Michael Jai White

Michael Jai White is an accomplished American actor and martial artist, born November 10, 1967. He holds a notable place in film history as the first Black American to portray a major comic book superhero, starring as Al Simmons in the 1997 blockbuster Spawn. He showcased his acting skills further by portraying Marcus Williams in Tyler Perry's popular movies Why Did I Get Married and Why Did I Get Married Too. White also played the role of Jax Briggs in Mortal Kombat: Legacy and Cyborg Seth in Universal Soldier: The Return, alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme. His performance as boxer Mike Tyson in the HBO film Tyson saw his first major starring role. White displays his martial arts prowess in the blaxploitation parody film and animated series Black Dynamite. He is immensely versatile across nine different martial art styles, including Shōtōkan, Goju-Ryu, Taekwondo, Kobudō, Tang Soo Do, Wushu, Jujutsu, Kyokushin, and boxing. He has black belts in seven disciplines, marking him as a highly dedicated and skilled individual.

Before his acting career, White was a special education teacher, working with students with behavioral problems for three years. His journey in the entertainment industry began from the film Tyson and has seen him work with various iconic figures, such as Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal, and Mariah Carey. White made significant contributions as he wrote scripts for Black Dynamite and 3 Bullets. He debuted as a director in Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown. He has also displayed his skills widely in music videos, video games, web series, and even an Oscar-winning film. His latest venture is launching his film studio Jaigantic Studios aimed to create a studio district on New Haven's Quinnipiac River waterfront.