Wesley Snipes
Biography
Wesley Trent Snipes, born July 31, 1962, in Orlando, Florida, is an American actor and martial artist. His career spans a variety of film genres, including thrillers, dramatic features, and comedies, though he is best known for his work in action movies. Snipes earned a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his role in The Waterdance (1992) and won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for One Night Stand (1997). Early notable performances include the comedy Major League (1989), the drama Mo' Better Blues (1990), and the crime drama King of New York (1990). He rose to prominence portraying a drug lord in the crime drama New Jack City (1991). As of the latest data, he has 90 credited acting roles.
Career overview
Wesley Trent Snipes, born July 31 1962 in Orlando, Florida, is an American actor and martial artist whose career spans a wide range of film genres. Although he has appeared in numerous thrillers, dramatic features, and comedies, he is most widely recognized for his work in action cinema. His filmography includes roughly ninety credited roles, reflecting a prolific presence on screen.
Snipes gained early visibility with supporting parts in the comedy Major League (1989), the drama Mo’ Better Blues (1990), and the crime drama King of New York (1990). He achieved a breakthrough by portraying a drug lord in the crime drama New Jack City (1991), a role that elevated his profile within the industry. His performances have earned critical recognition, including a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for The Waterdance (1992) and a Volpi Cup for Best Actor for One Night Stand (1997). These honors underscore his versatility and the respect he commands among peers.
Throughout his career, Snipes has balanced genre diversity with a strong association to action-oriented projects, cementing his reputation as a dynamic and enduring figure in American film.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Michael Jackson: A Life in Music (2026) as Self (archive footage)
- Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) as Blade
- Where's Usher? (2024) as Leslie Snipes
- Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) as Self - Blade
- Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (2023) as Morlak (voice)
- Back on the Strip (2023) as Luther 'Mr. Big'
- Back on the Strip (2023) Producer
- Coming 2 America (2021) as General Izzi
- True Story (2021) as Carlton
- Cut Throat City (2020) as Lawrence
- What We Do in the Shadows (2019) as Wesley
- Dolemite Is My Name (2019) as D’Urville Martin
- Basketball: A Love Story (2018) as Self (archive footage)
- The Recall (2017) as The Hunter
- The Recall (2017) Producer
- Armed Response (2017) as Isaac
- Armed Response (2017) Producer
- Forensic Justice (2016) as Self (archive footage)
- The Player (2015) as Mr. Johnson
- Chi-Raq (2015) as Sean 'Cyclops' Andrews
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self
- The Expendables 3 (2014) as Doc
- The Making of The Expendables 3 (2014) as Self
- Do The Right Thing 25 Year Anniversary A Beats Music Experience (2014) as self
- Gallowwalkers (2012) as Aman
- Game of Death (2011) as Agent Marcus
- Brooklyn's Finest (2010) as Casanova 'Caz' Phillips
- 2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift (2010) as (archive footage)
- The Art of War II: Betrayal (2008) as Neil Shaw
- The Contractor (2007) as James Dial
- The Detonator (2006) as Sonni Griffith
- Hard Luck (2006) as Lucky
- Chaos (2005) as Lorenz / Jason York
- 7 Seconds (2005) as Jack Tuliver
- Nightstalkers, Daywalkers, and Familiars: Inside the World of Blade Trinity (2005) as Self
- The Marksman (2005) as Painter
- Blade: Trinity (2004) as Eric Brooks / Blade
- Blade: Trinity (2004) Producer
- Unstoppable (2004) as Dean Cage
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - Guest
- Blade II (2002) as Blade
- Blade II (2002) Producer
- Undisputed (2002) as Monroe Hutchen
- Undisputed (2002) Executive Producer
- Liberty Stands Still (2002) as Joe
- Zig Zag (2002) as Dave Fletcher
- The Blood Pact: The Making of 'Blade II' (2002) as Self
- The Bernie Mac Show (2001) as Duke
- The Art of War (2000) as Neil Shaw
- The Art of War (2000) Executive Producer
- Disappearing Acts (2000) as Franklin Swift
- Disappearing Acts (2000) Executive Producer
- Play It to the Bone (1999) as Wesley Snipes (Ringside Fan)
- Futuresport (1999) as Obike Fixx
- Futuresport (1999) Producer
- Vivement dimanche (1998) as Self
- Blade (1998) as Blade
- Blade (1998) Producer
- Blade (1998) Martial Arts Choreographer
- U.S. Marshals (1998) as Sheridan
- The Big Hit (1998) Producer
- Jackie Chan: My Story (1998) Thanks
- Down in the Delta (1998) as Will Sinclair
- Down in the Delta (1998) Producer
- Masters of the Martial Arts Presented by Wesley Snipes (1998) as Self
- The View (1997) as Self - Guest
- Murder at 1600 (1997) as Detective Harlan Regis
- One Night Stand (1997) as Max Carlyle
- The Fan (1996) as Bobby Rayburn
- America's Dream (1996) as George Du Vaul (segment "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black")
- Jackie Chan - From Stuntman to Superstar (1996) as Self
- John Henrik Clarke: A Great and Mighty Walk (1996) as Narrator
- Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995) as The Pied Piper (voice)
- To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995) as Noxeema Jackson
- Waiting to Exhale (1995) as James Wheeler (uncredited)
- Money Train (1995) as John
- Drop Zone (1994) as Pete Nessip
- Sugar Hill (1994) as Romello Skuggs
- Demolition Man (1993) as Simon Phoenix
- Rising Sun (1993) as Lt. Webster Smith
- Boiling Point (1993) as Jimmy Mercer
- Hardwood Dreams (1993) as Narrator
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992) as Self
- HBO First Look (1992)
- Passenger 57 (1992) as John Cutter
- White Men Can't Jump (1992) as Sidney Deane
- The Real Malcolm X (1992)
- The Waterdance (1992) as Raymond Hill
- New Jack City (1991) as Nino Brown
- Jungle Fever (1991) as Flipper Purify
- Sous les marches du palais (1991) as Self
- King of New York (1990) as Thomas Flanigan
- Mo' Better Blues (1990) as Shadow Henderson (Sax)
- H.E.L.P. (1990) as Lou Barton
- Major League (1989) as Willie Mays Hayes
- The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (1987) as Hood
- Critical Condition (1987) as Ambulance Driver
- Wildcats (1986) as Trumaine
- Streets of Gold (1986) as Roland Jenkins
- Miami Vice (1984) as Silk
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- Outbreak Z
- Outbreak Z Executive Producer