Mario Van Peebles facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mario Van Peebles
Van Peebles on stage as father Melvin in 2024
Born	Mario Cain Van Peebles (1957-01-15) January 15, 1957 (age 68) Mexico City, Mexico
Other names	Matthews
Alma mater	Columbia University
Occupation	Actor film director
Years active	1968–present
Children	5, including Mandela Van Peebles
Parent(s)	Melvin Van Peebles (father)

Mario Van Peebles is a talented American director and actor. He was born on January 15, 1957, in Mexico City. He is famous for his roles in movies like Heartbreak Ridge (1986). He also directed and starred in New Jack City (1991) and USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage (2016). Mario is the son of the well-known filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles. Mario even played his father in the 2003 movie Baadasssss!, which he also helped write and direct.

Early Life and Education

Mario Van Peebles was born in Mexico City on January 15, 1957. His parents were Melvin Van Peebles and Maria Marx. His father was a writer, director, actor, and musician.

Mario often traveled with his parents. They went between Europe and the United States.

He studied economics at Columbia College. This is part of Columbia University. In 2021, he was invited to speak at the school's graduation ceremony.

Mario Van Peebles' Career in Film and TV

Starting Out: First Acting Roles (1968-1971)

Mario Van Peebles first appeared on screen in 1968. It was in a TV show called One Life to Live.

In 1971, he was in the movie Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. His father, Melvin Van Peebles, directed this film. Melvin also played the main character. Mario played his father's character as a child. This movie was very important. It showed Hollywood that black audiences were interested in movies. It also helped create the Blaxploitation film style. That same year, Mario acted in a TV movie called Crosscurrent.

He did not appear in other productions for the rest of that decade.

Taking on New Roles (1981-1985)

In 1981, Van Peebles acted in the TV miniseries The Sophisticated Gents.

He appeared in the action movie Exterminator 2 (1984). He played the main villain in this film. Later, he was a dancer in Francis Ford Coppola's movie The Cotton Club.

In 1985, he got his first main role in the movie Rappin'. He played Rappin' John Hood. This character was an ex-convict who tried to save his neighborhood.

Continued Acting and Directing (1985-1991)

In 1985, Mario was in the comedy Delivery Boys. He also acted in South Bronx Heroes. He appeared in the TV film Children of the Night. He was also in an episode of The Cosby Show.

In 1986, he acted in several films. These included 3:15 and Last Resort. He also appeared in the TV film D.C. Cops. He was in four episodes of L.A. Law. He also acted in the military film Heartbreak Ridge with Clint Eastwood.

In 1987, he played in the sports film Hotshot. He was also in the TV film The Facts of Life Down Under. He appeared in Jaws: The Revenge, which was the fourth Jaws movie.

In 1988, Van Peebles starred in the detective show Sonny Spoon. The show was short-lived. It was canceled after two seasons. This show was also where he first directed an episode. He also acted in the TV film The Child Saver.

In 1989, he directed for the show Top of the Hill. He directed three episodes of 21 Jump Street. He acted in two of those episodes. He also directed an episode of Wiseguy.

He acted in an episode of American Playwrights Theater: The One-Acts. He was also in the film Identity Crisis, directed by his father.

Van Peebles in 1991

In the early 1990s, he was in the TV film Blue Bayou. He also appeared in an episode of In Living Color.

Van Peebles directed Malcolm Takes a Shot in 1991. This was a CBS Schoolbreak Special. It was about a high school basketball player. He faced challenges like epilepsy and his own pride. Van Peebles had a small role in the special as the main character's doctor. He was nominated for an award for his directing.

He directed his first major film in 1991. It was the movie New Jack City. He also acted in this film. Other main actors included Wesley Snipes and Ice-T. New Jack City was made with about $8 million.

The film first showed at the Sundance Film Festival. It was released to theaters on March 8, 1991. Critics liked the movie. It earned over $7 million on its first weekend. It became the highest-earning independent film of 1991. It made over $47 million in total.

That same year, he directed an episode of Gabriel's Fire. He also acted in the TV film A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story.

Continued Success in Film and TV (1992-2009)

In 1992, he acted in two TV films. These were In the Line of Duty: Street War and Stompin' at the Savoy.

In 1993, he starred in and directed the Western film Posse. This movie had many actors. It told the story of black soldiers. They were betrayed by a bad colonel.

That same year, he was in the science fiction crime film Full Eclipse.

In 1994, he worked with actor Christopher Lambert. They were main characters in the action film Gunmen. He also played the main villain in Highlander III: The Sorcerer. This was the third movie in the Highlander series. He also acted in a film called In the Living Years.

In 1995, he directed and co-starred in Panther. This film was based on a book by his father. It showed the story of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. The movie won several awards.

In 1996, he acted in an episode of Living Single. He also played the main character in the science fiction action film Solo. His film Gang in Blue was released that year. He starred in it and directed it with his father. It was about a black police officer. This officer found a group of white supremacist vigilantes in his police department.

In 1997, he acted in an episode of The X-Files. He was also in the films Stag, Riot, and Los Locos.

In 1998, he directed and starred in Love Kills. This was a comedy. He also appeared in the miniseries Mama Flora's Family. He was in Valentine's Day and Killers in the House.

In 1999, he acted in Judgement Day and Raw Nerve.

In 2000, Van Peebles acted in an episode of Martial Law. He was in 20 episodes of Rude Awakening. He also appeared in the films Sally Hemings: An American Scandal and Blowback.

In 2001, he starred in a film called Guardian. He also co-starred in the Michael Mann film Ali. For his role in Ali, he was nominated for an award.

In 2002, he acted in 10,000 Black Men Named George. He was in two episodes of Robbery Homicide Division. He also acted in the TV movie Fiona.

In 2003, he acted in the film The Hebrew Hammer. He was also in 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out, Gang of Roses, and The Street Lawyer.

His 2003 film Baadasssss! was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival. This film was about how his father made the movie Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. Mario directed the film and played his father. The film was highly praised. It won many awards and nominations at film festivals.

In 2004, he was a main actor in the TV film Crown Heights. He also acted in an episode of Soul Food. In 2005, he acted in Carlito's Way: Rise to Power. In 2006, he directed and co-starred in Hard Luck. This film starred Wesley Snipes. In 2007, he acted in an episode of Law & Order and the film Sharpshooter. That year, he started directing for television again. He directed three episodes of Damages. He also had a recurring role in that show until 2009.

In 2008, he acted in his father's film Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha. He was also in 43 episodes of the TV show All My Children. He directed three more episodes of Law & Order. In 2009, Van Peebles and his family were in the reality TV show Mario's Green House. He also acted in the film A Letter to Dad.

Recent Work (2010-Present)

In 2010, he acted in two films: Multiple Sarcasms and Across the Line: The Exodus of Charlie Wright. He directed an episode of Lost. He also directed the documentary Fair Game? and the film Redemption Road.

In 2011, he directed the sports drama All Things Fall Apart. This film starred rapper 50 Cent. Van Peebles also had a role in this movie. Other acting roles that year included the films Tied to a Chair and 5th & Alameda. On TV, he was in two episodes of Hellcats and two episodes of The Game. He also started directing for the TV series Boss. He directed five episodes until 2012.

Mario Van Peebles in 2014

In 2012, he wrote, directed, and acted in We the Party. This was a comedy set in a diverse high school in Los Angeles. The film followed five friends as they dealt with many teenage experiences. That year, he also acted in an episode of The Finder and the film American Warships.

In 2013, he directed episodes for several TV shows. These included NCIS, Monday Mornings, Zero Hour, and Nashville. In 2014, he directed two more episodes of Nashville and acted in one. In 2015, he acted in Nashville again.

In 2014, Van Peebles wrote, directed, and acted in Red Sky. This was an action thriller film. He also directed three episodes of Once Upon a Time. That year, he acted in two other films: Mantervention and Drumline: A New Beat.

In 2015, he directed episodes for The Last Ship, Chicago P.D., and Empire.

In 2016, he directed another episode of Empire. He also directed two episodes of Being Mary Jane.

In 2016, he directed the film USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage. This movie was based on the true story of a ship lost during World War II. It starred Nicolas Cage.

He directed an episode of Roots. He also acted in the film Submerged.

In 2017, he directed two more episodes of Being Mary Jane. He also directed an episode of Hand of God. He acted in the film For Justice. He was in four episodes of Bloodline. He directed one of those episodes. He also directed another episode where his character did not appear. That year, he created the TV series Superstition. He directed eight episodes and acted in ten. In some, he did both roles.

Activism

In 2014, Van Peebles made a public service video. It supported the idea of Washington, D.C. becoming a state. He is part of a campaign called "51 Stars." This campaign wants 51 famous people to support making Washington, D.C. the 51st state.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Stage Acting

• Waltz of the Stork (1982)

See also

In Spanish: Mario Van Peebles para niños