MW
Michael Jai White
Actor, Director, Writer, Producer
Born November 10, 1967 (54 years)
An American actor and professional martial artist who has appeared in numerous films and television series. He is the first African American to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture, having starred as Al Simmons, the protagonist in the 1997 film Spawn. White was born in Brooklyn, New York and moved as a teen to Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he graduated from Central High School in 1988. White started martial arts training at the age of seven and is now an accomplished martial artist, holding seven legitimate black belts in Shotokan, Tae Kwon Do, Kobudo, Goju Ryu, Tang Soo Do, Wushu and Kyokushin, with a specific focus in Kyokushin (although his style incorporates aspects of many different martial arts forms). His first major starring role and breakout performance was in the 1995 HBO film Tyson, as heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson. In 1997, he portrayed the eponymous character in the 1997 movie Spawn. 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, Justice League, and the Spawn animated series. 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. 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. White will make his directorial debut and star in Never Back Down 2, which is slated for a 2011 release. In August 2005 he wed his girlfriend of two years, Courtenay Chatman. The couple have a daughter named Morgan Michelle who was born on December 24, 2008. Michael has two sons from a previous relationship. He is an avid chess player, as seen in his movie Blood and Bone.
Filmography
| 2022 | The Commando · as James Baker |
| 2022 | Kingdom Business (TV Series) · as Julius “Caesar” Jones |
| 2022 | Dead Zone · as Boss |
| 2021 | Send It! · as Coach |
| 2021 | Take Back · as Brian |
| 2021 | Batman: Soul of the Dragon · as Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger (voice) |
| 2021 | Black Friday · as Archie |
| 2021 | Assault on VA-33 · as Chief Malone |
| 2021 | Rogue Hostage · as Sparks |
| 2020 | Making a Killing · as Orlando Hudson |
| 2020 | Welcome to Sudden Death · as Jesse Freeman |
| 2019 | Triple Threat · as Devereaux |
| 2019 | The Hard Way · as Payne |
| 2019 | Undercover Brother 2 · as Undercover Brother / Narrator |
| 2018 | Accident Man · as Mick |
| 2018 | Dragged Across Concrete · as 'Biscuit' |
| 2018 | Every Day Is Christmas · as Justin |
| 2018 | Carl Weber's The Family Business (TV Series) · as Vegas Duncan |
| 2017 | S.W.A.T.: Under Siege · as Scorpion |
| 2017 | Cops and Robbers · as Unknown |
| 2017 | Chocolate City: Vegas · as Princeton |
| 2016 | The Asian Connection · as Greedy Greg |
| 2016 | Vigilante Diaries · as Barrington |
| 2016 | The Crooked Man · as Milo |
| 2016 | Insecure (TV Series) · as Zeke |
| 2016 | Never Back Down: No Surrender · as Case Walker |
| 2015 | Chocolate City · as Princeton |
| 2015 | Chain of Command · as James Webster |
| 2014 | Android Cop · as Hammond |
| 2014 | Falcon Rising · as John 'Falcon' Chapman |
| 2014 | Skin Trade · as Reed |
| 2014 | black-ish (TV Series) · as Vincent |
| 2013 | Fedz · as Big D (as Micheal White) |
| 2012 | We the Party · as Officer Davis |
| 2012 | The Philly Kid · as Arthur Letts |
| 2012 | Freaky Deaky · as Donnell Lewis |
| 2012 | Somebody's Child · as Douglas |
| 2012 | Metal Hurlant Chronicles (TV Series) · as Teague |
| 2012 | Arrow (TV Series) · as Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger |
| 2011 | Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown · as Case Walker |
| 2011 | For Better or Worse (TV Series) · as Marcus Williams |
| 2011 | Mortal Kombat: Legacy (TV Series) · as Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs |
| 2011 | Black Dynamite (TV Series) · as Black Dynamite |
| 2011 | Tactical Force · as Hunt |
| 2010 | Why Did I Get Married Too? · as Marcus |
| 2010 | One Angry Juror · as Derrick |
| 2009 | Blood and Bone · as Isaiah Bone |
| 2009 | Black Dynamite · as Black Dynamite |
| 2009 | The Legend of Bruce Lee · as Ali |
| 2008 | The Dark Knight · as Gambol |
| 2008 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold (TV Series) · as Tattooed Man (voice) |
| 2008 | The Legend of Bruce Lee (TV Series) · as Ali |
| 2007 | Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? · as Marcus |
| 2006 | Tyler Perry's House of Payne (TV Series) · as Bryan |
| 2006 | Undisputed 2: Last Man Standing · as George Chambers |
| 2005 | Getting Played · as Actor |
| 2005 | The Boondocks (TV Series) · as Bushido Brown |
| 2004 | Silver Hawk · as Morris |
| 2004 | Justice League Unlimited (TV Series) · as Doomsday (voice) |
| 2004 | Clubhouse (TV Series) · as Ellis Hayes |
| 2003 | Justice · as Tre |
| 2002 | Pandora's Box · as Hampton Hines |
| 2002 | CSI: Miami (TV Series) · as Officer Roy Bailey |
| 2001 | Exit Wounds · as Lewis Strutt |
| 2001 | Justice League (TV Series) · as Doomsday (voice) |
| 2000 | Freedom Song · as Coleman Vaughnes |
| 2000 | Boston Public (TV Series) · as Darren Schofield |
| 2000 | Static Shock (TV Series) · as Osebo (voice) |
| 2000 | Soul Food (TV Series) · as Russell Banks |
| 1999 | Breakfast of Champions · as Howell |
| 1999 | Mutiny · as Ben Cooper |
| 1999 | Thick as Thieves · as Pointy |
| 1999 | Universal Soldier: The Return · as SETH |
| 1998 | Ringmaster · as Demond |
| 1997 | Spawn · as Al Simmons / Spawn |
| 1997 | City of Industry · as Odell Williams |
| 1996 | 2 Days in the Valley · as Buck |
| 1996 | Shaughnessy · as Carpenter |
| 1996 | Captive Heart: The James Mink Story · as Elroy |
| 1995 | Tyson · as Mike Tyson |
| 1995 | Ballistic · as Quint |
| 1995 | JAG (TV Series) · as Peter Quinn / Martin Payne |
| 1994 | On Deadly Ground · as Oil Worker (uncredited) |
| 1994 | Lion Strike · as Silvio |
| 1993 | Full Contact · as Low-Ball |
| 1993 | NYPD Blue (TV Series) · as Off. Reginald 'Reggie' Fancy |
| 1993 | Living Single (TV Series) · as Steve |
| 1992 | Universal Soldier · as Soldier |
| 1992 | Martin (TV Series) · as Valdez |
| 1992 | Renegade (TV Series) · as Luther - Dawn's boyfriend |
| 1991 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze · as Audience Man |
| 1991 | True Identity · as Unknown |
| 1989 | The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie · as Apocalypse, Inc. Executive |
| 1989 | The Toxic Avenger Part II · as Apocalypse Inc. Executive |
| 1989 | Saved by the Bell (TV Series) · as Military Police Man #2 (uncredited) |