Few actors are as timeless and dynamic as Larenz Tate.

The 47-year-old Chicago native, who apparently drinks from the fountain of youth every morning, has an acting career that spans more than 30 years. He started out acting as a child, making appearances on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Wonder Years, Family Matters and The Women of Brewster Place.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the classic Menace II Society. In the film, he plays O-Dog, a vengeful, yet misunderstood teen gang member who became the blueprint for many young, inner-city Black male characters who came after him. That movie paved the way for the very different, gentler role of Darius Lovehall in Love Jones, which is celebrating its 26th anniversary this year.

Those two milestones represent not only Tates versatility in acting, but the precedent he set in the 1990s for the next generation of actors. They also highlight Tates career longevity as he currently plays Councilman Rashad Tate on the Starz show Power Book II: Ghost. The show, which aired its Season 3 finale on Friday, is a testament to the range that the actor continues to expand and explore.

Tate told HuffPost that he knew early on the importance of fighting against the pigeonholes that many Black actors have found themselves in. He said being nimble after the rawness of Menace II Society was important.

I knew that character. I knew O-Dogs for real, for real. So it resonated and I was happy that we were able to do it, he said. But after doing so, I didnt want to be held in a box. I wanted to continue to show my range. And so when I was able to do these other projects like The Inkwell, Dead Presidents, Love Jones, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, I was just wanted to show my range.

Tate sat down to discuss the key to his career longevity, his most iconic roles and the one role he hasnt done yet thats on his bucket list.