Michael Jai White
White in January 2016
Born (1967-11-10) November 10, 1967
New York City, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • director
  • martial artist
Years active1989–present
Spouses
Courtenay Chatman
​
​
(m. 2005; div. 2011)​
    Gillian Iliana Waters
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2015)​
    Children7

    Michael Jai White[1] is an American actor, director and martial artist. He was the first Black American to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture,[2] starring as Al Simmons, the protagonist in the 1997 film Spawn.[note 1] White appeared as Marcus Williams in the Tyler Perry films Why Did I Get Married? and Why Did I Get Married Too?, and starred as the character on the TBS/OWN comedy-drama television series Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse. White portrayed Jax Briggs in Mortal Kombat: Legacy and the Cyborg Seth in Universal Soldier: The Return. He portrayed boxer Mike Tyson in the 1995 HBO television film Tyson. He also played the title role in the blaxploitation parody film Black Dynamite, as well as the animated series of the same name.

    Early life

    White is a martial artist in nine different styles: 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 and Boxing,[3][4] with a specific focus in Kyokushin Karate (although his style incorporates aspects of many different martial arts forms).[5] White started training in the martial arts at the age of four in Jujutsu. He next took up Shōtōkan and moved on to other styles later.[6] White holds seven legitimate black belts in Kyokushin Karate, Goju-Ryu Karate, Shotokan Karate, Taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Kobudo, and Wushu.

    White is a former special education teacher 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 on hip hop or "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.[7]

    He graduated from Central High School in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1982.[8]

    Acting career

    White's first major starring role and breakout performance was in the 1995 HBO film Tyson, as heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson. He portrayed the eponymous character in the 1997 film Spawn, making him the first African American to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture.[2] His work in Spawn earned him a nomination for the Blockbuster Entertainment Award. White starred opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme in Universal Soldier: The Return, in 1999. A few years earlier, he acted in Full Contact, with Jerry Trimble. 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 in Static Shock and Justice League. 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. He appeared in Kill Bill: Volume 2, although his role was cut from the theatrical release. 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 3 Bullets in which he stars with Bokeem Woodbine.

    On March 30, 2010, White appeared on The Mo'Nique Show to promote his film Why Did I Get Married Too. The two joked about the acclaim that comes with winning an Oscar. In May of that year he appeared in the music video for Toni Braxton's new song "Hands Tied" from her album Pulse, as well as the Nicki Minaj music video for "Your Love" as Nicki's sensei and love interest.

    He also starred in Kevin Tancharoen's short film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth,[9] as Jax Briggs, and reprised the role in Mortal Kombat: Legacy, a webseries from the same director. He posted on Twitter that he would not be returning to the role for the second season, but would return for the 2013 film.

    White made his directorial debut and starred in Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown, which was released on home video on September 13, 2011.[10]

    White also provided the voice of Green Lantern in the video game Justice League Heroes.[11]

    In October 2019, White announced that the spiritual successor to Black Dynamite titled Outlaw Johnny Black had officially entered pre-production. Despite the Indiegogo campaign not reaching its goal, he was still able to secure enough backers and additional donors to get the project off the ground. It is available for pre-order on the official website. Its theatrical release date was 15 September 2023.[12] In July 2023, its trailer was released.[13]

    In October 2020, White's latest film Welcome to Sudden Death debuted on Netflix and became one of the most watched films on the platform.[14] The Universal Pictures Home Entertainment release is a remake of the 1995 film Sudden Death starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.

    On July 12, 2021, White laid out a vision for starting a film studio in New Haven, CT called "Jaigantic Studios".[15] He wants to create a studio district on New Haven's Quinnipiac River waterfront.[16]

    Personal life

    Michael Jai and Gillian White in 2017

    From 2005 to 2011, White was married to Courtenay Chatman and together they have a daughter named Morgan. In addition, White has two sons.[17][18] In February 2014, White announced his engagement to actress Gillian Iliana Waters.[18] In April 2015, White penned an open letter via Facebook entitled "Apologies to My Ex's", where he credited Waters for helping him become "the very best version of myself."[19] In July 2015, White married Waters in Thailand.[20] They appeared together in the martial arts thriller movie Take Back (2021),[21] with Gillian White starring as the female lead.[22]

    In 2014, White was honored with the Fists of Legends Decade Award at the Urban Action Showcase & Expo at HBO.[23] In 2015, he was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.[24] On November 8, 2019, he assumed the "Mantle of The Black Dragon" from Ron van Clief, Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Cynthia Rothrock, and Taimak, in a ceremony at the 2019 Urban Action Showcase & Expo at AMC 25, NYC.[25]

    White is a cousin of comedian and actress Kym Whitley.[26]

    Filmography

    Film

    Year Title Role Notes
    1989 The Toxic Avenger Part II Apocalypse Inc. Executive
    The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie
    1991 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze Audience Man
    True Identity Alley Guy #1
    1992 Universal Soldier Soldier
    1993 Full Contact Low-Ball
    1994 On Deadly Ground Oil Worker
    Lion Strike Silvio
    1995 Ballistic Quint
    1996 2 Days in the Valley Buck
    1997 City of Industry Odell Williams
    Spawn Al Simmons / Spawn
    1998 Ringmaster Demond
    Thick as Thieves Pointy
    1999 Breakfast of Champions Howell
    Universal Soldier: The Return S.E.T.H. Super UniSol [27]
    2000 The Bus Stop Unknown Short
    2001 Exit Wounds Sergeant Lewis Strutt
    2002 Trois 2: Pandora's Box Hampton Hines
    2003 Justice Tre
    2004 Silver Hawk Morris
    Kill Bill: Volume 2 Martial Artist Scene deleted
    2006 Undisputed II: Last Man Standing George "The Iceman" Chambers Video
    2007 Why Did I Get Married Marcus
    2008 The Dark Knight Gambol
    2009 Black Dynamite Black Dynamite Also writer
    The Legend of Bruce Lee Ali Video
    Blood and Bone Isaiah Bone
    Three Bullets The Man Short; also writer
    2010 Why Did I Get Married Too? Marcus
    Mortal Kombat: Rebirth Jackson "Jax" Briggs Video short [28]
    2011 Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown Casey "Case" Walker Jr. Video; also director
    Tactical Force SWAT Sergeant Tony Hunt
    2012 We the Party Officer Davis
    Freaky Deaky Donnell Lewis
    The Philly Kid Arthur Letts
    2013 Fedz "Big D"
    2014 Android Cop Hammond
    Falcon Rising John "Falcon" Chapman
    Skin Trade FBI Agent Reed
    2015 Chocolate City Princeton
    Chain of Command James Webster
    2016 Vigilante Diaries Barrington [29][30]
    The Asian Connection Greg "Greedy Greg"
    Never Back Down: No Surrender Casey "Case" Walker Jr. Video; also writer and director
    2017 S.W.A.T.: Under Siege "Scorpion"
    Chocolate City: Vegas Strip Princeton
    Cops and Robbers Michael
    2018 Accident Man Mick
    Making a Killing Orlando Hudson
    Dragged Across Concrete "Biscuit"
    2019 The Hard Way Payne
    Triple Threat Devereaux
    Undercover Brother 2 Undercover Brother
    2020 Welcome to Sudden Death Jesse Video
    2021 Batman: Soul of the Dragon Bronze Tiger Voice[27]
    Assault on VA-33 Chief Malone
    Take Back Brian
    Send It! Coach
    Rogue Hostage Sparks
    Black Friday Archie
    2022 The Commando James Baker
    Dead Zone Boss Tubi original
    The Hit Brooke
    As Good As Dead Bryant Also writer
    2023 You're Not Alone Keith Mitchell Tubi original
    A Snowy Day in Oakland Reverend Carter Direct-to-video
    The Island Mark
    MR-9: Do or Die Duke Direct-to-video
    Outlaw Johnny Black Johnny Black Also writer and director
    2024 One More Shot † Robert Jackson Direct-to-video; post-production
    Key
    † Denotes works that have not yet been released

    Television

    Year Title Role Notes
    1992 Saved by the Bell Military Police Man #2 Episode: "Wrestling with the Future"
    1993 Renegade Luther, Dawn's Boyfriend Episode: "Vanished"
    1994 Martin Valdez Episode: "Arms Are for Hugging"
    Living Single Steve Episode: "Hot Fun in the Wintertime"
    1995 NYPD Blue Officer Reggie Fancy 2 episodes
    JAG Navy Petty Officer Peter Quinn / Lieutenant Martin Payne Episode: "Brig Break"
    Tyson Mike "Iron Mike" Tyson Television film
    1996 Captive Heart: The James Mink Story Elroy Television film
    Shaughnessy Carpenter Television film
    1999 Mutiny Ben Cooper Television film
    2000 Wonderland Dr. Derrick Hatcher Main cast
    Freedom Song Coleman Vaughnes Television film
    2001 Boston Public Darren Schofield Episode: "Chapter Eighteen"
    Soul Food Russell Banks Episode: "Who Do You Know?"
    2003 CSI: Miami Officer Roy Bailey Episode: "Hard Time"
    Justice League Doomsday Voice; episode: "A Better World, Part 1"[27]
    Hotel Unknown Television film
    2003–2004 Static Shock Osebo Voice, 2 episodes[27]
    2004–2005 Clubhouse Ellis Hayes Recurring cast
    2005 Justice League Unlimited Doomsday Voice, episode: "The Doomsday Sanction"[27]
    2006 Windfall Michael Episode: "Priceless"
    Getting Played Actor Television film
    2008 Tyler Perry's House of Payne Bryan Recurring cast, season 3
    2010 The Boondocks Bushido Brown / Cop Voice, episode: "Stinkmeaner 3: The Hateocracy"
    One Angry Juror Derrick Television film
    2011 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Tattooed Man Voice, episode: "The Scorn of the Star Sapphire!"[27]
    2011–2017 Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse Marcus Williams Main cast
    2011–2015 Black Dynamite Black Dynamite Voice, main cast; also creator[27]
    2012 Aqua Something You Know Whatever Zucotti Manicotti Voice, episode: "Zucotti Manicotti"
    Somebody's Child Douglas Television film
    2013–2014,
    2018–2019    		 Arrow Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger Guest (season 2), recurring (season 7); 10 episodes
    2016 The Crooked Man Milo Television film
    2017 Insecure: Due North Zeke Episode: "201"
    Insecure Zeke 2 episodes
    2018 Every Day Is Christmas Justin Television film
    2018–2020 The Family Business Vegas Duncan Recurring cast
    2020 Black-ish Vincent Episode: "Dad Bod-y of Work"
    Pump Eric Main cast

    Music Videos

    Year Video Performer
    2003 "I Know What You Want" Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey featuring The Flipmode Squad
    2010 "Your Love" Nicki Minaj
    2010 "Hands Tied" Toni Braxton
    2012 "Let's Go" Calvin Harris featuring Ne-Yo
    2021 "Where I Belong" Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey

    Video Games

    Year Title Voice role
    2006 Justice League Heroes John Stewart[27]
    2007 The Underground Bounty Hunter Hatch
    2022 Marvel's Midnight Suns Eric Brooks / Blade[27]

    Web Series

    Year Title Role Notes
    2011 Mortal Kombat: Legacy Jackson "Jax" Briggs 2 episodes
    2012 Métal Hurlant Chronicles Teague Episode: "King's Crown"
    2014 Métal Hurlant Chronicles Balt Episode: "The Endomorphe"
    2016 Enter the Dojo Himself Episode: "How to Fight a Clown"

    Notes

    1. ↑ Spawn was released on August 1, 1997, two weeks before the release of Steel, which starred NBA basketball player Shaquille O'Neal. Robert Townsend and Damon Wayans also starred in the superhero films The Meteor Man (1993) and Blankman (1994), respectively, both parodies.

    References

    1. ↑ Michael Jai White Is Still Shredded at 55 Thanks to This Martial Art, the 'Pinnacle of Performance', retrieved January 7, 2024
    2. 1 2 "Michael Jai White is first Black comic superhero to star on the movie screen in 'Spawn.'". Jet magazine. September 22, 1997. Archived from the original on May 25, 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
    3. ↑ "Male Celebs Who Practice Martial Arts", Jet magazine, Sept. 24, 2001, at pp. 38-39.
    4. ↑ Pollard, Edward. "Michael Jai White Ignites Black Dynamite". Black Belt Magazine. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved 2009-12-27.
    5. ↑ Taco the Town: Michael Jai White Archived 2010-06-10 at the Wayback Machine
    6. ↑ Howlett, Sandy (August 27, 2014). "The Kyokushin Karate Roots of Michael Jai White". www.blackbeltmag.com. Black Belt Magazine. Archived from the original on January 4, 2018.
    7. ↑ Black Dynamite Interview with Michael Jai White and Scott Sanders. Midcmedia. February 11, 2010. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2019-12-17.
    8. ↑ "Central High Distinguished Alumni". Bridgeport Central High School. Archived from the original on June 10, 2003. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
    9. ↑ "New Mortal Kombat Promotional Featurette Delivers the Goods". dreadcentral.com. June 8, 2010. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014.
    10. ↑ Morales, Wilson (September 13, 2011). "Never Back Down 2: Michael Jai White". Blackfilm.com. Retrieved December 11, 2011.
    11. ↑ "Justice League Heroes (Video Game 2006)". IMDb. Retrieved 2019-12-17.
    12. ↑ "Outlaw Johnny Black". Samuel Goldwyn Films. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
    13. ↑ Fuge, Jonathan (July 13, 2023). "Outlaw Johnny Black Trailer Sees Michael Jai White Wage War in the Wild West". MovieWeb. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
    14. ↑ "A Michael Jai White Remake Of A Van Damme Bomb Is Now One Of Netflix's Most-Watched Movies". Forbes.
    15. ↑ "Movie Superhero Lays Out "Jaigantic" Community Vision".
    16. ↑ "Jaigantic Vision Pitched on River Street Walkthrough".
    17. ↑ "Michael Jai White's Adorable Baby Girl". Archived from the original on 2009-01-24. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
    18. 1 2 Bailey-Tureaud, Kimberly (3 February 2014). "Michael Jai White and fiancée Gillian Iliana Waters share the secret to their romance". Las Vegas Black Image. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
    19. ↑ Williams, Brennan (15 April 2015). "Michael Jai White Writes Letter Of Apology To His Ex-Girlfriends: 'I Believed All Women Were Crazy'". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
    20. ↑ Caslin, Yvette (8 July 2015). "Exclusive: Michael Jai White and Gillian Iliana Waters tie the knot". Rolling Out. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
    21. ↑ Blueskye, Brian (June 18, 2021). "Duo filmed action movie in the Coachella Valley during pandemic". The Desert Sun. Palm Springs. pp. 3A, 4A. Retrieved 2022-11-28 – via Newspapers.com.
    22. ↑ Hoad, Phil (23 March 2021). "Take Back review – dusty martial arts thriller looks cramped". The Guardian. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
    23. ↑ 2014 Urban Action Showcase International Action Film Festival & Honoree Awards. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
    24. ↑ Dr. Robert Goldman (March 13, 2015). "2015 International Sports Hall of Fame Inductees". www.sportshof.org. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
    25. ↑ Zirogiannis, Marc (November 9, 2019). "Michael Jai White Assumes The Mantle of the Black Dragon". Tae Kwon Do Life Magazine. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
    26. ↑ "Hey Family, Michael Jai White and Kym Whitley are Cousins".
    27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Michael Jai White (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved October 7, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
    28. ↑ George 'El Guapo' Roush (June 8, 2010). "Mortal Kombat Fans, This Is The Hard 'R' MK Movie You've Been Waiting For". latinoreview.com. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010.
    29. ↑ Sesma, Christian (2016-06-24), Vigilante Diaries, retrieved 2016-08-29
    30. ↑ Taylor, Kelly (22 June 2016). "Michael Jai White on new film 'Vigilante Diaries' and finding his soul mate". Fox. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
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