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