Michael Jai White
Michael Jai White (born November 10, 1967) is 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.
Born: 10 November 1967
Played In
Special Op: Rent-a-Cop
Brock Belfry
The Secret Between Us
Jack Frazier
Oscar Shaw
Oscar Shaw
Exit Protocol
Isaac Florentine
Hostile Takeover
Pete
Trouble Man
Jaxen
Scream Before You Die
Joe Washington
Don't Mess with Grandma
JT
Chuck Zito: An American Story
Self
One More Shot
Robert Jackson
Outlaw Johnny Black
Outlaw Johnny Black
MR-9: Do or Die
Duke
The Island
Mark
Come Out Fighting
Sergeant AJ 'Red' McCarron
You're Not Alone
Keith Mitchell
A Snowy Day in Oakland
Reverend Carter
The Hanged Man: The Story of Ron Van Clief
Himself
As Good as Dead
Bryant
The Hit
Brooke
Dead Zone
Boss
Kingdom Business
Julius “Caesar” Jones
The Commando
James Baker
Black Friday
Archie
Take Back
Brian
Rogue Hostage
Sparks
Send It!
Coach
Assault on VA-33
Chief Malone
Bisping
Self
Batman: Soul of the Dragon
Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger (voice)
Welcome to Sudden Death
Jesse Freeman
The Art of Action
Self
Undercover Brother 2
Undercover Brother / Narrator
In Search of the Last Action Heroes
Self
Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks
Self
Hidden Colors 5: The Art of Black Warfare
Self
Triple Threat
Devereaux
The Hard Way
Payne
Dragged Across Concrete
'Biscuit'
Every Day Is Christmas
Justin
Carl Weber's The Family Business
Vegas Duncan
Making a Killing
Orlando Hudson
Accident Man
Mick
Cops and Robbers
Michael
S.W.A.T.: Under Siege
Scorpion
Insecure
Zeke
The Crooked Man
Milo
Vigilante Diaries
Barrington
Chocolate City: Vegas Strip
Princeton
Never Back Down: No Surrender
Case Walker
The Asian Connection
Greedy Greg
Chain of Command
James Webster
Chocolate City
Princeton
The Real Miyagi
Self
Beyond the Game
Himself
Skin Trade
Reed
black-ish
Vincent
Falcon Rising
John 'Falcon' Chapman
Android Cop
Hammond
Generation Iron
Self
Teen Titans Go!
Don Jackson (voice)
Fedz
Big D
Metal Hurlant Chronicles
Teague
Metal Hurlant Chronicles
Balt
Arrow
Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger
Arrow
Ben Turner
Somebody's Child
Douglas
Black Dynamite
Black Dynamite
The Philly Kid
Arthur Letts
Freaky Deaky
Donnell Lewis
We the Party
Officer Davis
Tactical Force
Hunt
Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse
Marcus Williams
Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown
Case Walker
Mortal Kombat: Legacy
Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs
One Angry Juror
Derrick
Mortal Kombat: Rebirth
Jackson Briggs
Why Did I Get Married Too?
Marcus
Black Dynamite
Black Dynamite
The Legend of Bruce Lee
Ali
Blood and Bone
Isaiah Bone
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Tattooed Man (voice)
The Legend of Bruce Lee
Ali
The Dark Knight
Gambol
Why Did I Get Married?
Marcus
Windfall
Michael
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing
George Chambers
Getting Played
Actor
UnConventional
Self
Clubhouse
Ellis Hayes
Justice League Unlimited
Doomsday (voice)
Silver Hawk
Morris
Justice
Tre
CSI: Miami
Roy Bailey
Pandora's Box
Hampton Hines
The Making of Exit Wounds
Self
Once Upon a Time: The Super Heroes
Spawn (archive footage)
Justice League
Doomsday (voice)
Exit Wounds
Lewis Strutt
Boston Public
Darren Schofield
Static Shock
Osebo (voice)
Wonderland
Derrick Hatcher
Freedom Song
Coleman Vaughnes
Universal Soldier: The Return
SETH
Thick as Thieves
Pointy
Breakfast of Champions
Howell
Mutiny
Ben Cooper
Ringmaster
Demond
Spawn
Al Simmons / Spawn
The Making of 'Spawn'
Self
City of Industry
Odell Williams
2 Days in the Valley
Buck
Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal
Carpenter
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story
Elroy
JAG
Peter Quinn / Martin Payne
Tyson
Mike Tyson
Ballistic
Quint
Ring of Fire III: Lion Strike
Silvio
On Deadly Ground
Oil Worker (uncredited)
Living Single
Steve
Full Contact
Low-Ball
Renegade
Luther - Dawn's boyfriend
Martin
Valdez
Universal Soldier
Soldier
True Identity
Alley Guy #1
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
Audience Man
The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie
Apocalypse, Inc. Executive
Saved by the Bell
Military Police Man #2 (uncredited)
The Toxic Avenger Part II
Apocalypse Inc. Executive
To Live and Die in the Midwest
Drive Through Fire
Spymasters
Karate Ghost
Why Did I Get Married Again?
Marcus
The Hook
Malcolm Miller
Paper Made