Y'lan Noel is an American actor. He is known for portraying Daniel King in the HBO television series Insecure (2016–2018), and the lead role of Dmitri Cimber in the horror film The First Purge (2018). He also starred as Coltrane Wilder in the crime drama, Nemesis (2026). For his role as Troy Marshall in the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Noel was nominated for the British Academy Games Award for Performer in a Leading Role.
Early life and education Y'lan Noel was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was further raised in Queens until his family moved to Decatur, Georgia. He is of Afro-Panamanian descent.
He began attending Morehouse College and transferred to New York University. He continued through Tisch School of Arts until he was called away to Los Angeles.
Career Noel landed the role of Daniel King on the 2016 series Insecure. He described Daniel as being the opposite of him: "I was nervous about playing Daniel. I love being around women...but I’ve always felt a bit awkward, well, insecure, around women I’ve had crushes on. Daniel doesn’t seem to have any of that awkwardness... Daniel’s extremely confident and goes after what he wants."
In 2018, Noel played the lead role of Dmitri in The First Purge, which he considered very challenging.
In 2021, he was cast in the lead for a television pilot based on the Sam Greenlee novel The Spook Who Sat By The Door, to be produced by Lee Daniels.
Noel voiced the role of Troy Marshall in the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Accolades In 2025 Noel was nominated for the British Academy Games Award for Performer in a Leading Role for his role in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Personal life Noel is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes2012The Spartan KingJackShort film2013House of AnotherHenry Gibson2018The First PurgeDmitri 2018 Slice Big Cheese2018The WeekendAubrey2020The PhotographYoung Isaac Jefferson
Television Year Title Role Notes 2013 The Hustle Kutta Main role 2016–2018 Insecure Daniel King Recurring (season 1)Main role (season 2–3) 2021 The Spook Who Sat by the Door Dan Freeman Main role; unaired pilot2024 Lady in the Lake Ferdie Platt Main role; limited series2026NemesisColtrane WilderMain role
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2024 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Troy Marshall 2025 Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
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