Max Julien facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Max Julien
Julien in 1970
Born	Maxwell Julien Banks July 12, 1933 Washington, D.C., U.S.
Died	January 1, 2022(2022-01-01) (aged 88) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor sculptor clothes designer
Years active	1966–2005
Known for	Goldie – The Mack
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Spouse(s)	Arabella Chavers ​ (m. 1991)​
Partner(s)	Vonetta McGee (1970–1977)
Children	1 (daughter)

Maxwell Julien Banks (born July 12, 1933 – died January 1, 2022), known by his stage name Max Julien, was an American actor, a talented sculptor, and a creative clothes designer. He is most famous for his role as Goldie in the 1973 movie The Mack. Max Julien also appeared in the film Def Jam's How to Be a Player. He was a guest star on TV shows like The Mod Squad and One on One.

Max Julien's Acting Journey

Max Julien started his acting career on stage in New York City. He performed in plays, including some by Joseph Papp in Shakespeare-In-The-Park. Later, he moved to Hollywood to act in movies. He starred alongside famous actors like Jack Nicholson in Psych-Out and Candice Bergen in the popular film Getting Straight.

Julien was also involved in writing for films. He wrote the story and script for the 1973 action movie Cleopatra Jones. He was supposed to be part of the sequel, Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold, but he chose not to act in it. Instead, the movie's story and script were based on characters he had created.

What Critics Said About His Work

Max Julien received praise for his acting. For his role in the 1968 movie Up Tight!, a critic from The New York Times named Judith Crist said he was "a standout in a standout cast." Another critic, Raoul Gripenwaldt, wrote that Julien's acting in Uptight could even earn him an Academy Award. The Hollywood Reporter also noted that Max Julien "creates a memorable piece of reality" in his performances.

Max Julien's Influence on Pop Culture

Max Julien's work, especially his role in The Mack, had a big impact on popular culture.

• The rapper Curren$y has a song named after Max Julien on his 2012 mixtape "Priest Andretti." Curren$y also mentions Max Julien in another song called "What's What."
• Many rappers have used parts of his voice from The Mack in their songs. These include artists like Craig Mack, Lloyd Banks, Gangrene, Big K.R.I.T., and Do or Die.
• Many famous R&B, hip-hop, and rock artists, such as Too Short, Rappin' 4-Tay, P. Diddy, Snoop Dogg, and Kid Rock, have said they styled their looks after Julien's character from The Mack.
• Max Julien even appeared as his character "Goldie" in an episode of the TV show One on One in 2005.

Max Julien's Life

Max Julien was born in Washington, DC, on July 12, 1933. He was a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at Howard University.

He had a relationship with actress Vonetta McGee from 1974 to 1977. They even starred together in the 1974 western action film Thomasine & Bushrod. This movie was made to be a similar story to the famous 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. Max Julien later married Arabella Chavers in 1991. They lived in Los Angeles. He passed away there on January 1, 2022, at the age of 88. He is survived by his wife and a daughter.

Max Julien's Film and TV Roles