Mykelti Williamson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mykelti Williamson
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Williamson in 2016
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| Born |
Michael T. Williamson
March 4, 1957 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
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| Other names | Mykel T. Williamson |
| Alma mater | Los Angeles City College |
| Occupation | Actor, director, writer |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Cheryl Chisholm
(m. 1989; div. 1991)Sondra Spriggs
(m. 1997) |
| Children | 3 |
Mykelti Williamson (born Michael T. Williamson on March 4, 1957) is an American actor and director. He is famous for his roles in movies like Forrest Gump, 12 Angry Men (1997), Con Air, and Ali. He has also appeared in popular TV shows such as Boomtown, 24, and Justified.
In 2016, Mykelti Williamson played Gabriel Maxson in the movie Fences. This film was directed by Denzel Washington and was based on a play by August Wilson. Williamson had also played this role before in a Broadway play in 2010. Some of his other well-known movies include Free Willy, Heat, Lucky Number Slevin, and Three Kings.
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Early Life and Education
Mykelti Williamson was born in St. Louis, Missouri. His mother, Elaine, was an accountant, and his father was an officer in the Air Force. Mykelti is of African American background. He has also mentioned that he has some Blackfoot ancestry.
He started performing when he was just nine years old. Besides acting, he was also a dancer. He was an alternate member of a dance group called The Lockers on the TV show Soul Train. When he was nine, his family moved to Los Angeles. He studied television and film at Los Angeles City College. He also took acting classes at the USC. Later, he studied film production in San Jose, California.
Acting Career Highlights
Mykelti Williamson began acting professionally when he was a child. He appeared in early TV shows like Starsky & Hutch, Hill Street Blues, and Miami Vice. One of his most recognized TV roles was Donovan Aderhold in the series The New WKRP in Cincinnati. He also starred in the PBS TV series The Righteous Apples. In this show, he played Charles "Big Neck" McMorris, the lead singer of a high school band that helped people.
Famous Movie Roles
Williamson's first movie appearance was in Streets of Fire (1984). He became widely known for playing Private Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blue in the 1994 movie Forrest Gump. In this Academy Award-winning film, he starred alongside Tom Hanks. He also played Dwight Mercer in the Free Willy movies, helping to care for the whale.
Some of his other important movie roles include:
- Wildcats (1986) with Goldie Hawn
- Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)
- Heat (1995)
- Con Air (1997)
- Three Kings (1999)
- Ali (2001), where he played Don King
- The Final Destination (2009)
- The Purge: Election Year (2016)
He also received good reviews for playing Negro league baseball player Josh Gibson in the 1996 HBO film Soul of the Game.
Notable Television Appearances
Mykelti Williamson has made many guest appearances and had recurring roles on television. In 1997, he was Juror #10 in the TV movie remake of 12 Angry Men. From 2002 to 2003, he co-starred as Detective Bobby "Fearless" Smith in the crime drama Boomtown.
He appeared in seven episodes of CSI: NY as Chief Brigham Sinclair, working again with his Forrest Gump co-star Gary Sinise. In 2010, he was a main character in season 8 of 24, playing Brian Hastings. He also had a recurring role as Ellstin Limehouse on the FX drama Justified. More recently, he has appeared in Designated Survivor and Chicago P.D..
Personal Life
Mykelti Williamson has been married three times. He was married to actress Olivia Brown from 1983 to 1985. He later married Cheryl Chisholm in 1989, and they had their first child, Phoenix.
Since April 26, 1997, Williamson has been married to Sondra Spriggs. They have two daughters named Nicole and Maya. They got married while he was filming the movie Buffalo Soldiers.
See also
In Spanish: Mykelti Williamson para niños
