch and attorney Philip Banks in the TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, whom Will Smith's character affectionately called "Uncle Phil." This character was ranked #34 in TV Guides "50 Greatest TV Dads of All...
), a retired African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
judge of national stature. Fluent in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, and Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, the college-educated Damon grew estranged from his father after choosing not to follow in Walter's footsteps by attending Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
. Eventually, the twentysomething Damon became a courier in downtown Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
While making a delivery, he met 31-year-old attorney Teri Joseph
Teri Joseph
Teri Joseph Carter is a fictional character from the Showtime television series Soul Food. The character first appeared in the 1997 film Soul Food, and was portrayed by Vanessa L. Williams...
(Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...
, Nicole Ari Parker
Nicole Ari Parker
Nicole Ari Parker Kodjoe , also known as Nikki Kodjoe, is an American actress and a former model. She is perhaps best known for her role as attorney Teri Joseph on the Showtime television drama series Soul Food and her role as Becky Barnett in Boogie Nights.-Early life:Parker was born in...
), shortly after her divorce from her second husband Miles Jenkins (Michael Beach
Michael Beach
-Biography:Beach was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, of Cape Verdean descent. He attended the prestigious Noble & Greenough School in Dedham, Massachusetts on scholarship from ABC . He was introduced to acting when he was sidelined by a lacrosse injury during high school by a classmate...
, Isaiah Washington
Isaiah Washington
Isaiah Washington IV is an American actor. A veteran of several Spike Lee films, Washington is best known for his role as Dr. Preston Burke on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy from 2005 to 2007.-Personal life:...
). Immediately taken with the slightly older woman, he convinced her to go out with him. Despite Teri's misgivings about dating a younger man with a blue-collar job, the couple spent the night together on their first date. The two fell in love in a relatively short time period, and Damon became close to the entire Joseph family. He was wrought with guilt after he inadvertently caused a traffic accident which almost killed Teri's sister "Bird" Van Adams (Nia Long
Nia Long
Nia Talita Long is an American actress and occasional music video director. She is best known for her roles in the television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Third Watch, and the films Boiler Room, Soul Food, Love Jones, The Best Man, Big Momma's House, Big Momma's House 2, Are We There...
, Malinda Williams) and brother-in-law Kenny Chadway
Kenny Chadway
Kenneth "Kenny" Chadway is a fictional character from the Showtime television series Soul Food. The character first appeared in the 1997 film Soul Food as Kenny Simmons, and was portrayed by Jeffrey D. Sams...
(Jeffrey D. Sams
Jeffrey D. Sams
Jeffrey D. Sams is an American actor known primarily for his television work.A native of Ohio, Sams has been a main cast member of several television series, few of which have made it past their first season...
, Rockmond Dunbar
Rockmond Dunbar
Rockmond Dunbar is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Kenny Chadway on the Showtime television drama series Soul Food, and as Benjamin Miles "C-Note" Franklin on the FOX television drama series Prison Break...
).
Following the accident, Damon and Teri began to drift apart, even as his new white-collar career as a sports agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
was just beginning. Soon he slept with a former girlfriend, tennis pro Christine Hughes (Anais Granofsky
Anais Granofsky
Anais Granofsky is a Canadian actress, screenwriter, producer and director. She is best known for portraying Lucy Fernandez in the Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High series.-Early life and career:...
). Although Teri broke up with him, he never stopped loving her. When he informed a pregnant Christine that he had no plans to remain with her (and suggested she abort their unborn child), she committed suicide. Spiraling into a tailspin of depression and alcoholism, he turned to Teri who eventually reconciled with him.
Damon later proposed to Teri, and after the two were engaged they took in a foster child named Mandel (Tyson Fennell). However Damon accidentally injured the formerly abused boy, and he was returned to Child Protective Services
Child Protective Services
Child Protective Services is the name of a governmental agency in many states of the United States that responds to reports of child abuse or neglect. Some states use other names, often attempting to reflect more family-centered practices, such as "Department of Children & Family Services"...
. The resulting argument with Teri brought an end to their engagement, and prompted Damon to leave Chicago.
About a year later, Teri discovered that Damon had moved to San Francisco, joined Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
and remained sober, and had used his father's influence to acquire custody of Mandel. He proposed again, and although she initially turned him down, she soon changed her mind and the two were finally married. Damon and Teri subsequently moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with Mandel, whom they adopted.