Image of Michael Jai White

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.


Read bio at tmdb | Read bio at Wikipedia
Born:
Nov 10, 1967 In Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
97
First Appeared:
In the movie To Live and Die in the Midwest
Latest Project:
Movie One More Shot 2024-01-09
Known For
Filmography
Movie To Live and Die in the Midwest 2025
Movie One More Shot Robert Jackson 2024-01-09
Movie You're Not Alone Keith Mitchell 2023-03-24
Movie Come Out Fighting Sergeant AJ 'Red' McCarron 2023-05-19
Movie A Snowy Day in Oakland Reverend Carter 2023-03-17
Movie The Island Mark 2023-07-21
Movie MR-9: Do or Die Duke 2023-08-25
Movie Outlaw Johnny Black Outlaw Johnny Black 2023-09-15
Movie The Commando James Baker 2022-01-07
Movie Dead Zone Boss 2022-07-29
Movie As Good as Dead Bryant 2022-12-16
Movie Assault on VA-33 Chief Malone 2021-04-22
Movie Send It! Coach 2021-05-11
Movie Rogue Hostage Sparks 2021-06-11
Movie Take Back Brian 2021-06-18
Movie Black Friday Archie 2021-11-19
Movie Welcome to Sudden Death Jesse Freeman 2020-09-09
Movie The Hard Way Payne 2019-03-05
Movie Dragged Across Concrete 'Biscuit' 2019-02-21
Movie Triple Threat Devereaux 2019-03-19
Movie Hidden Colors 5: The Art of Black Warfare Self 2019-08-01
Movie Undercover Brother 2 Undercover Brother / Narrator 2019-11-05
Movie In Search of the Last Action Heroes Himself 2019-09-01
Movie Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks Self 2019-08-14
Movie Accident Man Mick 2018-02-06
Movie Making a Killing Orlando Hudson 2018-08-10
Movie Every Day Is Christmas Justin 2018-11-24
Movie Cops and Robbers 2017-12-12
Movie S.W.A.T.: Under Siege Scorpion 2017-08-01
Movie The Asian Connection Greedy Greg 2016-05-13
Movie Never Back Down: No Surrender Case Walker 2016-06-05
Movie Vigilante Diaries Barrington 2016-09-01
Movie The Crooked Man Milo 2016-10-01
Movie Chocolate City: Vegas Strip Princeton 2016-07-04
Movie The Real Miyagi Self 2015-02-20
Movie Chocolate City Princeton 2015-05-22
Movie Chain of Command James Webster 2015-08-30
Movie Android Cop Hammond 2014-02-04
Movie Skin Trade Reed 2014-11-07
Movie Falcon Rising John 'Falcon' Chapman 2014-09-05
Movie Beyond the Game Himself 2014-12-31
Movie Fedz Big D (as Micheal White) 2013-03-13
Movie Generation Iron Self 2013-09-20
Movie We the Party Officer Davis 2012-04-06
Movie Freaky Deaky Donnell Lewis 2012-04-22
Movie The Philly Kid Arthur Letts 2012-05-11
Movie Somebody's Child Douglas 2012-08-11
Series Black Dynamite Black Dynamite 2012-07-15
Movie Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair Da Moe 2011-03-27
Series Mortal Kombat: Legacy Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs 2011-04-12
Series For Better or Worse Marcus Williams 2011-11-25
Movie Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown Case Walker 2011-09-13
Movie Tactical Force Hunt 2011-12-01
Movie Why Did I Get Married Too? Marcus 2010-04-02
Movie Mortal Kombat: Rebirth Jackson Briggs 2010-06-08
Movie One Angry Juror Derrick 2010-11-15
Movie Blood and Bone Isaiah Bone 2009-02-07
Movie The Legend of Bruce Lee Ali 2009-04-30
Movie Black Dynamite Black Dynamite 2009-10-16
Movie The Dark Knight Gambol 2008-07-16
Series The Legend of Bruce Lee Ali 2008-10-04
Movie Why Did I Get Married? Marcus 2007-10-12
Movie Undisputed II: Last Man Standing George Chambers 2006-04-11
Movie Getting Played Actor 2005-12-10
Movie UnConventional Self 2004-10-01
Movie Silver Hawk Morris 2004-01-15
Movie Kill Bill: Vol. 2 2004-04-16
Series Justice League Unlimited Doomsday 2004-07-31
Movie Justice Tre 2003-05-08
Movie The Making of Exit Wounds Self 2002-03-14
Movie Pandora's Box Hampton Hines 2002-08-09
Movie Once Upon a Time: The Super Heroes Spawn (archive footage) 2001-12-23
Movie Exit Wounds Lewis Strutt 2001-03-16
Movie Freedom Song Coleman Vaughnes 2000-02-27
Series Wonderland Dr. Derrick Hatcher 2000-03-30
Movie Universal Soldier: The Return SETH 1999-08-05
Movie Mutiny Ben Cooper 1999-01-01
Movie Thick as Thieves Pointy 1999-04-09
Movie Breakfast of Champions Howell 1999-02-18
Movie Ringmaster Demond 1998-11-25
Movie City of Industry Odell Williams 1997-03-14
Movie The Making of 'Spawn' Self 1997-07-15
Movie Spawn Al Simmons / Spawn 1997-07-31
Movie 2 Days in the Valley Buck 1996-09-11
Movie Captive Heart: The James Mink Story Elroy 1996-04-14
Movie Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal Carpenter 1996-06-20
Movie Ballistic Quint 1995-02-28
Movie Tyson Mike Tyson 1995-04-29
Movie Ring of Fire III: Lion Strike Silvio 1995-02-28
Movie On Deadly Ground Oil Worker (uncredited) 1994-02-18
Movie Full Contact Low-Ball 1993-05-04
Movie Universal Soldier Soldier 1992-07-10
Movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze Audience Man 1991-03-22
Movie True Identity 1991-08-23
Movie Ring of Fire 1991-12-18
Movie The Toxic Avenger Part II Apocalypse Inc. Executive 1989-07-15
Movie The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie Apocalypse, Inc. Executive 1989-11-24