Mehcad Brooks

Mehcad Jason McKinley Brooks, an American actor and former fashion model, was born on October 25, 1980. He is best remembered for his roles in several hit TV shows like Matthew Applewhite in ABC's Desperate Housewives (2005-2006), Jerome in The Game, Benedict Talley in HBO's True Blood, Terrance 'TK' King in the USA series Necessary Roughness (2011-13), and James Olsen in the CBS/The CW series Supergirl. Since 2022, Brooks, has taken on the lead role of NYPD Detective Jalen Shaw in the NBC police procedural drama Law & Order. Brooks hails from Austin, Texas, where he attended L.C. Anderson High School. His parents are Alberta Phillips, an editorial writer, and former pro-football player Billy Brooks. After high school, Brooks attended the University of Southern California's School of Cinema-Television turning down basketball scholarships and Ivy League offers. He began his career as a Calvin Klein underwear model before moving to acting. Brooks had his first acting role in the series Cold Case and his rise in the industry has been monumental since then.