New York City Council Member and Innocence Project Board Member Yusef Salaam, Innocence Ambassador Joe Morton and Innocence Project Executive Director Christina Swarns at the Martha’s Vineyard event in August.
Actor Joe Morton Joins Innocence Project as Latest Innocence Ambassador
The award-winning actor, director, and producer whose career spans decades is lending his voice, artistry, and platform to fight wrongful convictions.
09.25.25 By Alyxaundria Sanford
The award-winning actor, director, and producer whose career spans decades is lending his voice, artistry, and platform to fight wrongful convictions.
09.25.25 By Alyxaundria Sanford
Photo: Courtesy of Joe Morton
The Innocence Project is excited to announce award-winning actor Joe Morton as the organization’s latest Innocence Ambassador.
“I am deeply honored to be an Innocence Ambassador,” Mr. Morton said. “The work that the Innocence Project does to reverse wrongful convictions, restore freedom, and advocate for systemic change matters. It is a privilege to work alongside them and fight for more equitable and compassionate systems of justice for everybody, everywhere.”
Mr. Morton is a celebrated actor, director, and producer whose career spans decades across stage and screen. He earned both an Emmy Award and multiple NAACP Image Awards for his powerful portrayal of Rowan Pope in Shonda Rhimes’ acclaimed series Scandal, which starred Kerry Washington and Innocence Project Board Member and fellow Ambassador Tony Goldwyn. More recently, he broadened his television work as the executive co-producer and co-host of Inside the Black Box, a groundbreaking interview series that highlights the experiences of Black artists in the entertainment industry.
Beyond television, Mr. Morton has garnered critical acclaim for his work in film and theater, earning accolades that include a Tony nomination, a Lucille Lortel Award, and an NAACP Theatre Award. He also received an Audie Award for his narration of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ novel The Water Dancer.
Before becoming an Innocence Ambassador, Mr. Morton sparked important conversations about the criminal justice system. This past spring, he performed a one-night-only fundraiser reading of Brutal Imagination, with proceeds benefitting the Innocence Project. The play examines the case of Susan Smith, who drowned her children in South Carolina and falsely claimed that a Black man had kidnapped them during a carjacking. The reading was followed by a talkback session with Innocence Project Executive Director Christina Swarns and Innocence Project Board Member Marvin Anderson. Several months later on Martha’s Vineyard, Mr. Morton moderated a conversation with New York City Council Member and Innocence Project Board Member Yusef Salaam and Ms. Swarns on the Innocence Project’s mission and work to correct and prevent wrongful convictions.
Mr. Morton joins a prestigious group of Innocence Ambassadors who have used their platforms to share the stories of wrongly convicted people, push for reforms in the criminal legal system, and invite the public to join in the movement for truth and justice. They include Chris Martin, John Mulaney, Niecy Nash, Stephen Colbert, Susan Sarandon, Jon Batiste, Whoopi Goldberg, Yvonne Orji, Zooey Deschanel, John Grisham and more.
“We are thrilled to welcome Joe Morton as an Innocence Project Ambassador. His unwavering commitment to justice and his willingness to use his platform to amplify the voices of those most impacted by wrongful convictions exemplify what leadership in this movement looks like,” said Ms. Swarns.
In his new role as an Innocence Ambassador, Mr. Morton will continue to amplify the fight against wrongful convictions and inspire others to take action through public campaigns and other creative initiatives.
“Joe Morton has a long career engaging notions of guilt and innocence and identity and justice through theater, television, and film. He has built an impressive platform that easily aligns with the Innocence Project’s mission. Our work and our clients will benefit greatly from his partnership,” said Innocence Project’s Assistant Director of Ambassadors and External Programs Jule Hall.
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