Michael Jai White
Known for: Acting
Michael Jai White (born November 10, 1967) is an American actor and professional martial artist, who has appeared in numerous films and television series. He is the first African-American to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture, having starred as Al Simmons, the protagonist in the 1997 film Spawn. White was born in Brooklyn, New York and moved as a teen to Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he graduated from Central High School in 1988. White started martial arts training at the age of seven and is now an accomplished martial artist, holding seven legitimate black belts in Shotokan, Tae Kwon Do, Kobudo, Goju Ryu, Tang Soo Do, Wushu and Kyokushin, with a specific focus in Kyokushin (although his style incorporates aspects of many different martial arts forms). His first major starring role and breakout performance was in the 1995 HBO film Tyson, as heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson. In 1997, he portrayed the eponymous character in the 1997 movie Spawn. His work in Spawn earned him a nomination for the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Best Male Newcomer. White starred opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme in Universal Soldier: The Return. In 2001, he also starred opposite fellow martial artist Steven Seagal in Exit Wounds. In 2003, he starred in Busta Rhymes' and Mariah Carey's music video "I Know What You Want". Since 2003, in addition to his on screen roles, White has been doing voice work, including Static Shock, Justice League, and the Spawn animated series. White showcases his martial arts skills in the direct-to-DVD film Undisputed II: Last Man Standing. He also appears in Michelle Yeoh's Silver Hawk in 2004. His film, Why Did I Get Married? opened at number one at the box office on October 12, 2007. White played the role of the mob boss Gambol in the 2008 film The Dark Knight. He also starred in the film Blood and Bone and the Blaxploitation homage Black Dynamite, both released in 2009. White wrote the scripts for both Black Dynamite and his upcoming 3 Bullets in which he stars with Bokeem Woodbine. White will make his directorial debut and star in Never Back Down 2, which is slated for a 2011 release. In August 2005 he wed his girlfriend of two years, Courtenay Chatman. The couple have a daughter named Morgan Michelle who was born on December 24, 2008. Michael has two sons from a previous relationship. He is an avid chess player, as seen in his movie Blood and Bone.
Filmography
Series
Teen Titans Go!
Don Jackson (voice)
2013
Series
Arrow
Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger
2012
Series
Arrow
Ben Turner
2012
Series
CSI: Miami
Roy Bailey
2002
Film
The Dark Knight
Gambol
2008
Series
JAG
Peter Quinn / Martin Payne
1995
Series
black-ish
Vincent
2014
Series
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Tattooed Man (voice)
2008
Series
Renegade
Luther - Dawn's boyfriend
1992
Series
Insecure
Zeke
2016
Series
Boston Public
Darren Schofield
2000
Series
Martin
Valdez
1992
Series
Justice League Unlimited
Doomsday (voice)
2004
Series
Saved by the Bell
Military Police Man #2 (uncredited)
1989
Series
Living Single
Steve
1993
Film
Oscar Shaw
Oscar Shaw
2026
Series
Static Shock
Osebo (voice)
2000
Series
Justice League
Doomsday (voice)
2001
Film
Universal Soldier
Soldier
1992
Series
The Legend of Bruce Lee
Ali
2008
Series
Carl Weber's The Family Business
Vegas Duncan
2018
Series
Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse
Marcus Williams
2011
Film
Exit Protocol
Isaac Florentine
2025
Film
Blood and Bone
Isaiah Bone
2009
Series
Mortal Kombat: Legacy
Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs
2011
Film
Exit Wounds
Lewis Strutt
2001
Film
Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown
Case Walker
2011
Film
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing
George Chambers
2006
Film
Hostile Takeover
Pete
2025
Film
Accident Man
Mick
2018
Film
Triple Threat
Devereaux
2019
Film
Never Back Down: No Surrender
Case Walker
2016
Series
Black Dynamite
Black Dynamite
2012
Film
One More Shot
Robert Jackson
2024
Film
On Deadly Ground
Oil Worker (uncredited)
1994
Film
Universal Soldier: The Return
SETH
1999
Film
Spawn
Al Simmons / Spawn
1997
Film
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
Audience Man
1991
Film
Skin Trade
Reed
2014
Series
Windfall
Michael
2006
Film
Dragged Across Concrete
'Biscuit'
2019
Series
Metal Hurlant Chronicles
Teague
2012
Series
Metal Hurlant Chronicles
Balt
2012
Series
The Art of Action
Self
2020
Series
Wonderland
Derrick Hatcher
2000
Film
The Commando
James Baker
2022
Film
Batman: Soul of the Dragon
Ben Turner / Bronze Tiger (voice)
2021
Film
Falcon Rising
John 'Falcon' Chapman
2014
Film
The Island
Mark
2023
Film
S.W.A.T.: Under Siege
Scorpion
2017
Series
Clubhouse
Ellis Hayes
2004
Film
2 Days in the Valley
Buck
1996
Series
Kingdom Business
Julius “Caesar” Jones
2022
Film
Black Dynamite
Black Dynamite
2009
Film
Why Did I Get Married Too?
Marcus
2010
Film
As Good as Dead
Bryant
2022
Film
MR-9: Do or Die
Duke
2023
Film
Black Friday
Archie
2021
Film
The Hard Way
Payne
2019
Film
Why Did I Get Married?
Marcus
2007
Film
Dead Zone
Boss
2022
Film
The Toxic Avenger Part II
Apocalypse Inc. Executive
1989
Film
Rogue Hostage
Sparks
2021
Film
Freaky Deaky
Donnell Lewis
2012
Film
The Secret Between Us
Jack Frazier
2026
Film
True Identity
Alley Guy #1
1991
Film
City of Industry
Odell Williams
1997
Film
Thick as Thieves
Pointy
1999
Film
Welcome to Sudden Death
Jesse Freeman
2020
Film
Chocolate City: Vegas Strip
Princeton
2016
Film
Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks
Self
2019
Film
Take Back
Brian
2021
Film
The Philly Kid
Arthur Letts
2012
Film
Assault on VA-33
Chief Malone
2021
Film
Vigilante Diaries
Barrington
2016
Film
The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie
Apocalypse, Inc. Executive
1989
Film
Once Upon a Time: The Super Heroes
Spawn (archive footage)
2001
Film
The Crooked Man
Milo
2016
Film
Come Out Fighting
Sergeant AJ 'Red' McCarron
2023
Film
Trouble Man
Jaxen
2025
Film
Android Cop
Hammond
2014
Film
Tyson
Mike Tyson
1995
Film
Silver Hawk
Morris
2004
Film
Tactical Force
Hunt
2011
Film
Breakfast of Champions
Howell
1999
Paper Made
Film
Getting Played
Actor
2005
Film
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story
Elroy
1996
Film
The Asian Connection
Greedy Greg
2016
Film
Ring of Fire III: Lion Strike
Silvio
1995
Film
Don't Mess with Grandma
JT
2024
Film
Undercover Brother 2
Undercover Brother / Narrator
2019
Film
Chain of Command
James Webster
2015
Film
Send It!
Coach
2021
Film
Outlaw Johnny Black
Outlaw Johnny Black
2023
Film
In Search of the Last Action Heroes
Self
2019
Film
Mortal Kombat: Rebirth
Jackson Briggs
2010
Film
Full Contact
Low-Ball
1993
Film
Ringmaster
Demond
1998
Film
A Snowy Day in Oakland
Reverend Carter
2023
Film
UnConventional
Self
2004
Film
The Real Miyagi
Self
2015
Film
Why Did I Get Married Again?
Marcus
2026
Spymasters
Film
Chuck Zito: An American Story
Self
2024
Film
Chocolate City
Princeton
2015
Film
Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal
Carpenter
1996
Film
Ballistic
Quint
1995
Film
Making a Killing
Orlando Hudson
2018
Film
Cops and Robbers
Michael
2017
Film
Generation Iron
Self
2013
Film
Special Op: Rent-a-Cop
Brock Belfry
2026
Film
Beyond the Game
Himself
2014
Film
We the Party
Officer Davis
2012
Film
Mutiny
Ben Cooper
1999
Film
You're Not Alone
Keith Mitchell
2023
Film
Hidden Colors 5: The Art of Black Warfare
Self
2019
Film
The Legend of Bruce Lee
Ali
2009
Film
Freedom Song
Coleman Vaughnes
2000
Film
Justice
Tre
2003
Film
Pandora's Box
Hampton Hines
2002
Film
The Hit
Brooke
2022
Film
Bisping
Self
2021
Film
The Making of Exit Wounds
Self
2002
Film
Fedz
Big D
2013
Karate Ghost
The Making of 'Spawn'
Self
1997
Film
Somebody's Child
Douglas
2012
Film
The Hook
Malcolm Miller
Film
One Angry Juror
Derrick
2010
Film
Every Day Is Christmas
Justin
2018
Film
Scream Before You Die
Joe Washington
2024
Film
The Hanged Man: The Story of Ron Van Clief
Himself
2023
Drive Through Fire
Film
To Live and Die in the Midwest