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 57) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actor director martial artist
Years active	1989–present
Spouse(s)	Courtenay Chatman ​ ​ (m. 2005; div. 2011)​ Gillian Iliana Waters ​ (m. 2015)​
Children	7

Michael Jai White (born November 10, 1967) is an American actor, director, and martial artist. He is famous for his roles in action and martial arts movies.

One of his first big roles was playing boxer Mike Tyson in the 1995 film Tyson. In 1997, he became the first African American to play a major comic book superhero in a big movie. He played Al Simmons in the film Spawn. This role earned him an award nomination.

Michael Jai White has appeared in many other popular films. These include The Dark Knight (2008) and Black Dynamite (2009). He also starred in the Tyler Perry films Why Did I Get Married? (2007) and Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010). He continued his role as Marcus Williams in the TV series Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse.

He has also directed and starred in movies like Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown (2011). His voice can be heard in video games such as Justice League Heroes (2006) and Marvel's Midnight Suns (2022). Michael Jai White has trained in martial arts since he was 7 years old. He is skilled in styles like Kyokushin and Taekwondo.

Early Life and Martial Arts Training

Michael Jai White began training in martial arts when he was only four years old. He has studied many different styles. These include Shōtōkan, Goju-Ryu, Taekwondo, and Kyokushin. He holds seven black belts in various martial arts forms.

Before becoming a famous actor, White was a special education teacher. He taught students with behavioral problems for three years. He believes his time as a teacher helped him understand young people better. He graduated from Central High School in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1982.

Michael Jai White's Acting Career

Michael Jai White's career took off with his role as Mike Tyson in the 1995 HBO film Tyson. He then made history in 1997 by playing the superhero Spawn. This made him the first African American to lead a major superhero movie.

He often stars in action films. In 1999, he worked with Jean-Claude Van Damme in Universal Soldier: The Return. In 2001, he starred alongside Steven Seagal in Exit Wounds. White also showed off his martial arts skills in the movie Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006).

In 2008, White played the mob boss Gambol in the superhero film The Dark Knight. He also starred in and wrote the script for the movie Black Dynamite (2009). This film was a tribute to older action movies.

Michael Jai White has also directed films. His first movie as a director was Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown in 2011. He also directed and starred in Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016) and Outlaw Johnny Black (2023).

In 2019, he announced a new film called Outlaw Johnny Black. It was a follow-up to Black Dynamite. The movie was released in theaters in September 2023. In 2020, his film Welcome to Sudden Death became very popular on Netflix.

White has also done voice acting for animated shows and video games. He voiced Doomsday in Justice League. He also played Jax Briggs in the web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy.

In 2021, Michael Jai White shared his plans to open a film studio. He wants to build "Jaigantic Studios" in New Haven, Connecticut.

Personal Life and Achievements

Michael Jai and Gillian White in 2017

Michael Jai White was married to Courtenay Chatman from 2005 to 2011. They have a daughter named Morgan. He also has two sons. In 2015, White married actress Gillian Iliana Waters in Thailand. They have also worked together in movies, like Take Back (2021).

White has received several honors for his work. In 2014, he won the Fists of Legends Decade Award. In 2015, he was added to the International Sports Hall of Fame. These awards celebrate his achievements in both acting and martial arts.

Filmography

Film

Key

Denotes works that have not yet been released

Television

Music videos

Video games

Web series

See also

In Spanish: Michael Jai White para niños