Mekhi Phifer

Mekhi Phifer is an American actor most recognized for his portrayal of Dr. Greg Pratt on the medical drama ER from 2002 to 2008 and for his co-starring role opposite rapper Eminem in the 2002 feature film 8 Mile. He was also a recurring cast member on the Showtime drama House of Lies and starred as CIA officer Rex Matheson in the Torchwood series, Miracle Day. He began his acting career in 1994, attending an open casting call for Spike Lee's Clockers while studying electrical engineering at Columbia University. He managed to secure the lead role, marking the beginning of his prosperous career. Following up, he co-starred in High School High, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, and Paid in Full. Phifer left ER in 2008, in the show's 15th season, where his character succumbed to an ambulance explosion. He made recurring appearances in Homicide: Life on the Street, New York Undercover, and Fox's Lie to Me. He's shown considerable talent in movies like Soul Food, O, and Uninvited Guest as well as Broadway's Lydia Diamond's Stick Fly and played Agent Collins in White Collar. In 2016, he joined the Frequency TV show as a regular cast member.

Phifer balanced his acting career with personal pursuits, winning the Celebrity Poker Showdown Championship in 2004. He plays poker for the Love our Children USA charity on the World Poker Tour and serves as a chairman for The Vine Group USA, a non-profit providing educational resources to African universities. To bolster his entrepreneurial ventures, Phifer owns Athlete's Foot athletic shoe-store franchises in California and in 2011, launched Third Reel Films aiming to create a conducive environment for new filmmakers to showcase their work.