Hawthorne James is an American actor and director, best known for playing the character "Big Red" Davis in the 1991 film The Five Heartbeats. He also played Sam, the bus driver, in the movie Speed. 

In The Five Heartbeats, James's character, Big Red, is a ruthless record executive who is involved in the downfall of the titular singing group. 
In Speed, James plays a bus driver who becomes a target for a bomber, and is forced to drive the bus at high speeds to avoid an explosion. 
James has also appeared in other notable films and television series, such as Seven, NYPD Blue, and Heaven's Prisoners. 
James was born James Hawthorne in Chicago. He has a Bachelor's degree in Theater from the University of Notre Dame and a Master's degree from the University of Michigan. He has also taught theater at Illinois State University.