Why The Lyft Driver From Coming 2 America Looks So Familiar
It's been 33 years since the blockbuster hit Coming to America, starring Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall, made its premiere. Three decades later, the legendary comedians have returned to reprise their roles as Prince Akeem and his best friend and personal aide Semmi for the sequel: Coming 2 America. The second installment sees Prince Akeem, who is about to ascend to the throne, have the course of his life altered once again when it is revealed that he has a long lost son still in America, played by Jermaine Fowler (Sorry To Bother You, Bojack Horseman).
Other screen legends have reprised their royal roles as well, including Paul Bates as Oha and James Earl Jones as Prince Akeem's father, King Jaffer Joffer. While these veteran actors don't disappoint, the film is stacked with actors you may recognize but can't pinpoint how, like Prince Akeem's Lyft driver. If you saw this man and asked, "Where do I know him from?" perhaps you might recall seeing actor David Lengel in two other fairly high profile projects.
David Lengel is Westview neighbor Phil Jones in WandaVision
WandaVision's dynamic storytelling utilizes the different decades of television style to tell the story of Season 1. MCU's Wanda Maximoff lives in the idyllic town of Westview, with her husband Vision, beautiful children and friendly neighbors. When Vision shows up for work at Computational Services Inc. he's introduced to Phil Jones, played by David Engel. Jones is immediately fired, but is seen again throughout the episodes, an active neighbor and participant in Wanda's life in Westview.
Jones is part of the donut-loving Neighborhood Watch council. He also loses his mother's piano in the talent show — a result of Wanda trying to cover up for Vision. Most importantly, he's married to Dottie. S.W.O.R.D. researchers later reveal that Phil Jones' real name is Harold Proctor, a New Jersey resident stuck in Wanda's reality.
Given that some of the other neighbors, like Geraldine and Agnes, have proven to play an integral part in the functionality of Westview, and the fan theories about Phil and Dottie, it remains to be seen if David Lengel's role as Jones in the MCU will grow.
David Lengel was a gun tech in Bosch
Amazon's police procedural series Bosch first premiered in 2014. The show — renewed for a seventh season as of February 2020 — pulls inspiration from books by novelist Michael Connelly, who created the titular character Harry Bosch. The story follows LA homicide detective Bosch, portrayed by Titus Welliver, who works to find a balance to his own moral compass and the ever changing landscape of Los Angeles' law and order.
During Season 2 of Bosch, David Lengel plays a ballistics expert named Lester Poole. Lester makes it known he does not want to be called Les, out of concern his coworkers will realize his name — Les Poole — sounds a lot like "cesspool."
Lengel's other credits have spanned genres since his first television appearance in 2005. He's had parts in Nickelodeon's Harvey Danger, ABC's Speechless, the feature biopic Richard Jewell, Ray Donovan, NCIS, and The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.