Phillip Edward Van Lear is an American actor. He plays corrections officer Louis Patterson on the show Prison Break. He has also played in various other movies such as: Barbershop 2: Back in Business, Chicago Cab, Night of the Lawyers, A family Thing and Thieves Quartet. He also had the pleasure of starring alongside Oprah Winfrey, in the film There Are No Children Here, where he plays a thug and a vandal hell-bent on corrupting youth for his own personal gain.

Phillip Edward Van Lear was born in Aurora, Illinois along with brother David.

Phillip Edward Van Lear taught school in Aurora for five years before becoming serious about acting. Not quite ready to jump into the deep water, he worked under the mentorship of Mr. David Morris and his lovely bride Jo at the Riverfront Playhouse in Aurora, Illinois until late 1985, when he earned his first professional television gig as a regular on the CBS Chicago based 'Magic Door', where he starred for five years. During which he began doing theater, commercials and film. He has four beautiful children, one grandchild, and when not acting teaches film studies for the Chicago Public School System at Mather High School. He and his partner Nanette live in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood in the historic Breakers building on the city's beautiful lake front.