Actor jaleel white biography imdb

American actor (born 1967)

For other people with the same name, see Michael White.

Michael Jai White (born November 10, 1967) is an American actor, martial artist, and director. Though he has appeared in a variety of genres, White is best known for his action and martial arts films. His first major starring role and breakout performance was in the 1995 HBO film Tyson as heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson. He went on to portray Al Simmons in the 1997 movie 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 for Best Male Newcomer. In 1999, White starred opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme in Universal Soldier: The Return, and in 2001, he starred opposite Steven Seagal in Exit Wounds. 

He has appeared in the well-received films The Dark Knight (2008), Black Dynamite (2009), Accident Man (2018), Dragged Across Concrete (2019), and As Good As Dead (2022), among others. He appeared as Marcus Williams in the Tyler Perry films Why Did I Get Married? (2007) and Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010), and starred as the character on the TBS/OWN comedy-drama television series Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse. He directed and starred in Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown (2011), Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016), and Outlaw Johnny Black (2023). H

A child actor with an impressive list of credits by the age of 12, Jaleel White became a star by playing the unbelievably dorky Steve Urkel on "Family Matters" (ABC/CBS, 1989-1998). Exploding from a one-episode guest star to series-conquering supernova, White's Urkel became an international craze, spawning countless products and catchphrases, including "Did I do that?" Winning three Image Awards for his work, White displayed an impressive range and flair for physical comedy, but the character was so pervasive throughout pop culture that he found it difficult to avoid being typecast when the show ended.

After voicing Sonic the Hedgehog on various animated series iterations and also graduating from college, White attempted a sitcom comeback with "Grown Ups" (UPN, 1999-2000) and lent his voice to the animated film "Quest for Camelot" (1998). Slowly laying the groundwork for a career renaissance, he impressed with a cameo as a talent booker in "Dreamgirls" (2006), played a delightfully eccentric teacher in "Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer" (2011) and was named host of the Syfy game show "Total Blackout." Although it was unlikely he could ever recapture the pop cultural dominance of his Urkel days, Jaleel White proved he was a talented and ambitious performer who was determined to move beyond his child stardom.

Born Nov. 27, 1976 in Pasadena, CA, Jaleel Ahmad White began working in front of the camera in commercials at the age of three, and quickly became a veteran child actor, booking appearances on everything from "The Jeffersons" (CBS, 1975-1985) to "Charlie & Co." (CBS, 1985-86) to "Mr. Belvedere" (ABC, 1985-1990). In fact, he almost landed the role of "Rudy" on "The Cosby Show" (NBC, 1984-1992) until Bill Cosby decided to make the character a girl. White's star-making role, however, came from a more unlikely place: a one-time guest spot on the sitcom "Family Matters" (ABC/CBS, 1989-1998) as the cartoonishly nerdy Steve Urkel. It was a testam

American actor (born 1976)

Jaleel Ahmad White (born November 27, 1976) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Steve Urkel on the sitcom Family Matters (1989–1998) where he was originally intended to make one appearance. White eventually became the main protagonist of the show.

White was the first American actor to voice the Sega video game character Sonic the Hedgehog, doing so in the animated series Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog (also known as Sonic SatAM) and Sonic Underground. After Family Matters ended, White starred in the short-lived UPN comedy series Grown Ups (1999–2000) and appeared in supporting roles in the film Dreamgirls (2006) and on television on Boston Legal, House, Castle, Psych and Bones.

Early life

White was born in Culver City, California, the only child of Michael White, a dentist, and Gail White, who was a homemaker. His mother later became his manager. White attended John Marshall Fundamental High School in Pasadena, California, and South Pasadena High School, and later graduating from UCLA in 2001. On the advice of his preschool teacher, White began acting as a child. He got his start on TV commercials at age three. One of White's notable commercial appearances was for Jell-O pudding pops alongside Bill Cosby.

Career

White's first television role was a guest stint on The Jeffersons, in 1984. He later auditioned for the role of Rudy Huxtable on The Cosby Show. According to White, he was cast in the role (the character was originally intended to be male) but was replaced by Keshia Knight Pulliam when Bill Cosby decided to mirror his television family after his real life family. The following year, he was cast as the son of Flip Wilson and Gladys Knight on the CBS sitcom Charlie and Company. The series was intended to be CBS' answer to the highly rated