
Michael Jai White
Born November 10, 1967 · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
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.
Notable Appearances
Movies

The Dark Knight

Oscar Shaw

Exit Protocol

Never Back Down: No Surrender

Dragged Across Concrete

Undisputed II: Last Man Standing

Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown

Universal Soldier

Blood and Bone

One More Shot

Spawn

Universal Soldier: The Return

Accident Man

Skin Trade

Hostile Takeover

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze

Triple Threat

S.W.A.T.: Under Siege

Exit Wounds

On Deadly Ground

Batman: Soul of the Dragon

As Good as Dead
TV Shows

black-ish

Renegade

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Boston Public

Martin

Insecure

Justice League Unlimited

Living Single

Static Shock

Saved by the Bell

The Legend of Bruce Lee

Justice League

Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse

Carl Weber's The Family Business

Mortal Kombat: Legacy

Black Dynamite

Windfall

The Art of Action

Metal Hurlant Chronicles

Clubhouse

Kingdom Business

Wonderland
More Movies

The Secret Between Us

Dead Zone

Welcome to Sudden Death

The Commando

2 Days in the Valley

MR-9: Do or Die

Why Did I Get Married?

Black Dynamite

Falcon Rising

Thick as Thieves

Black Friday

Mortal Kombat: Rebirth

The Island

Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks

Send It!

The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie

Freaky Deaky

Chocolate City: Vegas Strip

Why Did I Get Married Too?

The Hard Way

Outlaw Johnny Black

Come Out Fighting

Vigilante Diaries

City of Industry

Ring of Fire III: Lion Strike

The Toxic Avenger Part II

The Crooked Man

Don't Mess with Grandma

Why Did I Get Married Again?

The Asian Connection

Trouble Man

Chuck Zito: An American Story

Breakfast of Champions

Tyson

Once Upon a Time: The Super Heroes

Assault on VA-33

Chain of Command

The Philly Kid

Rogue Hostage

Getting Played

Undercover Brother 2

Special Op: Rent-a-Cop

Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal

The Making of Exit Wounds

Take Back

You're Not Alone

Cops and Robbers

A Snowy Day in Oakland

The Legend of Bruce Lee

The Real Miyagi

Silver Hawk

Tactical Force

UnConventional

Every Day Is Christmas

True Identity

Mutiny

Captive Heart: The James Mink Story

Ringmaster

Generation Iron

Ballistic

Beyond the Game

In Search of the Last Action Heroes

Pandora's Box

Bisping

Full Contact

Somebody's Child

Making a Killing

Android Cop

Scream Before You Die

Chocolate City

One Angry Juror

Hidden Colors 5: The Art of Black Warfare

Fedz

The Hit

We the Party

The Hook

Freedom Song

The Hanged Man: The Story of Ron Van Clief

Justice




