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 martial artist director
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, martial artist, and director. He is famous for his roles in action and martial arts movies.

His first big role was playing boxer Mike Tyson in the 1995 HBO film Tyson. In 1997, he played Al Simmons in the movie Spawn. This made him the first African American to play a main comic book superhero in a big movie. He was even nominated for an award for his work in Spawn.

Michael Jai White has been in many other films. These include Universal Soldier: The Return (1999) with Jean-Claude Van Damme. He also starred in Exit Wounds (2001) with Steven Seagal. Later, he appeared in The Dark Knight (2008) and Black Dynamite (2009). He also directed and starred in movies like Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown (2011) and Outlaw Johnny Black (2023). He has also done voice acting for video games and animated shows.

White started training in martial arts when he was 7 years old. He is skilled in many styles, including Kyokushin, Taekwondo, and Shotokan.

Early Life and Education

Michael Jai White is a martial artist who has trained in nine different styles. These include Shōtōkan, Goju-Ryu, Taekwondo, and Kyokushin. He began his martial arts journey at age four with Jujutsu. He holds seven black belts in various styles.

Before becoming an actor, White was a special education teacher. He taught students with behavioral problems for three years. He has said that his experience as a teacher shaped his views on certain music genres. He graduated from Central High School in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1982.

Acting and Directing Career

White's acting career began with smaller roles. His first major starring role was in the 1995 HBO film Tyson. He played the famous boxer Mike Tyson. In 1997, he became well-known for playing the main character in Spawn. This was a big step for African American actors in superhero movies.

He continued to star in action films. In 1999, he was in Universal Soldier: The Return. In 2001, he appeared in Exit Wounds with fellow martial artist Steven Seagal. 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 popular film The Dark Knight. He also starred in Black Dynamite (2009), a movie he helped write. This film was a tribute to older action movies.

White has also appeared in music videos. He was in Toni Braxton's "Hands Tied" and Nicki Minaj's "Your Love" music videos in 2010. He also played Jax Briggs in the web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy.

In 2011, White directed his first movie, Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown. He also starred in it. He later directed and starred in Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016) and Outlaw Johnny Black (2023).

In 2020, his film Welcome to Sudden Death became very popular on Netflix. It was a remake of a 1995 movie. In 2021, White shared his plans to open a film studio called "Jaigantic Studios" in New Haven, Connecticut.

Personal Life

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 2014, White announced his engagement to actress Gillian Iliana Waters. They got married in Thailand in July 2015. White has said that Gillian helped him become a better person. They also worked together in the martial arts movie Take Back (2021).

White has received several honors for his work. In 2014, he received the Fists of Legends Decade Award. In 2015, he was added to the International Sports Hall of Fame.

White is a cousin of comedian and actress Kym Whitley.

Filmography

Film Roles

Key

Denotes works that have not yet been released

Television Roles

Music Videos

Video Game Voice Roles

Web Series

See also

In Spanish: Michael Jai White para niños