Photo: Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Yaphet Kotto is one of those actors who made every room feel smaller just by walking into it, and I mean that as the highest compliment. A 6-foot-3 New Yorker with a stare that could stop traffic, he carved out some of cinema's most unforgettable moments — the menacing Mr. Big in Live and Let Die, the slow-burning tension he brought to Alien as Parker, the wiry comedic energy opposite Robert De Niro in Midnight Run. What I love about his career is the sheer range: villain, everyman, comic foil, and stage-trained serious actor all rolled into one imposing frame. He never got quite the mainstream recognition he deserved, but anyone who's actually watched his work knows exactly how good he was. Gone in March 2021, but his performances are the kind that stick around forever.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Yaphet Kotto
- Name (Japanese)
- ヤフェット・コットー
- Reading
- やふぇっと・こっとー
- Born
- November 15, 1939 – March 15, 2021
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Rabbit
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Height
- 190 cm
- Occupation
- television actor / film actor / stage actor / actor / director
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Live and Let Die | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Yaphet Kotto born?
November 15, 1939 – March 15, 2021.
Where is Yaphet Kotto from?
Yaphet Kotto is from New York City, New York, United States.
What does Yaphet Kotto do?
Yaphet Kotto works as television actor, film actor, stage actor, actor, director.
How tall is Yaphet Kotto?
Yaphet Kotto is 190 cm.
What is Yaphet Kotto known for?
Notable works include Live and Let Die.
Television actor — see all → · Film actor — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.