After being removed from neglectful parents in the Creighton Court public housing project, he was raised by a grandmother on Richmond's south side after some time in a foster home.

[7] In 2009, Coleman appeared in a revival of August Wilson's play Joe Turner's Come and Gone on Broadway and also had a starring role in the Norwegian TV series Buzz Aldrin, What Happened To You In All The Confusion?, based on the novel by Johan Harstad.

[4] From late 2012 to early 2015, Coleman played Tyreese on AMC's post-apocalyptic horror series The Walking Dead.

"The Butcher of Anderson Station", a former Marine caught in a power struggle between Earth and Mars on the science-fiction series The Expanse.

[15] Additionally, Coleman is executive producer, as well as visual inspiration for the character Mr. Osi of the futuristic graphic novel series Treadwater.

Currently, he is playing the recurring role of Klyden, Second Officer Bortus's mate, on The Orville, which debuted in the fall of 2017 and entered its second season at the end of 2018.

[16] Later that year, he created a PSA with the non-profit organization Living Advantage where fostering children is promoted as a fulfilling complement to adoption.