Who is Hill Harper? All about 'The Good Doctor' star running for the US Senate in Michigan

American actor Hill Harper, best known for starring in The Good Doctor, has announced his candidacy for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat; the announcement was made on Monday, July 10. The 57-year-old star shared that he will be challenging U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who announced her Senate bid in February 2023, for the Democratic nomination.

Harper joins Slotkin and other Democrats in replacing Sen. Debbie Stabenow's seat, who announced in January that she would not be running for a fifth term in 2024.

In a video announcement made on July 10 via his Twitter handle, Hill Harper addressed his son, Pierce - whom he adopted in 2017 - and told him that he is growing up in a very dangerous world.

“At the core of so much of this are too many politicians in office that don’t really care about people. I believe our government should work for the people, be a force for good and protect our freedoms. And that won’t happen if we keep electing the same type of people to office.”

Captioning the video, he explained the reason behind running for the position of Senator, stating the people need representatives "who'll take on special interests, get money out of politics, and make our government work for all of us."

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All you need to know about Hill Harper

Born on May 17, 1966, Hill Harper is a native of Iowa City, Iowa. He was born to two doctors - his father being a psychiatrist, and his mother an anesthesiologist.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University and was awarded Valedictorian of his department. Harper then earned a J.D. (cum laude) from Harvard Law School and a Master's Degree in Public Administration with honors from the Kennedy School of Government. He also has doctoral degrees from Winston-Salem State University, Le-Moyne Owen College, Dillard University, Howard University, Cheyney University, Westfield State College, and Tougaloo College.

One of Hill Harper's most notable roles has been in CBS hit television series CSI: NY, from 2004 to 2013, where he starred as Dr Sheldon Hawkes. For this, he bagged three awards for the Best Lead Actor in the drama series category at NAACP Image Awards.

Alongside his illustrious career as a performer, Harper has also established himself as a prolific author, with four of his works earning the coveted title of New York Times bestsellers. These literary achievements include Letters to a Young Brother, Letters to a Young Sister, The Conversation, and The Wealth Cure. Notably, The Wealth Cure explores Harper's personal battle with thyroid cancer and his challenging path to recovery.

The American Library Association deemed Letters to a Young Brother the Best Book for Young Adults in 2007, and it also received numerous distinctions.

While speaking to The Associated Press before officially announcing his candidacy, Hill Harper called himself a union member, an activist, and a small business owner.

He said that not having a "career politician" background would be advantageous in Congress and that he was launching a campaign "powered by the people, for the people":

“It’s not about party. It’s about people feeling represented. And being an independent voice in the U.S. Senate is something I believe Michiganders want right now.”

As per Politico, in 2017, Hill Harper invested in a coffee business there called Roasting Plant Coffee. As a cancer survivor himself, he was selected for President Barack Obama's cancer council in 2012.