Former “Wire” Actor, Clarke Peters on His New Role in “La Fortuna”

Clarke Peters currently stars in “La Fortuna.”  In the series, Álex Ventura (Álvaro Mel), a young and inexperienced diplomat, unintentionally becomes the leader of a mission that will put all his convictions to the test: to recover the sunken treasure stolen by Frank Wild (Stanley Tucci), an adventurer who travels the world plundering items of common heritage from the depths of the sea. Forming a unique team with Lucía (Polvorosa), a combative public official, and Jonas Pierce (Clarke Peters), a brilliant American lawyer with a passion for old pirate tales, Álex sets out on the adventure of a lifetime, on which he learns about the importance of love, friendship, and commitment to your own beliefs.

Clarke Peters (born Peter Clarke) is a multi-faceted actor with a career spanning over 40 years. He has enjoyed a career in theatre, film, and television with memorable roles in “Da 5 Bloods”, “The Irregulars”, “Jessica Jones”, “John Wick”, “The Wire” and more.

Clarke Peters La Fortuna Chicago Defender

Born in New York, Peters moved to Englewood, New Jersey with his family at an early age, where quickly developed a passion for music and the stage. After moving to Paris at the age of 19, he decided to train as an apprentice on the production of Hair, learning about the theatre from the inside out. Two years later he made the move to London where he immediately joined the musical recording group The Majestics and within weeks, the group found themselves playing at no less a venue than The Royal Albert Hall alongside Shirley Bassey. In 1976 Peters began to really hit the big time, lending his distinctive vocal talents to such now-legendary tracks as Joan Armatrading’s Love and Affection and the disco classic, Boogie Nights. Around this time Peters made the decision that he wanted to focus his sights on the stage, where he would go to become the first Black actor in the UK to take on major stage roles written for white performers. He has twice played Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, notably in the National’s celebrated revival, and played Billy Flynn in Chicago on London’s West End, New York’s Broadway, and Las Vegas.

Peters began his acting career in the theatre world where he spent 25 years working on the West End, where his theater credits include Othello, Race, King Lear, Guys and Dolls, Bubbling Brown Sugar, Trevor’s Nunn’s 2006 production of Porgy and Bess, Chicago, and Driving Miss Daisy. On Broadway, he starred in such plays as The Iceman Cometh and Chicago as well as in New York’s Shakespeare in the Park’s production of King Lear. Aside from his acting credits, Peters is also an accomplished director and musical book writer, most notably for Five Guys Named Moe, which received a Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical. Peters also co-wrote the book for Unforgettable, a Nat King Cole revue that ran at the Edinburgh Festival, the Garrick Theatre and toured Japan, and was nominated for an Olivier Award. As a director, he made his debut directing James Baldwin’s Blues for Mr. Charlie at the Sheffield Crucible and King the Musical in London’s West End.

The Chicago Defender had a chance to speak with Clarke Peters about his role in “La Fortuna,” and why preserving one’s cultural heritage and identity is so important.

Peters is a vegetarian and leads a clean holistic lifestyle as a member of the British Holistic Medical Institution. He credits his spiritual faith with keeping his feet firmly on the ground and is an active practitioner of meditation taught by the Brahma Kumaris from Mount Abu in Rajasthan, India. Peters is also a talented painter practicing with multiple mediums and has had an exhibit of his work in New Orleans. Currently, Peters resides in Portugal and enjoys tending his beautiful garden.

Clarke Peters La Fortuna Chicago Defender

La Fortuna airs weekly on AMC+.

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