Russell Hornsby

Intro

Russell Hornsby is an actor whose work spans theatre, television and film. His roles include Hank Griffin in Grimm, Eddie Sutton in Lincoln Heights, Luke in In Treatment and Lyons in Fences. Alongside those ensemble performances, he took the title role in Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector, continuing a screen career that includes both police stories and family dramas.

Career snapshot

Raised in Oakland, Hornsby began performing in school and studied theatre at Boston University. The university’s account of his career emphasizes the importance of Shakespearean training and teacher Judy Braha’s encouragement. Hornsby has spoken about applying that training across different forms of acting, using attention to language and stillness as practical tools rather than treating stage and screen as unrelated disciplines.

The entry point

In Grimm, Hank Griffin is the detective partner of Nick Burkhardt, played by David Giuntoli. Hornsby explained in a 2014 interview that Hank develops from someone unaware of the supernatural world into someone who understands it. That change gives the familiar police partnership another dimension as ordinary investigations meet the series’ fairy-tale creatures and hidden rules.

Screen identity and style

Hornsby described Hank as sarcastic, dark and somewhat distant, while distinguishing those qualities from his own personality. The same interview discussed the show’s audience and the intensity of fan conventions. His experience of recognition through Grimm differed from theatre, where the applause at the end of a performance did not necessarily follow an actor out into the street.

Collaborations and patterns

Fences connected Hornsby’s stage and film work directly. He played Lyons in the 2010 Broadway revival with Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, then returned to the character in the film with both actors. Other screen collaborations include Seven Seconds with Regina King and Creed II with Michael B. Jordan. His credits also include The Hate U Give and an appearance arc in The Affair.

Era reflection

Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector places Hornsby in the central role of a detective pursuing a serial killer. Boston University’s career reflection connects the performance, in which the character is quadriplegic, to his training in stillness and words. The university also documents his later involvement in BMF and his return to campus for a conversation with fellow actor Michelle Hurd.

Legacy and rediscovery

The gallery contains two Kevin Paul photographs made at San Diego Comic-Con on July 24, 2026, during the Grimm anniversary event. One captures Hornsby speaking at the panel; the other is a closer portrait with a different expression. They are distinct photographs of the actor at the same event, rather than character stills or duplicate crops, and retain their Creative Commons attribution below.

Selected roles

• Grimm: Hank Griffin — Television series
• Lincoln Heights: Eddie Sutton — Television series
• In Treatment: Luke — Television series
• Fences: Lyons — Stage and film
• Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector: Lincoln Rhyme — Television series

A career in pictures

Two distinct Kevin Paul photographs from the 2026 Grimm anniversary event at San Diego Comic-Con.

Comic-Con portrait (2026)

Russell Hornsby at the Grimm anniversary event

Kevin Paul photograph, July 24, 2026.

Grimm anniversary panel (2026)

Russell Hornsby speaking at the panel

A distinct Kevin Paul photograph from the same event.

Rewatch notes

• Hornsby played Lyons in both the Broadway revival and film of Fences.
• Hank Griffin is Nick Burkhardt’s detective partner in Grimm.
• Hornsby studied theatre at Boston University.