Frankie Faison stars as Ron on the new NBC drama "The Village."

Faison was born in Newport News, Virginia, and studied drama at Illinois Wesleyan University before attending NYU's Graduate Acting program.

He started his acting career in 1974 in the New York Shakespeare Festival production of "King Lear," with James Earl Jones in the title role. Faison would later appear opposite Jones in the Broadway premiere of "Fences," for which he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play.

In 1988, he appeared alongside Eddie Murphy in "Coming to America" and earned a role in the 1989 Spike Lee film "Do the Right Thing." Faison is notable for being the actor to appear most frequently in adaptations of Thomas Harris' "Hannibal" books. Along with "Manhunter," he also appeared as Lecter's jailer, Barney, in "The Silence of the Lambs," the sequel, "Hannibal," and the prequel, "Red Dragon."

Other film roles include Tyler Perry's "Meet the Browns," "The Thomas Crown Affair," "Gods and Generals," "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" and John Krasinski's adaptation of "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men."

On the television side, Faison is well known to many as Baltimore City Police Commissioner Ervin Burrell on HBO's critically applauded drama "The Wire." His many other credits include "Blue Bloods," "Lie to Me," "Law & Order: SVU," "The Good Wife," "Elementary," "Banshee" and "Luke Cage."