Netflix is bringing the life story of one of the most recognizable stars of the 1980s to viewers with Untold Mr. T: I Pity The Fool. The upcoming documentary explores the life and career of Mr. T, whose real name is Laurence Tureaud, and looks at the journey that took him from Chicago to Hollywood fame.
Before becoming famous for his mohawk, gold chains and tough personality, Tureaud was the youngest son in a family of 12 children. His journey to the entertainment industry was far from ordinary. He served in the U.S. Army, later worked as a bouncer and eventually became a bodyguard for celebrities. His strong physical presence also helped him enter tough man competitions, where he won two consecutive contests during the late 1970s.
His path eventually led him to Hollywood. Mr. T landed the role of Clubber Lang in Rocky III, where he played the tough opponent of Sylvester Stallone’s character. The role brought him widespread attention and helped establish his screen image. His popularity grew even further when he was cast as B.A. Baracus in the hit television series The A Team.
Mr. T later became involved in professional wrestling and appeared as part of the WWF scene during the 1980s. His distinctive appearance, direct personality and memorable television and film roles made him a major pop culture figure during the decade.
The documentary’s official description reads: “A retrospective feature documentary about Laurence Tureaud… better known as Mr. T. Before the gold chains, mohawk, and Hollywood fame of The A-Team and Rocky III, there was Laurence Tureaud. This is the extraordinary origin story behind one of the most unlikely and beloved icons in entertainment — Mr. T.”
One of the main features of the documentary is that Mr. T gets to look back on his own life and career. The film is expected to explore the experiences that shaped him before he became a familiar face on television and in movies.
Untold Mr. T: I Pity The Fool is directed by Scott Weintrob, whose previous work includes Top Gear, Fastest Car, Home, Built to Fail, Paradox Effect and the short Lewis x Ferris.
The documentary was produced by Studio Large Eyes, Pantheon Media Group and WWE Films as part of Netflix’s Untold documentary series.
Untold Mr. T: I Pity The Fool will premiere globally on Netflix on September 8th, 2026.