Michael Jai White

Michael Jai White(born November 10, 1967)is an American actor, martial artist, and director.Though he has appeared in a variety of genres, White is best known for hisactionandmartial arts films.His first major starring role and breakout performance was in the 1995HBOfilmTysonas heavyweight boxerMike Tyson. He went on to portrayAl Simmonsin the 1997 movieSpawn, making him the firstAfrican Americanto portray a major comic booksuperheroin a major motion picture.His work inSpawnearned him a nomination for theBlockbuster Entertainment Awardfor Best Male Newcomer. In 1999, White starred oppositeJean-Claude Van DammeinUniversal Soldier: The Return, and in 2001, he starred oppositeSteven SeagalinExit Wounds.
He has appeared in the well-received filmsThe Dark Knight(2008),Black Dynamite(2009),Accident Man(2018),Dragged Across Concrete(2019), andAs Good As Dead(2022), among others.He appeared as Marcus Williams in theTyler PerryfilmsWhy Did I Get Married?(2007) andWhy Did I Get Married Too?(2010), and starred as the character on theTBS/OWNcomedy-drama television seriesTyler Perry's For Better or Worse. He directed and starred inNever Back Down 2: The Beatdown(2011),Never Back Down: No Surrender(2016), andOutlaw Johnny Black(2023). His voice acting work includesJustice League Heroes(2006),Batman: Soul of the Dragon(2021), andMarvel's Midnight Suns(2022).
White has been training in martial arts since the age of 7, and specializes in the styles ofKyokushin,Taekwondo,Kobudō,Shotokan, andThe Superfoot System.
White is a martial artist trained in nine differentstyles:Shōtōkan,Goju-Ryu(for which he studied under Master Eddie Morales where he learned to sharpen his Goju karate technique),Taekwondo,Kobudō,Tang Soo Do,Wushu,Jujutsu,Kyokushin, andBoxing,with a specific focus in Kyokushin Karate (although his style incorporates aspects of many different martial arts forms).White started training in martial arts at the age of four inJujutsu. He next took upShōtōkanand moved on to other styles later.White holds seven legitimate black belts in Kyokushin Karate, Goju-Ryu Karate, Shotokan Karate, Taekwondo, Tang Soo Do,Kobudo, and Wushu.
White is also a formerspecial educationteacher and taught students with behavioral problems for three years. He cites his history in education as the reason why, despite his personal love for the music genre on "a lot of levels", he cannot "in good [conscience]" have a positive opinion onhip-hopor "excuse some of [its] pervasive and destructive elements", mainly due to his experience with youngsters who had difficulty seeing the difference between it and real life.
He graduated fromCentral High Schoolin Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1982.
White's first major starring role was in the 1995HBOfilmTysonas heavyweight boxerMike Tyson. He portrayed the eponymous character in the 1997 filmSpawn, making him the firstAfrican Americanto portray a major comic booksuperheroin a major motion picture.His work inSpawnearned him a nomination for theBlockbuster Entertainment Award. In 1999, White starred oppositeJean-Claude Van DammeinUniversal Soldier: The Return. A few years earlier, he acted inFull ContactwithJerry Trimble. In 2001, he starred opposite fellow martial artistSteven SeagalinExit Wounds. In 2003, he appeared inBusta RhymesandMariah Carey'smusic video"I Know What You Want". Since 2003, in addition to his on screen roles, White has been doing voice work, including inStatic ShockandJustice League. White showcases his martial arts skills in the direct-to-DVD filmUndisputed II: Last Man Standing. In 2004, he appeared in Michelle Yeoh'sSilver Hawk. That year, he also appeared inKill Bill: Volume 2, although his role was cut from the theatrical release.He also appeared inUndisputed II: Last Man Standing(2006) andBlood and Bone(2009).His filmWhy Did I Get Married?opened at number one at the box office on October 12, 2007.
White played the role of mob boss Gambol in the 2008 filmThe Dark Knight. He also starred in the filmBlood and Boneand theblaxploitationhomageBlack Dynamite, both released in 2009. White wrote the scripts for bothBlack Dynamiteand3 Bulletsin which he stars withBokeem Woodbine.
On March 30, 2010, White appeared onThe Mo'Nique Showto promote his filmWhy Did I Get Married Too?. The two joked about the acclaim that comes with winning anOscar. In May of that year, he appeared in the music video forToni Braxton's new song "Hands Tied" from her albumPulse, as well as theNicki Minajmusic video for "Your Love" as Nicki's sensei and love interest.
He also starred inKevin Tancharoen's short filmMortal Kombat: RebirthasJax Briggs, and reprised the role inMortal Kombat: Legacy, a web series from the same director. He posted onTwitterthat he would not be returning to the role for the second season, but would return for the 2013 film.
White made hisdirectorial debutand starred inNever Back Down 2: The Beatdown, which was released on home video on September 13, 2011.
White also provided the voice ofGreen Lanternin the video gameJustice League Heroes.
In October 2019, White announced that the spiritual successor toBlack DynamitetitledOutlaw Johnny Blackhad officially entered pre-production. Despite theIndiegogocampaign not reaching its goal, he was still able to secure enough backers and additional donors to get the project off the ground. In July 2023, its trailer was released.Its theatrical release date was September 15, 2023.
In October 2020, White's latest filmWelcome to Sudden Deathdebuted onNetflixand became one of the most watched films on the platform.TheUniversal Pictures Home Entertainmentrelease is a remake of the 1995 filmSudden DeathstarringJean-Claude Van Damme.
On July 12, 2021, White laid out a vision for starting a film studio inNew Haven, Connecticutcalled "Jaigantic Studios".He wants to create a studio district on New Haven'sQuinnipiac Riverwaterfront.
From 2005 to 2011, White was married to Courtenay Chatman and together they have a daughter named Morgan. In addition, White has two sons.In February 2014, White announced his engagement to actress Gillian Iliana Waters.In April 2015, White penned an open letter viaFacebookentitled "Apologies to My Ex's", where he credited Waters for helping him become "the very best version of myself."In July 2015, White married Waters in Thailand.They appeared together in the martial arts thriller movieTake Back(2021),with Gillian White starring as the female lead.
In 2014, White was honored with the Fists of Legends Decade Award at the Urban Action Showcase & Expo at HBO.In 2015, he was inducted into theInternational Sports Hall of Fame.On November 8, 2019, he assumed the "Mantle of The Black Dragon" fromRon van Clief,Don "The Dragon" Wilson,Cynthia Rothrock, andTaimak, in a ceremony at the 2019 Urban Action Showcase & Expo at AMC 25, New York City.
White briefly dated actressAngela Bassettduring the 1990s.
White is a cousin of comedian and actressKym Whitley.