Michael Jai White

Acting · 4.7 popularity

Age

Movies

107

Born: November 10, 1967
From: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Website: Visit site

Biography

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.

Works

107 films

The Dark Knight

20088.5

Oscar Shaw

20266.7

Undisputed II: Last Man Standing

20067.4

Exit Protocol

20257.1

Blood and Bone

20097.4

Exit Wounds

20015.9

Universal Soldier

19926.3

Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown

20116.5

Never Back Down: No Surrender

20167.0

Universal Soldier: The Return

19995.9

Spawn

19975.5

Triple Threat

20196.4

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze

19916.2

Accident Man

20186.3

Dragged Across Concrete

20196.6

One More Shot

20246.5

Hostile Takeover

20256.9

S.W.A.T.: Under Siege

20175.9

Batman: Soul of the Dragon

20216.7

On Deadly Ground

19945.2

Skin Trade

20146.1

Why Did I Get Married Too?

20106.5

The Commando

20225.7

Falcon Rising

20146.3

Thick as Thieves

19996.0

2 Days in the Valley

19966.2

As Good as Dead

20226.1

Dead Zone

20225.2

Black Friday

20214.9

The Hard Way

20195.5

The Island

20236.3

Black Dynamite

20097.1

Why Did I Get Married?

20076.5

Chocolate City: Vegas Strip

20165.8

The Secret Between Us

20268.0

Freaky Deaky

20125.1

MR-9: Do or Die

20236.4

Welcome to Sudden Death

20206.1

Paper Made

2026

Take Back

20215.9

The Toxic Avenger Part II

19895.4

City of Industry

19975.5

Rogue Hostage

20215.6

Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks

20196.8

Silver Hawk

20045.5

Send It!

20215.9

Vigilante Diaries

20164.2

Ring of Fire III: Lion Strike

19955.1

The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie

19895.0

Come Out Fighting

20234.5

The Crooked Man

20164.6

Breakfast of Champions

19995.0

Assault on VA-33

20215.5

Trouble Man

20256.2

Outlaw Johnny Black

20235.5

Tactical Force

20115.5

Chuck Zito: An American Story

20242.0

You're Not Alone

20233.4

True Identity

19915.6

Once Upon a Time: The Super Heroes

20016.9

Android Cop

20144.0

Ringmaster

19984.2

The Asian Connection

20163.9

Getting Played

20056.0

Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal

19967.0

Don't Mess with Grandma

20246.5

The Philly Kid

20125.4

UnConventional

20045.3

Undercover Brother 2

20194.4

Mortal Kombat: Rebirth

20105.9

Tyson

19956.0

Captive Heart: The James Mink Story

19965.1

Why Did I Get Married Again?

2026

The Legend of Bruce Lee

20095.5

In Search of the Last Action Heroes

20197.0

Freedom Song

20005.7

Beyond the Game

20145.2

The Real Miyagi

20156.5

Cops and Robbers

20175.3

Chocolate City

20155.2

Ballistic

19953.5

Chain of Command

20155.1

Bisping

20216.0

A Snowy Day in Oakland

20236.8

Spymasters

2026

Full Contact

19935.1

Special Op: Rent-a-Cop

2026

Making a Killing

20185.2

Every Day Is Christmas

20184.9

Fedz

20133.0

The Making of Exit Wounds

2002

Mutiny

19994.9

Pandora's Box

20025.7

Scream Before You Die

20241.7

Generation Iron

20136.7

The Hook

2026

We the Party

20124.7

Somebody's Child

20125.3

Justice

20035.0

Hidden Colors 5: The Art of Black Warfare

20196.3

The Making of 'Spawn'

19977.7

One Angry Juror

20104.2

Karate Ghost

2026

The Hit

20223.5

The Hanged Man: The Story of Ron Van Clief

20232.0

To Live and Die in the Midwest

2026

Drive Through Fire

2026