Michael Jai White facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Jai White
White at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2024
Born	(1967-11-10) November 10, 1967 (age 58) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actor martial artist director
Years active	1989–present
Spouse(s)	Courtenay Chatman ​ ​ (m. 2005; div. 2011)​ Gillian Iliana Waters ​ (m. 2015)​
Children	3
Relatives	Kym Whitley (cousin)

Michael Jai White (born November 10, 1967) is an American actor, martial artist, and director. He is famous for his roles in action and martial arts movies. Michael Jai White made history as the first African American to play a major comic book superhero in a big movie when he starred as Al Simmons in the 1997 film Spawn. Before that, he played the boxer Mike Tyson in the 1995 film Tyson. He has also appeared in many other films like The Dark Knight (2008) and Black Dynamite (2009). Michael Jai White has trained in martial arts since he was seven years old, mastering several different styles.

Growing Up and Learning

Michael Jai White began learning martial arts when he was just seven years old. He has trained in many different styles, including Shōtōkan, Goju-Ryu, taekwondo, kobudō, Tang Soo Do, wushu, jujutsu, and Kyokushin. He has earned seven black belts in various martial arts.

Before becoming a famous actor, Michael Jai White was a special education teacher. He taught students for three years. He finished high school at Central High School in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1982.

Michael Jai White's Acting Journey

Michael Jai White's first big role was playing the boxer Mike Tyson in the 1995 HBO film Tyson. Two years later, he became the first African American to play a major comic book superhero in a big movie, starring as Spawn in the 1997 film Spawn. This role earned him a nomination for an award.

He worked with other action stars like Jean-Claude Van Damme in Universal Soldier: The Return (1999) and Steven Seagal in Exit Wounds (2001). Michael Jai White also showed his martial arts skills in the film Undisputed II: Last Man Standing.

Beyond action films, he appeared in popular movies like The Dark Knight (2008), where he played Gambol, and the comedy Black Dynamite (2009), which he also helped write. He has also done voice acting for cartoons like Static Shock and Justice League, where he voiced Doomsday and Green Lantern.

Michael Jai White also became a director. He directed and starred in films such as Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown (2011) and Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016). His film Outlaw Johnny Black, which he also wrote and directed, was released in September 2023.

In October 2020, his film Welcome to Sudden Death became very popular on Netflix. In 2021, he shared his idea to start a film studio called "Jaigantic Studios" in New Haven, Connecticut. In November 2025, Michael Jai White received the Bruce Lee Award, becoming the first non-Asian person to get this honor.

Family and Achievements

Michael Jai White and Gillian White in 2017

Michael Jai White has three children. He was married to Courtenay Chatman from 2005 to 2011, and they have a daughter named Morgan. In July 2015, he married actress Gillian Iliana Waters in Thailand. They even acted together in the martial arts film Take Back (2021).

Michael Jai White has received several honors for his work and martial arts skills. In 2015, he was welcomed into the International Sports Hall of Fame. In 2017, he joined the Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame. He also received the "Mantle of The Black Dragon" in 2019, an honor passed down by other martial arts legends.

He is also a cousin to the comedian and actress Kym Whitley.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Video games

Web series

See also

In Spanish: Michael Jai White para niños