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.
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Full Filmography
All Credits (124)
To Live and Die in the Midwest
as Unknown
The Hook
as Malcolm Miller
Why Did I Get Married Again?
as Marcus
Special Op: Rent-a-Cop
as Brock Belfry
The Secret Between Us
as Jack Frazier
Oscar Shaw
as Oscar Shaw
Exit Protocol
as Isaac Florentine
Hostile Takeover
as Pete
Trouble Man
as Jaxen
Scream Before You Die
as Joe Washington
Don't Mess with Grandma
as JT
Chuck Zito: An American Story
as Self
One More Shot
as Robert Jackson
Outlaw Johnny Black
as Outlaw Johnny Black
MR-9: Do or Die
as Duke
The Island
as Mark
Come Out Fighting
as Sergeant AJ 'Red' McCarron
You're Not Alone
as Keith Mitchell
A Snowy Day in Oakland
as Reverend Carter
The Hanged Man: The Story of Ron Van Clief
as Himself
As Good as Dead
as Bryant
The Hit
as Brooke
Dead Zone
as Boss
Kingdom Business
as Julius “Caesar” Jones
The Commando
as James Baker
Black Friday
as Archie
Take Back
as Brian
Rogue Hostage
as Sparks
Send It!
as Coach
Assault on VA-33
as Chief Malone
Bisping
as Self
Batman: Soul of the Dragon
as Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger (voice)
Welcome to Sudden Death
as Jesse Freeman
The Art of Action
as Self
Undercover Brother 2
as Undercover Brother / Narrator
In Search of the Last Action Heroes
as Self
Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks
as Self
Hidden Colors 5: The Art of Black Warfare
as Self
Triple Threat
as Devereaux
The Hard Way
as Payne
Dragged Across Concrete
as 'Biscuit'
Every Day Is Christmas
as Justin
Carl Weber's The Family Business
as Vegas Duncan
Making a Killing
as Orlando Hudson
Accident Man
as Mick
Cops and Robbers
as Michael
S.W.A.T.: Under Siege
as Scorpion
Insecure
as Zeke
The Crooked Man
as Milo
Vigilante Diaries
as Barrington
Chocolate City: Vegas Strip
as Princeton
Never Back Down: No Surrender
as Case Walker
The Asian Connection
as Greedy Greg
Chain of Command
as James Webster
Chocolate City
as Princeton
The Real Miyagi
as Self
Beyond the Game
as Himself
Skin Trade
as Reed
black-ish
as Vincent
Falcon Rising
as John 'Falcon' Chapman
Android Cop
as Hammond
Generation Iron
as Self
Teen Titans Go!
as Don Jackson (voice)
Fedz
as Big D
Metal Hurlant Chronicles
as Teague
Metal Hurlant Chronicles
as Balt
Somebody's Child
as Douglas
Black Dynamite
as Black Dynamite
The Philly Kid
as Arthur Letts
Freaky Deaky
as Donnell Lewis
We the Party
as Officer Davis
Tactical Force
as Hunt
Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse
as Marcus Williams
Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown
as Case Walker
Mortal Kombat: Legacy
as Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs
One Angry Juror
as Derrick
Why Did I Get Married Too?
as Marcus
Black Dynamite
as Black Dynamite
The Legend of Bruce Lee
as Ali
Blood and Bone
as Isaiah Bone
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
as Tattooed Man (voice)
The Legend of Bruce Lee
as Ali
The Dark Knight
as Gambol
Why Did I Get Married?
as Marcus
Windfall
as Michael
Getting Played
as Actor
UnConventional
as Self
Clubhouse
as Ellis Hayes
Justice League Unlimited
as Doomsday (voice)
Silver Hawk
as Morris
Justice
as Tre
CSI: Miami
as Roy Bailey
Pandora's Box
as Hampton Hines
The Making of Exit Wounds
as Self
Once Upon a Time: The Super Heroes
as Spawn (archive footage)
Exit Wounds
as Lewis Strutt
Boston Public
as Darren Schofield
Static Shock
as Osebo (voice)
Wonderland
as Derrick Hatcher
Freedom Song
as Coleman Vaughnes
Universal Soldier: The Return
as SETH
Thick as Thieves
as Pointy
Breakfast of Champions
as Howell
Ringmaster
as Demond
Spawn
as Al Simmons / Spawn
City of Industry
as Odell Williams
2 Days in the Valley
as Buck
Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal
as Carpenter
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story
as Elroy
JAG
as Peter Quinn / Martin Payne
Tyson
as Mike Tyson
Ballistic
as Quint
Ring of Fire III: Lion Strike
as Silvio
On Deadly Ground
as Oil Worker (uncredited)
Living Single
as Steve
Full Contact
as Low-Ball
Renegade
as Luther - Dawn's boyfriend
Martin
as Valdez
Universal Soldier
as Soldier
True Identity
as Alley Guy #1
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
as Audience Man
The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie
as Apocalypse, Inc. Executive
Saved by the Bell
as Military Police Man #2 (uncredited)
The Toxic Avenger Part II
as Apocalypse Inc. Executive