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Derek Webster

Derek Webster is an American actor based in Bakersfield, California, recognized for his extensive work across television, film, and theater. He graduated from the California Institute of the Arts in 1993 and debuted on screen in the 1981 martial arts film Enter the Ninja. Webster gained prominence for portraying Raleigh Jordan in the superhero series Night Man (1997–1999), alongside recurring roles in shows such as NCIS: New Orleans as Raymond Isler and Mayor of Kingstown as Stevie. His film credits include appearances in Independence Day (1996), Godzilla (1998), and Stargate (1994), while in theater he has performed lead roles such as Othello and Prospero in The Tempest. Webster maintains an active career in episodic television, with recent guest spots in 9-1-1: Lone Star and Criminal Minds.

Early life and education

Childhood in Bakersfield

Derek Webster was born on December 19, 1968, in . He was raised in the city, a hub for agriculture, oil production, and in California's Central Valley. Public records provide few specifics on Webster's family background, parental occupations, or household socioeconomic conditions during his early years. Anecdotal accounts of childhood activities or local influences shaping personal interests, such as potential exposure to regional traditions, are absent from available biographical sources, which prioritize his post-adolescent development. This scarcity reflects a broader pattern in profiles where pre-professional details often remain private unless self-disclosed in interviews.

Formal training at California Institute of the Arts

Webster earned a degree in theatre from the (CalArts) in 1993. The institution's School of Theater, during his enrollment, prioritized an experimental and interdisciplinary curriculum that integrated innovative performance practices with foundational actor training, aiming to prepare students for contemporary theatrical challenges. The program's structure included intensive studios focused on classical techniques alongside experimental methodologies, such as voice work, physical movement, and scene analysis adaptable to diverse repertoires, including Shakespearean texts. This formal regimen, contrasting with informal or self-directed paths, honed Webster's technical proficiency in fundamentals, as evidenced by his subsequent emphasis on stage work like . CalArts' approach, rooted in both rigorous classical grounding and exploration, differentiated its graduates by emphasizing versatile, adaptable skills over rote specialization.

Acting career

Early theatre and screen debut

Webster's screen debut occurred in 1981 with an uncredited role as one of Charles Venarius's henchmen in the martial arts action film Enter the Ninja, directed by Menahem Golan, when Webster was approximately 13 years old. This minor early credit preceded his formal acting education at the California Institute of the Arts, from which he graduated in 1993, and represented an initial, limited foray into professional film work amid otherwise sparse on-camera activity during his youth. Post-graduation, Webster prioritized theatre as the foundation of his professional acting career, delivering standout performances in classical roles that underscored his stage strengths. He portrayed the title character in Shakespeare's and in , roles he has identified as personal peaks in his theatrical output. These Shakespearean engagements, alongside other stage appearances such as in Alone at the Beach, The Boys Next Door, and Etta Jenks, highlighted his command of dramatic depth and physicality on live stages during the early phases of his post-education career. The transition to screen acting in the early proved gradual, with Webster securing only intermittent credits that reflected the competitive barriers for stage-trained performers entering and television. Notable among these were a supporting role as a in the drama Strapless and an appearance in the 1992 , amid a broader industry landscape where actors often faced hurdles and limited auditions for diverse parts. This period of scarcity in screen opportunities contrasted with his more robust involvement, emphasizing stage work as his primary outlet before wider media exposure.

Breakthrough in superhero television

Derek Webster's breakthrough came with his role as Raleigh Jordan in the syndicated superhero series Night Man, which ran for two seasons totaling 44 episodes from September 1997 to May 1999. In the series, created by , jazz musician Johnny Domino gains superhuman abilities—including enhanced hearing to detect evil thoughts and gunfire—after being struck by , leading him to don armor and combat as Night Man. Webster depicted Raleigh Jordan as Domino's confidant and tech-savvy ally, responsible for designing and maintaining the hero's specialized suit and gadgets, appearing prominently in Season 1 before the character was recast. The character's arc emphasized Jordan's role in supporting Night Man's vigilante efforts, often providing inventive solutions to threats like supervillains and foes, while navigating personal risks tied to their partnership. Night Man received mixed audience reception, earning an average user rating of 5.6 out of 10 based on nearly 1,000 votes, with viewers noting its low-budget effects and campy tone as characteristic of late-1990s syndicated action fare, though some praised the action sequences and ensemble dynamics. The series garnered technical accolades, including for best picture editing, sound, and musical score in a dramatic series, highlighting production strengths despite narrative criticisms. Webster's performance as the resourceful contributed to the show's procedural appeal, marking his first sustained leading-support role in genre and correlating with subsequent casting calls in high-profile series, as evidenced by his post-Night Man trajectory into recurring network TV parts. This exposure in a comic-book adaptation, loosely based on Steve Lightle's character, elevated Webster's profile among producers seeking versatile supporting actors for action-oriented narratives.

Recurring roles in procedural dramas

Webster portrayed FBI Raymond Isler in NCIS: New Orleans from 2016 to 2019, appearing in 17 episodes across seasons 3 through 6. As a senior FBI agent and ally to the team led by Dwayne Pride, Isler's character evolved from providing inter-agency support in initial cases like "Aftershocks" to facing high-stakes personal threats, including a kidnapping in war-torn during the season 5 two-parter "The River Styx," which underscored his commitment to joint operations against international threats. His recurring presence facilitated cross-jurisdictional investigations, such as an off-the-books opioids theft probe in season 4, contributing to the series' procedural focus on New Orleans-based crime-solving. In CSI: Vegas, Webster recurred as Dr. Milton Hudson, the substitute and , across 10 episodes primarily in season 2 (2022–2023). Hudson's role involved forensic analysis in cases ranging from bomb detonations at investor events to blood-covered lab intrusions, providing critical insights that advanced the team's evidence-based deductions without the dramatic flair of prior CSIs. His steady, professional demeanor supported the show's emphasis on scientific procedural elements, appearing in key installments like "Third Time's the Charm" and "Fractured" to maintain continuity in the Las Vegas crime lab's operations. Webster has played Stevie, a Kingstown Police Department detective, in 26 episodes of Mayor of Kingstown since the series premiered in 2021, spanning through season 4 in 2025. As a colleague to officers like and Kyle and a friend to the central McLusky brothers, Stevie's character navigates departmental corruption and power struggles in the prison-dominated town, including season 4 collaborations with Mike McLusky to interrogate members amid escalating gang conflicts. His involvement highlights the procedural tensions of in a cycle of incarceration and retaliation, with sustained underscoring alliances tested by institutional turmoil. Additional recurring procedural credits include Charles Vega, the husband of paramedic captain Tommy Vega, in a season-long arc on 9-1-1: Lone Star during season 2 (2020–2021), where he factored into family dynamics amid emergency response cases. In In the Dark, Webster held a series regular role as a supporting figure in the crime-solving narrative centered on protagonist Murphy Mason, contributing to multi-episode investigations into murders and abductions from 2019 onward. These roles emphasize Webster's pattern of portraying or forensic adjuncts with narrative weight in ensemble-driven formats.

Guest appearances in science fiction

Derek Webster portrayed Sanders, a security officer serving on the mercenary ship Chatelaine, in the episode ", Part I," which originally aired on October 11, 1993, as part of the show's seventh season. In this episode, directed by Peter Lauritson and written by teleplay from and , the Enterprise crew investigates Captain Picard's apparent death, uncovering a black-market operation in archaeological artifacts; Sanders appears in scenes depicting the ship's internal dynamics amid rising tensions leading to a crew mutiny. The role, though brief, contributed to the episode's portrayal of interstellar piracy and , themes central to the two-part that earned a 7.6/10 user rating on from over 2,000 votes, reflecting strong fan appreciation for the narrative's blend of action and character-driven intrigue. Webster's early career featured a concentration in science fiction, including his appearance as Brown in the 1994 film , where he played a member of Colonel Jack O''Neill's initial team exploring the ancient Egyptian-themed gate on Abydos, only to be killed by a Horus guard in an early action sequence establishing the story's alien threats and military protocol. This role aligned with thematic elements of portal-based exploration and extraterrestrial hostility, marking one of his initial forays into speculative genres during the mid-1990s. In the 2015 ABC series The Whispers, Webster guest-starred as Jessup Rollins, a figure entangled in the plot involving an invisible alien entity named that manipulates children to execute dangerous tasks, appearing in episodes that heightened the show's and government conspiracy undertones. The series, produced by , emphasized causal chains of unseen influence on human behavior, with Rollins' involvement underscoring adult complicity in the escalating threats. Webster also appeared as a Romulan Guard in two episodes of Star Trek: Picard in 2020, contributing to the series' depiction of intrigue and synthetic life debates amid interstellar politics. These guest roles, spanning diverse speculative subgenres from military sci-fi to alien , highlight opportunities for episodic impact without long-term commitment, while his subsequent shift to procedural and dramatic work—evident in over 90 credits across genres—demonstrated role diversity that avoided entrenched in science fiction.

Film contributions

Webster's early film appearances included minor military roles in science fiction blockbusters directed by . In (1994), he portrayed Brown, a member of Colonel Jack O'Neill's initial reconnaissance team who is killed by a Horus guard shortly after entering the , contributing to the film's ensemble depiction of a high-stakes expedition; the movie grossed $196.6 million worldwide against a $55 million budget, establishing 's reputation for large-scale effects-driven narratives. He reprised a similar archetype in Independence Day (1996), playing the Sky Crane Pilot whose is destroyed during humanity's first attempt at alien contact, resulting in his character's immediate death amid the film's global invasion premise; this role underscored Webster's in expendable support positions within expansive casts, as the production earned $817.4 million globally on a $75 million budget, becoming one of the of its era. Webster collaborated with Emmerich again in (1998), appearing as the Captain aboard a decimated in the creature's initial underwater assault, a sequence highlighting naval vulnerability; despite a $130 million budget, the film underperformed critically but still amassed $379 million worldwide, with Webster's limited to seconds in a effects-heavy ensemble. Beyond these, Webster featured in smaller productions like (1993), directed by , where he had an uncredited role amid the film's interwoven vignettes of life, reflecting his secondary status in auteur-driven indies with minimal individual impact relative to runtime. His cinematic contributions generally involved brief, functional parts in action-oriented ensembles, prioritizing spectacle over character depth, with aggregate across major projects totaling under five minutes per film yet amplifying through association with commercially dominant franchises.

Continued theatre involvement

Despite achieving prominence in television series such as Night Man (1997–1999) and later recurring roles in procedurals like NCIS: New Orleans, Webster has sustained involvement in stage productions, prioritizing theatre for its demands on live improvisation and character depth. He has described his strongest performances as occurring on stage, notably in the title role of Othello and as Prospero in The Tempest, roles that highlight his command of classical verse and physicality honed during CalArts training. In 2010, Webster starred as Richard Patterson, an upwardly mobile Black adjunct classics professor grappling with racial identity and assimilation, in the West Coast premiere of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' satirical Neighbors at Los Angeles' Matrix Theatre Company, running from August 28 to October 24. The production incorporated animated cartoons to underscore themes of post-racial suburbia and familial infiltration by minstrel-like figures, earning praise for Webster's portrayal of a man whose assimilationist facade unravels under pressure. Webster returned to the stage in 2024, portraying William Seward, a narrating a fictional documentary on territorial division, in the world premiere of Steven Morris' TH IR DS at the Zephyr Theatre in , with performances from September 6 through 29. This hybrid work blended projected historical footage with live scenes exploring water rights conflicts and national fragmentation, allowing Webster to leverage his background in a format that echoed experimental elements from his CalArts era. Such engagements demonstrate Webster's deliberate return to regional amid screen commitments, underscoring work's role in sustaining artistic range through dynamics and rehearsal intensity.

Personal life

Family and relationships

Derek Webster married actress on August 31, 2002. The couple relocated from to , around 2010, where they raised their four children. As of 2016, their children were reported as Lasarina (age 11), Maev (age 8), Colm (age 6), and Lochlan (age 3), all sharing the family's . Webster has maintained privacy regarding his family, with no public records of prior relationships, separations, or involvement in controversies intersecting his personal life and career. Details on extended family or specific influences from his Bakersfield upbringing remain undocumented in available sources.

Residence and professional base

Derek Webster maintains his primary professional base in , , where the concentration of , television, and theatre opportunities aligns with the logistical demands of his career in recurring television roles and guest appearances. This location supports proximity to major studios and casting hubs, as evidenced by the filming sites of his credited projects, including episodes of NCIS: New Orleans and CSI: Vegas, both produced in the region. For projects requiring on-location work, such as his recurring portrayal of Charles Vega in 9-1-1: Lone Star—which returned in early 2025 with episodes filmed in —Webster has engaged in periodic travel rather than permanent relocation, preserving his foundation for sustained industry access. His commitments, noted for roles like , further benefit from ' active regional scene, including venues tied to his training background, without necessitating a shift to .

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