Michael Jai White
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.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · Scream Before You Die as Joe Washington
- 2024 · Don't Mess with Grandma as
- 2024 · Chuck Zito: An American Story as Self
- 2024 · One More Shot as Robert Jackson
- 2023 · Outlaw Johnny Black as Outlaw Johnny Black
- 2023 · MR-9: Do or Die as Duke
- 2023 · The Island as Mark
- 2023 · Come Out Fighting as Sergeant AJ 'Red' McCarron
- 2023 · You're Not Alone as Keith Mitchell
- 2023 · A Snowy Day in Oakland as Reverend Carter
- 2022 · As Good as Dead as Bryant
- 2022 · Dead Zone as Boss
- 2022 · Kingdom Business as Julius “Caesar” Jones
- 2022 · The Commando as James Baker
- 2021 · Black Friday as Archie
- 2021 · Take Back as Brian
- 2021 · Rogue Hostage as Sparks
- 2021 · Send It! as Coach
- 2021 · Assault on VA-33 as Chief Malone
- 2021 · Bisping as Self
- 2021 · Batman: Soul of the Dragon as Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger (voice)
- 2020 · Welcome to Sudden Death as Jesse Freeman
- 2020 · The Art of Action as Self
- 2019 · Undercover Brother 2 as Undercover Brother / Narrator
- 2019 · In Search of the Last Action Heroes as Himself
- 2019 · Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks as Self
- 2019 · Hidden Colors 5: The Art of Black Warfare as Self
- 2019 · Triple Threat as Devereaux
- 2019 · The Hard Way as Payne
- 2019 · Dragged Across Concrete as 'Biscuit'
- 2018 · Every Day Is Christmas as Justin
- 2018 · Carl Weber's The Family Business as Vegas Duncan
- 2018 · Making a Killing as Orlando Hudson
- 2018 · Accident Man as Mick
- 2017 · Cops and Robbers as
- 2017 · S.W.A.T.: Under Siege as Scorpion
- 2016 · Insecure as Zeke
- 2016 · The Crooked Man as Milo
- 2016 · Vigilante Diaries as Barrington
- 2016 · Chocolate City: Vegas Strip as Princeton
- 2016 · Never Back Down: No Surrender as Case Walker
- 2016 · The Asian Connection as Greedy Greg
- 2015 · Chain of Command as James Webster
- 2015 · Chocolate City as Princeton
- 2015 · The Real Miyagi as Self
- 2014 · Beyond the Game as Himself
- 2014 · Skin Trade as Reed
- 2014 · black-ish as Vincent
- 2014 · Falcon Rising as John 'Falcon' Chapman
- 2014 · Android Cop as Hammond
- 2013 · Generation Iron as Self
- 2013 · Fedz as Big D (as Micheal White)
- 2012 · Metal Hurlant Chronicles as Teague
- 2012 · Metal Hurlant Chronicles as Balt
- 2012 · Arrow as Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger
- 2012 · Arrow as Ben Turner
- 2012 · Somebody's Child as Douglas
- 2012 · Black Dynamite as Black Dynamite
- 2012 · The Philly Kid as Arthur Letts
- 2012 · Freaky Deaky as Donnell Lewis
- 2012 · We the Party as Officer Davis
- 2011 · Tactical Force as Hunt
- 2011 · For Better or Worse as Marcus Williams
- 2011 · Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown as Case Walker
- 2011 · Mortal Kombat: Legacy as Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs
- 2011 · Mortal Kombat: Legacy as self
- 2010 · One Angry Juror as Derrick
- 2010 · Mortal Kombat: Rebirth as Jackson Briggs
- 2010 · Why Did I Get Married Too? as Marcus
- 2009 · Black Dynamite as Black Dynamite
- 2009 · The Legend of Bruce Lee as Ali
- 2009 · Blood and Bone as Isaiah Bone
- 2008 · Batman: The Brave and the Bold as Tattooed Man (voice)
- 2008 · The Legend of Bruce Lee as Ali
- 2008 · The Dark Knight as Gambol
- 2007 · Why Did I Get Married? as Marcus
- 2006 · Undisputed II: Last Man Standing as George Chambers
- 2005 · Getting Played as Actor
- 2004 · UnConventional as Self
- 2004 · Clubhouse as Ellis Hayes
- 2004 · Justice League Unlimited as Doomsday (voice)
- 2004 · Silver Hawk as Morris
- 2003 · Justice as Tre
- 2002 · CSI: Miami as Roy Bailey
- 2002 · Pandora's Box as Hampton Hines
- 2002 · The Making of Exit Wounds as Self
- 2001 · Once Upon a Time: The Super Heroes as Spawn (archive footage)
- 2001 · Justice League as Doomsday (voice)
- 2001 · Exit Wounds as Lewis Strutt
- 2000 · Static Shock as Osebo (voice)
- 2000 · Wonderland as Dr. Derrick Hatcher
- 2000 · Freedom Song as Coleman Vaughnes
- 1999 · Universal Soldier: The Return as SETH
- 1999 · Thick as Thieves as Pointy
- 1999 · Breakfast of Champions as Howell
- 1999 · Mutiny as Ben Cooper
- 1998 · Ringmaster as Demond
- 1997 · Spawn as Al Simmons / Spawn
- 1997 · The Making of 'Spawn' as Self
- 1997 · City of Industry as Odell Williams
- 1996 · 2 Days in the Valley as Buck
- 1996 · Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal as Carpenter
- 1996 · Captive Heart: The James Mink Story as Elroy
- 1995 · JAG as Peter Quinn / Martin Payne
- 1995 · Tyson as Mike Tyson
- 1995 · Ring of Fire III: Lion Strike as Silvio
- 1995 · Ballistic as Quint
- 1994 · On Deadly Ground as Oil Worker (uncredited)
- 1993 · Full Contact as Low-Ball
- 1992 · Renegade as Luther - Dawn's boyfriend
- 1992 · Universal Soldier as Soldier
- 1991 · True Identity as
- 1991 · Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze as Audience Man
- 1989 · The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie as Apocalypse, Inc. Executive
- 1989 · Saved by the Bell as Military Police Man #2 (uncredited)
- 1989 · The Toxic Avenger Part II as Apocalypse Inc. Executive
- Future · To Live and Die in the Midwest as
- Future · Fight Or Flight as
- Future · Trouble Man! as Jaxen
- Future · Hostile Takeover as Pete
- Future · Drive Through Fire as