Michael Jai White
Acting Born Nov 10, 1967 Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA 151 credits
Biography
Michael Jai White is an American actor and professional martial artist born on November 10, 1967, in Brooklyn, New York. He spent his teenage years in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he graduated from Central High School in 1988. White began his martial arts training at age seven and has developed into an accomplished practitioner. He currently holds seven legitimate black belts across various disciplines, including Shotokan, Tae Kwon Do, Kobudo, Goju Ryu, Tang Soo Do, Wushu, and Kyokushin. Throughout his professional life, he has established himself as a prominent figure in both film and television, maintaining a career that spans over 134 known acting credits.
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Career overview
Michael Jai White has built a diverse career in the entertainment industry, appearing in numerous films and television series. He achieved a significant historical milestone in 1997 when he starred as the protagonist Al Simmons in the motion picture Spawn. This role marked the first time an African-American actor portrayed a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture. His work continues to reach audiences through his extensive filmography and ongoing projects within the industry.
Beyond his established body of work, White remains an active participant in cinema. His career trajectory includes upcoming contributions to major biographical projects, such as his involvement in the 2026 film Michael, which focuses on the life and legacy of Michael Jackson. With over 134 known credits to his name, White leverages his background as a martial artist to inform his performances, maintaining a consistent presence in the acting world.
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Frequent co-stars
Dolph Lundgren
3 shared titles
Tony Jaa
3 shared titles
Scott Adkins
3 shared titles
Isaiah Washington
2 shared titles
Miguel A. Núñez Jr.
2 shared titles
Ray Park
2 shared titles
Aaron Brumfield
2 shared titles
JeeJa Yanin
2 shared titles
Ron Smoorenburg
2 shared titles
Tommy Davidson
2 shared titles
Career timeline
Oscar ShawThe Secret Between UsSpecial Op: Rent-a-CopWhy Did I Get Married Again?
Exit ProtocolHostile TakeoverTrouble ManTrouble Man · WriterTrouble Man · Director
One More ShotDon't Mess with GrandmaChuck Zito: An American StoryScream Before You Die
MR-9: Do or DieThe IslandCome Out FightingOutlaw Johnny BlackOutlaw Johnny Black · Director
Dead ZoneKingdom BusinessAs Good as DeadAs Good as Dead · ProducerAs Good as Dead · Writer
Batman: Soul of the DragonRogue HostageBlack FridayAssault on VA-33Take Back
The Art of ActionWelcome to Sudden Death
Dragged Across ConcreteTriple ThreatThe Hard WayUndercover Brother 2Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks
Carl Weber's The Family BusinessAccident ManMaking a KillingEvery Day Is Christmas
S.W.A.T.: Under SiegeCops and Robbers
InsecureNever Back Down: No SurrenderNever Back Down: No Surrender · WriterNever Back Down: No Surrender · DirectorVigilante Diaries
Chain of CommandChocolate CityThe Real Miyagi
black-ishSkin TradeFalcon RisingAndroid CopBeyond the Game
Teen Titans Go!Generation IronFedz
ArrowArrowBlack DynamiteBlack Dynamite · CreatorFreaky Deaky
Tyler Perry's For Better or WorseMortal Kombat: LegacyNever Back Down 2: The BeatdownNever Back Down 2: The Beatdown · DirectorTactical Force
Why Did I Get Married Too?One Angry JurorMortal Kombat: Rebirth
Blood and BoneBlood and Bone · Co-ProducerBlack DynamiteBlack Dynamite · ScreenplayThe Legend of Bruce Lee
The Dark KnightBatman: The Brave and the BoldThe Legend of Bruce LeePVC-1 · Executive Producer
Why Did I Get Married?
Undisputed II: Last Man StandingWindfall
Getting Played
Justice League UnlimitedClubhouseUnConventionalSilver Hawk
Justice
CSI: MiamiPandora's BoxThe Making of Exit Wounds
Justice LeagueExit WoundsOnce Upon a Time: The Super Heroes
Boston PublicStatic ShockWonderlandFreedom Song
Universal Soldier: The ReturnThick as ThievesBreakfast of ChampionsMutiny
Ringmaster
SpawnCity of IndustryThe Making of 'Spawn'
Full filmography
- Oscar Shaw (2026) as Oscar Shaw
- The Secret Between Us (2026) as Jack Frazier
- Special Op: Rent-a-Cop (2026) as Brock Belfry
- Why Did I Get Married Again? (2026) as Marcus
- Exit Protocol (2025) as Isaac Florentine
- Hostile Takeover (2025) as Pete
- Trouble Man (2025) as Jaxen
- Trouble Man (2025) Writer
- Trouble Man (2025) Director
- One More Shot (2024) as Robert Jackson
- Don't Mess with Grandma (2024) as JT
- Chuck Zito: An American Story (2024) as Self
- Scream Before You Die (2024) as Joe Washington
- MR-9: Do or Die (2023) as Duke
- The Island (2023) as Mark
- Come Out Fighting (2023) as Sergeant AJ 'Red' McCarron
- Outlaw Johnny Black (2023) as Outlaw Johnny Black
- Outlaw Johnny Black (2023) Director
- Outlaw Johnny Black (2023) Writer
- Outlaw Johnny Black (2023) Producer
- You're Not Alone (2023) as Keith Mitchell
- A Snowy Day in Oakland (2023) as Reverend Carter
- The Hanged Man: The Story of Ron Van Clief (2023) as Himself
- Dead Zone (2022) as Boss
- Kingdom Business (2022) as Julius “Caesar” Jones
- As Good as Dead (2022) as Bryant
- As Good as Dead (2022) Producer
- As Good as Dead (2022) Writer
- The Commando (2022) as James Baker
- The Commando (2022) Executive Producer
- The Hit (2022) as Brooke
- Batman: Soul of the Dragon (2021) as Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger (voice)
- Rogue Hostage (2021) as Sparks
- Black Friday (2021) as Archie
- Assault on VA-33 (2021) as Chief Malone
- Take Back (2021) as Brian
- Send It! (2021) as Coach
- Bisping (2021) as Self
- The Art of Action (2020) as Self
- Welcome to Sudden Death (2020) as Jesse Freeman
- Dragged Across Concrete (2019) as 'Biscuit'
- Triple Threat (2019) as Devereaux
- The Hard Way (2019) as Payne
- Undercover Brother 2 (2019) as Undercover Brother / Narrator
- Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks (2019) as Self
- In Search of the Last Action Heroes (2019) as Self
- Hidden Colors 5: The Art of Black Warfare (2019) as Self
- Carl Weber's The Family Business (2018) as Vegas Duncan
- Accident Man (2018) as Mick
- Making a Killing (2018) as Orlando Hudson
- Every Day Is Christmas (2018) as Justin
- S.W.A.T.: Under Siege (2017) as Scorpion
- Cops and Robbers (2017) as Michael
- Insecure (2016) as Zeke
- Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016) as Case Walker
- Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016) Writer
- Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016) Director
- Vigilante Diaries (2016) as Barrington
- The Asian Connection (2016) as Greedy Greg
- The Crooked Man (2016) as Milo
- Chocolate City: Vegas Strip (2016) as Princeton
- Chain of Command (2015) as James Webster
- Chocolate City (2015) as Princeton
- The Real Miyagi (2015) as Self
- black-ish (2014) as Vincent
- Skin Trade (2014) as Reed
- Falcon Rising (2014) as John 'Falcon' Chapman
- Android Cop (2014) as Hammond
- Beyond the Game (2014) as Himself
- Teen Titans Go! (2013) as Don Jackson (voice)
- Generation Iron (2013) as Self
- Fedz (2013) as Big D
- Arrow (2012) as Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger
- Arrow (2012) as Ben Turner
- Black Dynamite (2012) as Black Dynamite
- Black Dynamite (2012) Creator
- Freaky Deaky (2012) as Donnell Lewis
- Metal Hurlant Chronicles (2012) as Teague
- Metal Hurlant Chronicles (2012) as Balt
- The Philly Kid (2012) as Arthur Letts
- We the Party (2012) as Officer Davis
- Somebody's Child (2012) as Douglas
- Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse (2011) as Marcus Williams
- Mortal Kombat: Legacy (2011) as Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs
- Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown (2011) as Case Walker
- Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown (2011) Director
- Tactical Force (2011) as Hunt
- Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010) as Marcus
- One Angry Juror (2010) as Derrick
- Mortal Kombat: Rebirth (2010) as Jackson Briggs
- Blood and Bone (2009) as Isaiah Bone
- Blood and Bone (2009) Co-Producer
- Black Dynamite (2009) as Black Dynamite
- Black Dynamite (2009) Screenplay
- The Legend of Bruce Lee (2009) as Ali
- The Dark Knight (2008) as Gambol
- Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008) as Tattooed Man (voice)
- The Legend of Bruce Lee (2008) as Ali
- PVC-1 (2008) Executive Producer
- Why Did I Get Married? (2007) as Marcus
- Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006) as George Chambers
- Windfall (2006) as Michael
- Getting Played (2005) as Actor
- Justice League Unlimited (2004) as Doomsday (voice)
- Clubhouse (2004) as Ellis Hayes
- UnConventional (2004) as Self
- Silver Hawk (2004) as Morris
- Justice (2003) as Tre
- CSI: Miami (2002) as Roy Bailey
- Pandora's Box (2002) as Hampton Hines
- The Making of Exit Wounds (2002) as Self
- Justice League (2001) as Doomsday (voice)
- Exit Wounds (2001) as Lewis Strutt
- Once Upon a Time: The Super Heroes (2001) as Spawn (archive footage)
- Boston Public (2000) as Darren Schofield
- Static Shock (2000) as Osebo (voice)
- Wonderland (2000) as Derrick Hatcher
- Freedom Song (2000) as Coleman Vaughnes
- Universal Soldier: The Return (1999) as SETH
- Thick as Thieves (1999) as Pointy
- Breakfast of Champions (1999) as Howell
- Mutiny (1999) as Ben Cooper
- Ringmaster (1998) as Demond
- Spawn (1997) as Al Simmons / Spawn
- City of Industry (1997) as Odell Williams
- The Making of 'Spawn' (1997) as Self
- 2 Days in the Valley (1996) as Buck
- Captive Heart: The James Mink Story (1996) as Elroy
- Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal (1996) as Carpenter
- JAG (1995) as Peter Quinn / Martin Payne
- Ring of Fire III: Lion Strike (1995) as Silvio
- Ballistic (1995) as Quint
- Tyson (1995) as Mike Tyson
- On Deadly Ground (1994) as Oil Worker (uncredited)
- On Deadly Ground (1994) Stunts
- Living Single (1993) as Steve
- Full Contact (1993) as Low-Ball
- Renegade (1992) as Luther - Dawn's boyfriend
- Martin (1992) as Valdez
- Universal Soldier (1992) as Soldier
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) as Audience Man
- True Identity (1991) as Alley Guy #1
- Saved by the Bell (1989) as Military Police Man #2 (uncredited)
- The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie (1989) as Apocalypse, Inc. Executive
- The Toxic Avenger Part II (1989) as Apocalypse Inc. Executive
- Paper Made
- Spymasters
- The Hook as Malcolm Miller
- Karate Ghost
- Drive Through Fire
- To Live and Die in the Midwest