Age: 56
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York

Michael Jai White (born November 10, 1967) is an American actor and martial artist who has appeared in numerous films and television series. He is the first black person to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture,[1] having starred as Al Simmons, the protagonist in the 1997 film Spawn.[note 1] White appeared as Marcus Williams in the Tyler Perry films Why Did I Get Married? and Why Did I Get Married Too?, and starred as the character on the TBS/OWN comedy-drama television series Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse. White portrayed Jax Briggs in Mortal Kombat: Legacy. White also portrayed boxer Mike Tyson in the 1995 HBO television movie Tyson, and starred as Black Dynamite in the titular hit blaxploitation film, as well as the titular Warner Bros. Animation series.
White was born in Brooklyn, New York and moved as a teen to Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he graduated from Central High School in 1985.He is an accomplished martial artist, holding black belts in eight different styles: Shōtōkan, Taekwondo, Kobudō, Tang Soo Do, Wushu and Kyokushin,[2][3] with a specific focus in Kyokushin (although his style incorporates aspects of many different martial arts forms).[4] White started training in the martial arts at the age of seven in Jujutsu and then shōtōkan moving to other styles later.[5]
White is a former teacher.[6] He cites his history in education as the reason why, despite his personal love for the music genre on "a lot of levels", he cannot "in good " have a positive opinion on hip hop or "excuse some of pervasive and destructive elements", mainly due to his experience with youngsters who had difficulty seeing the difference between it and real life.[6]
White's first major starring role and breakout performance was in the 1995 HBO film Tyson, as heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson. He portrayed the eponymous character in the 1997 movie Spawn, making him the first African American to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture.[1] His work in Spawn earned him a nomination for the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Best Male Newcomer. White starred opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme in Universal Soldier: The Return. In 2001, he also starred opposite fellow martial artist Steven Seagal in Exit Wounds. In 2003, he starred in Busta Rhymes' and Mariah Carey's music video "I Know What You Want". Since 2003, in addition to his on screen roles, White has been doing voice work, including Static Shock and the Justice League. White showcases his martial arts skills in the direct-to-DVD film Undisputed II: Last Man Standing. He also appears in Michelle Yeoh's Silver Hawk in 2004. He appeared in Kill Bill: Volume 2, although his role was cut from the theatrical release. His film Why Did I Get Married? opened at number one at the box office on October 12, 2007.
White played the role of the mob boss Gambol in the 2008 film The Dark Knight. He also starred in the film Blood and Bone and the blaxploitation homage Black Dynamite, both released in 2009. White wrote the scripts for both Black Dynamite and his upcoming 3 Bullets in which he stars with Bokeem Woodbine.
On March 30, 2010, White appeared on The Mo'Nique Show to promote his film Why Did I Get Married Too. The two joked about the acclaim that comes with winning an Oscar. In May of that year he appeared in the music video for Toni Braxton's new song "Hands Tied" from her album Pulse, as well as the Nicki Minaj music video for "Your Love" as Nicki's sensei and love interest.
He also starred in Kevin Tancharoen's short film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth,[7] as Jax Briggs, and reprised the role in Mortal Kombat: Legacy, a webseries from the same director. He recently posted on Twitter that he would not be returning to the role for the second season, but would return for the 2013 film.
White made his directorial debut and starred in Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown, which was released on home video on September 13, 2011.[8]
White also provided the voice of Green Lantern in the video game Justice League Heroes.[citation needed]
From 2005-2011 White was married to Courtney Chatham and together they have a daughter named Morgan. In addition, White has two sons.[9][10] In February 2014, White announced his engagement to actress Gillian Iliana Waters.[10] In July 2015 White married Waters in an intimate, but extravagant ceremony in Thailand.[11] In April 2015, White penned an endearing open letter via Facebook entitled "Apologies to My Ex's", where he credited Waters for helping him become, "the very best version of myself."[12] In 2014, he was honored with the Fists of Legends Decade Award at the Urban Action Showcase & Expo at HBO.[13]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1989 | The Toxic Avenger Part II | Apocalypse Inc. Executive | |
1989 | The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie | Apocalypse, Inc. Executive | |
1991 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze | Audience Man | Uncredited |
1991 | True Identity | Alley Guy #1 | |
1992 | Prototype | Stunts | |
1992 | Universal Soldier | Soldier | |
1993 | Full Contact | Low-Ball | |
1994 | On Deadly Ground | Stunts | |
1994 | Lion Strike | Silvio | |
1995 | Ballistic | Quint | |
1996 | 2 Days in the Valley | Buck | |
1997 | City of Industry | Odell Williams | |
1997 | Spawn | Spawn / Albert Simmons | |
1998 | Ringmaster | Demond | |
1998 | Thick as Thieves | Pointy | |
1999 | Breakfast of Champions | Howell | |
1999 | Mutiny | Ben Cooper | |
1999 | Universal Soldier: The Return | SETH | |
2000 | The Bus Stop | Short film | |
2001 | Exit Wounds | Lewis Strutt | |
2002 | Trois 2: Pandora's Box | Hampton Hines | |
2003 | Justice | Tre | Direct-to-video |
2004 | Silver Hawk | Morris | |
2004 | Kill Bill: Volume 2 | Da Moe | Deleted scene |
2006 | Undisputed II: Last Man Standing | George Chambers | Direct-to-video |
2007 | Why Did I Get Married | Marcus | |
2007 | PVC-1 | Executive producer | |
2008 | The Dark Knight | Gambol | |
2009 | Black Dynamite | Black Dynamite | Also writer |
2009 | Blood and Bone | Isaiah Bone | Direct-to-video; also producer |
2009 | Three Bullets | The Man | Short film; also writer, producer and stunt choreographer |
2010 | Why Did I Get Married Too? | Marcus | |
2010 | Mortal Kombat: Rebirth | Jackson "Jax" Briggs | Short film[14] |
2011 | Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown | Case Walker | Direct-to-video; also director |
2011 | Tactical Force | Hunt | Direct-to-video |
2012 | We the Party | Officer Davis | Direct-to-video |
2012 | Freaky Deaky | Donnell Lewis | Direct-to-video |
2012 | The Philly Kid | Arthur Letts | Direct-to-video |
2013 | Fedz | Big D | Direct-to-video |
2014 | Android Cop | Hammond | Direct-to-video |
2014 | Falcon Rising | John 'Falcon' Chapman | Direct-to-video |
2014 | Skin Trade | Reed | Limited release |
2015 | Chocolate City | Princeton | Direct-to-video |
2015 | Chain of Command | James Webster | Direct-to-video |
2016 | Beyond the Game | Direct-to-video | |
2016 | The Asian Connection | Greedy Greg | Direct-to-video |
2016 | Never Back Down: No Surrender | Case Walker | Direct-to-video; also director |
2016 | Vigilante Diaries | Barrington | Direct-to-video[15][16] |
2016 | Chocolate City: Vegas Strip | Princeton | Direct-to-video |
2017 | Cops and Robbers | Michael | Direct-to-video |
2017 | S.W.A.T.: Under Siege | Scorpion | Direct-to-video |
2018 | Accident Man | Mick | Direct-to-video |
2018 | Triple Threat | Devereaux | Direct-to-video |
2018 | The Outlaw Johnny Black | Johnny Black | Direct-to-video, also director |
2018 | The Family Business | Vegas Duncan | Direct-to-video |
2018 | Primer | Vincent King (Hollywood) | Direct-to-video |
2018 | HeadShop | Reverend Carter | Direct-to-video |
2019 | Making a Killing | Orlando Hudson | Direct-to-video |
TBA | Dragged Across Concrete | Biscuit |
Year | Video | Performer |
---|---|---|
2003 | "I Know What You Want" | Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey featuring The Flipmode Squad |
2010 | "Your Love" | Nicki Minaj |
2010 | "Hands Tied" | Toni Braxton |
2012 | "Let's Go" | Calvin Harris featuring Ne-Yo |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1993 | Saved by the Bell | Military Police Man #2 | Episode: "Wrestling with the Future"; Uncredited |
1993 | Renegade | Luther - Dawn's boyfriend | Episode: "Vanished" |
1994 | Martin | Valdez | Episode: "Arms Are for Hugging" |
1994 | Living Single | Steve | Episode: "Hot Fun in the Wintertime" |
1995 | JAG | Navy Petty Officer Peter Quinn / Lt. Martin Payne | Episode: "Big Break" |
1995 | NYPD Blue | Off. Reginald 'Reggie' Fancy | 2 episodes |
1995 | Tyson | Mike Tyson | TV movie |
1996 | Captive Heart: The James Mink Story | Elroy | TV movie |
1996 | Shaughnessy | Carpenter | TV movie |
1999 | Mutiny | Ben Cooper | TV movie |
2000 | Wonderland | Dr. Derrick Hatcher | Recurring |
2000 | Freedom Song | Coleman Vaughnes | TV movie |
2001 | Boston Public | Darren Schofield | Episode: "Chapter Eighteen" |
2001 | Soul Food | Russell Banks | Episode: "Who Do You Know?" |
2003 | CSI: Miami | Officer Roy Bailey | Episode: "Hard Time" |
2003 | Justice League | Doomsday (voice) | Episode: "A Better World" |
2003 | Hotel | TV movie | |
2003-04 | Static Shock | Osebo (voice) | 2 episodes |
2004-05 | Clubhouse | Ellis Hayes | Recurring |
2006 | Justice League Unlimited | Doomsday (voice) | Episode: "The Doomsday Sanction" |
2006 | Getting Played | Actor | TV movie |
2007-08 | Tyler Perry's House of Payne | Bryan | 3 episodes |
2008 | The Legend of Bruce Lee | Ali | 3 episodes |
2010 | The Boondocks | Bushido Brown / Cop (voice) | Episode: "Stinkmeaner 3: The Hateocracy" |
2010 | One Angry Juror | Derrick | TV movie |
2011 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Tattooed Man | Episode: "The Scorn of the Star Sapphire!" |
2011-14 | Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse | Marcus Williams | Main cast |
2011-15 | Black Dynamite | Black Dynamite / Jim Kelly / CIA Member (voice) | Main cast; also producer |
2012 | Somebody's Child | Douglas | TV movie |
2012 | Aqua Something You Know Whatever | Zucotti Manicotti (voice) | Episode: "Zucotti Manicotti"; uncredited |
2013-18 | Arrow | Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger | 6 episodes |
2016 | The Crooked Man | Milo | TV movie |
2017 | Insecure: Due North | Zeke | Episode: "201" |
TBA | Spawn: The Animation | Barabbas (voice) |
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2006 | Justice League Heroes | Green Lantern / John Stewart |
2007 | The Underground Bounty Hunter | Hatch |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Mortal Kombat: Legacy | Jackson "Jax" Briggs | 2 episodes |
2012 | Métal Hurlant Chronicles | Teague | Episode: "King's Crown" |
2014 | Métal Hurlant Chronicles | Balt | Episode: "The Endomorphe" |
2016 | Enter the Dojo | Himself | Episode: "How to Fight a Clown" |
[ Source: Wikipedia ]