Michael Jai White

Michael Jai White is an American actor, director and martial artist.

He graduated from Central High School in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1982.

He portrayed boxer Mike Tyson in the 1995 HBO television film Tyson.

He also played the title role in the blaxploitation parody film Black Dynamite, as well as the animated series of the same name.

White is a martial artist in nine different styles: Shōtōkan, Goju-Ryu (for which he studied under Master Eddie Morales where he learned to sharpen his Goju karate technique), Taekwondo, Kobudō, Tang Soo Do, Wushu, Jujutsu, Kyokushin and Boxing, with a specific focus in Kyokushin Karate (although his style incorporates aspects of many different martial arts forms).

White started training in the martial arts at the age of four in Jujutsu.

He next took up Shōtōkan and moved on to other styles later.

White holds seven legitimate black belts in Kyokushin Karate, Goju-Ryu Karate, Shotokan Karate, Taekwondo, Tang Soo Do, Kobudo, and Wushu.

White is a former special education teacher and taught students with behavioral problems for three years.

He cites his history in education as the reason why, despite his personal love for the music genre on "a lot of levels", he cannot "in good [conscience]" have a positive opinion on hip hop or "excuse some of [its] pervasive and destructive elements", mainly due to his experience with youngsters who had difficulty seeing the difference between it and real life.

White's first major starring role and breakout performance was in the 1995 HBO film Tyson, as heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson.

He was the first Black American to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture, starring as Al Simmons, the protagonist in the 1997 film Spawn.

White appeared as Marcus Williams in the Tyler Perry films Why Did I Get Married? and Why Did I Get Married Too?, and starred as the character on the TBS/OWN comedy-drama television series Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse.

White portrayed Jax Briggs in Mortal Kombat: Legacy and the Cyborg Seth in Universal Soldier: The Return.

He portrayed the eponymous character in the 1997 film Spawn, making him the first African American to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture.

His work in Spawn earned him a nomination for the Blockbuster Entertainment Award.

White starred opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme in Universal Soldier: The Return, in 1999.

A few years earlier, he acted in Full Contact, with Jerry Trimble.

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 in Static Shock and Justice League.

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.

He appeared in Kill Bill: Volume 2, although his role was cut from the theatrical release.

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 3 Bullets in which he stars with Bokeem Woodbine.

On March 30, 2010, White appeared on The Mo'Nique Show to promote his film Why Did I Get Married Too.

The two joked about the acclaim that comes with winning an Oscar.

In May of that year he appeared in the music video for Toni Braxton's new song "Hands Tied" from her album Pulse, as well as the Nicki Minaj music video for "Your Love" as Nicki's sensei and love interest.

He also starred in Kevin Tancharoen's short film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, as Jax Briggs, and reprised the role in Mortal Kombat: Legacy, a webseries from the same director.

White made his directorial debut and starred in Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown, which was released on home video on September 13, 2011.

White also provided the voice of Green Lantern in the video game Justice League Heroes.

He posted on Twitter that he would not be returning to the role for the second season, but would return for the 2013 film.

In October 2019, White announced that the spiritual successor to Black Dynamite titled Outlaw Johnny Black had officially entered pre-production.

Despite the Indiegogo campaign not reaching its goal, he was still able to secure enough backers and additional donors to get the project off the ground.

It is available for pre-order on the official website.

Its theatrical release date was 15 September 2023.

In July 2023, its trailer was released.