Don Cheadle
| Don Cheadle | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Cheadle shooting for UNEP as an ambassador, Feb 2011 | |
| Born |
Donald Frank Cheadle, Jr. November 29, 1964 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor, producer, author |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Partner(s) | Bridgid Coulter (1992–present) |
| Children | 2 |
Donald Frank "Don" Cheadle, Jr. (/ˈtʃiːdəl/; born November 29, 1964)[1] is an American actor. Cheadle had an early role in Picket Fences and followed it with performances in Devil in a Blue Dress (1995), Rosewood (1997) and Boogie Nights (1997). He then started a collaboration with director Steven Soderbergh that resulted in the movies Out of Sight (1998), Traffic (2000) and Ocean's Eleven (2001). Other Cheadle films include The Rat Pack (1998), Things Behind the Sun (2001), Swordfish (2001), Crash (2004), Ocean's Twelve (2004), Ocean's Thirteen (2007), Reign Over Me (2007), Talk to Me (2007), Traitor (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Iron Man 3 (2013), and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
In 2004, his lead role as Rwandan hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina in the genocide drama film Hotel Rwanda, which was set during the Rwandan Genocide earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor. He stars as Marty Kaan on the Showtime sitcom House of Lies, for which he most recently won a Golden Globe Award in 2013.[2]
He also campaigns for the end of genocide in Darfur, Sudan, and co-authored, with John Prendergast, a book concerning the issue entitled Not On Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond. Along with George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, David Pressman, and Jerry Weintraub, Cheadle co-founded the Not on Our Watch Project, an organization focusing global attention and resources to stop and prevent mass atrocities. In 2010, Cheadle was named U.N. Environment Program Goodwill Ambassador.
Early life
Cheadle was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Bettye (née North), a teacher,[1] and Donald Frank Cheadle, Sr., a clinical psychologist.[1] He has a sister, Cindy, and a brother, Colin. His family moved from city to city throughout his childhood. Cheadle graduated in 1982 from East High School in Denver, Colorado. After he graduated from East, Don went on to California Institute of the Arts, graduating with a B.A in Acting.[1][3]
Career
Cheadle first became eligible for his Screen Actors Guild (SAG) card when he appeared as a burger joint employee in the 1985 comedy Moving Violations.[4] He then appeared in Hamburger Hill in 1987, and played the role of Jack in the April 1, 1988 "Jung and the Restless" episode of Night Court. Although his character was supposed to be 16 years old, Cheadle was 23 at the time.
Cheadle then played the role of Rocket in the 1988 movie Colors. In 1989, he appeared in a video for Angela Winbush's No. 2 hit single "It's the Real Thing", performing dance moves in an orange jump suit, working at a car wash. In 1990, he appeared in an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air titled "Homeboy, Sweet Homeboy", playing Will Smith's friend and Hilary's first love interest, Ice Tray.[5] In 1992, he played a supporting role in The Golden Girls spin-off The Golden Palace. Cheadle subsequently played district attorney John Littleton on two seasons of Picket Fences.
Cheadle first received widespread notice for his portrayal of Mouse Alexander in the film Devil in a Blue Dress, for which he won Best Supporting Actor awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the National Society of Film Critics and was nominated for similar awards from the Screen Actors Guild and the NAACP Image Awards. Following soon thereafter was his performance in the title role of the 1996 HBO TV movie Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault. He also starred in the 1997 film Volcano, directed by Mick Jackson.
Cheadle's television credits include Emmy-nominated performances in the movies The Rat Pack, A Lesson Before Dying, Things Behind the Sun and in a guest appearance on ER. The last of these spanned four episodes during the show's ninth season, in which he portrayed Paul Nathan, a medical student struggling to cope with Parkinson's disease. He has made appearances in films including Rosewood, The Family Man, Boogie Nights, a cameo appearance in the film Abby Singer, Out of Sight, Traffic, and Ocean's Eleven. These last three were directed by Steven Soderbergh. In 2005, Cheadle was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Paul Rusesabagina in the film Hotel Rwanda. He also starred in, and was one of the producers of Crash, which won the 2005 Academy Award for Best Picture. For his performance in Crash, Cheadle was nominated for the BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Awards for Best Supporting Actor. He played the main character in the movie Traitor. Cheadle starred in Hotel for Dogs by DreamWorks.[6][7]
In 2007 Cheadle published a book, Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond, co-authored with John Prendergast. Cheadle was to make his directorial debut with the adaptation of Elmore Leonard's Tishomingo Blues. In a July 2007 interview he stated, "'Tishomingo' is dead..."[8]
Cheadle appeared in NFL commercials promoting the Super Bowl from 2002 to 2005. He so regularly appeared for the NFL in its Super Bowl advertising that in 2006, in a drive to get fans to submit their own advertising ideas, the NFL sought his permission to reference his previous commercials to portray themselves as having no new ideas: "he quickly signed off on the idea and found it funny." Abe Sutton (along with Etan Bednarsh), one of the finalists in this NFL contest, played on this commercial by proposing an ad where an entire team of football players are Don Cheadle.[9]
Cheadle and Boondocks creator Aaron McGruder are working together to launch a comedy show on NBC.[10] The "project revolves around mismatched brothers who reunite to open a private security company."[10] Cheadle will serve as an executive producer, along with McGruder, who will write the script.[11]
In 2009, Cheadle performed in The People Speak, a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States.[12]
In 2010, Cheadle assumed the role of James Rhodes in the film Iron Man 2, replacing Terrence Howard.[13] In 2010, Cheadle was appointed, "U.N. Environment Program Goodwill Ambassador."[14] He and Prendergast published their second book, The Enough Moment: Fighting to End Africa's Worst Human Rights Crimes, in 2010.
He also appeared in Derek Water's "Drunk History" video as Frederick Douglass. As of the show's January 8, 2012 premiere, Cheadle stars in the Showtime TV series House of Lies. In 2013, Cheadle won the Golden Globe as Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on the show.[2]
Cheadle had a role in the 2015 film Avengers: Age of Ultron, reprising his character Col. James Rhodes.[15] In summer 2014, Cheadle directed and starred in the film Miles Ahead, based on the life of jazz musician Miles Davis. The movie filmed in Cincinnati.[16]
Personal life
At the 2007 World Series of Poker, Cheadle and poker player Annie Duke organized an annual charity poker tournament, Ante Up for Africa.[17][18][19]
In 2007, Cheadle was awarded the BET Humanitarian award of the year for his numerous humanitarian services he rendered for the cause of the people of Darfur and Rwanda.[20]
On December 13, 2007, Cheadle and fellow actor George Clooney were presented with the Summit Peace Award by the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates in Rome for their work to stop the genocide and relieve the suffering of the people of Darfur.
In 2008, Cheadle's family history was profiled on the PBS series African American Lives 2.[21]
Cheadle has two children with his longterm partner Bridgid Coulter.
Don Cheadle works with the United Nations on climate change concerns. Along with Harrison Ford, he is also behind a groundbreaking documentary event series 'Years of Living Life Dangerously', which provides first-hand reports on those affected by, and seeking solutions to climate change.[22]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 3 Days | Angel | |
| 1985 | Moving Violations | Juicy Burgers Worker | |
| 1986 | Punk | ||
| 1987 | Hamburger Hill | Pvt. Washburn | |
| 1988 | Colors | Rocket | |
| 1992 | Roadside Prophets | Happy Days Manager | |
| 1993 | Meteor Man, TheThe Meteor Man | Goldilocks | |
| 1993 | Lush Life | Jack | TV movie |
| 1995 | Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead | Rooster | |
| 1995 | Devil in a Blue Dress | Mouse Alexander | |
| 1996 | Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault | Earl "The Goat" Manigault | TV movie |
| 1997 | Volcano | Emmit Reese | |
| 1997 | Rosewood | Sylvester Carrier | |
| 1997 | Boogie Nights | Buck Swope | |
| 1998 | Out of Sight | Maurice Miller | |
| 1998 | Rat Pack, TheThe Rat Pack | Sammy Davis Jr. | |
| 1998 | Bulworth | L.D. | |
| 1999 | Lesson Before Dying, AA Lesson Before Dying | Grant Wiggins | TV movie |
| 2000 | Traffic | Montel Gordon | |
| 2000 | Mission to Mars | Luke Graham | |
| 2000 | Fail Safe | Lt. Jimmy Pierce | TV movie |
| 2000 | Family Man, TheThe Family Man | Cash | |
| 2001 | Rush Hour 2 | Kenny | Uncredited |
| 2001 | Things Behind the Sun | Chuck | |
| 2001 | Manic | Dr. David Monroe | |
| 2001 | Swordfish | Agent J.T. Roberts | |
| 2001 | Ticker | Passenger | |
| 2001 | Ocean's Eleven | Basher Tarr | |
| 2003 | Abby Singer | Himself | |
| 2003 | The United States of Leland | Pearl Madison | |
| 2004 | Ocean's Twelve | Basher Tarr | |
| 2004 | After the Sunset | Henri Mooré | |
| 2004 | Assassination of Richard Nixon, TheThe Assassination of Richard Nixon | Bonny Simmons | |
| 2004 | Unchained Memories: Readings From The Slave Narratives | ||
| 2004 | Hotel Rwanda | Paul Rusesabagina | |
| 2005 | Crash | Det. Graham Waters | |
| 2006 | Dog Problem, TheThe Dog Problem | Dr. Nourmand | |
| 2006 | King Leopold's Ghost | Narrator | |
| 2007 | Reign Over Me | Alan Johnson | |
| 2007 | Talk to Me | Petey Greene | |
| 2007 | Ocean's Thirteen | Basher Tarr | |
| 2007 | Darfur Now | Himself | |
| 2008 | Traitor | Samir Horn | |
| 2009 | Hotel for Dogs | Bernie | |
| 2009 | People Speak, TheThe People Speak | Himself | Documentary |
| 2010 | Brooklyn's Finest | Clarence 'Tango' Butler | |
| 2010 | Iron Man 2 | Lt Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes / War Machine | Replacing Terrence Howard |
| 2011 | Guard, TheThe Guard | FBI Agent Wendell Everett | |
| 2012 | Flight | Hugh Lang | |
| 2013 | Iron Man 3 | Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes / Iron Patriot | |
| 2015 | Avengers: Age of Ultron | Col. James "Rhodey" Rhodes / War Machine | |
| 2015 | Miles Ahead | Miles Davis | Post-production, also director |
Television
| Year | Series | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Fame | Henry Lee | 2 episodes |
| 1986 | L.A. Law | Julian Tatoon | Episode "Gibbon Take" |
| 1986 | Sidekicks | Gang Leader | Episode "The Last Electric Knight" |
| 1987 | Hill Street Blues | Darius Milton | Episode "Days of Swine and Roses" |
| 1987 | Bronx Zoo, TheThe Bronx Zoo | Carver | Episode "Small Victories" |
| 1988 | Night Court | Jack | Episode "Jung and the Restless" |
| 1988 | Hooperman | Himself | Episode "High Noon" |
| 1989 | Booker | Himself | Episode "The Pump" |
| 1990 | China Beach | Angel | Episode "Warriors" |
| 1990 | Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, TheThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Ice Tray | Episode 5, "Homeboy, Sweet Homeboy" |
| 1992–1993 | Hangin' with Mr. Cooper | Bennie | 2 episodes |
| 1992–1993 | Golden Palace, TheThe Golden Palace | Roland Wilson | 23 episodes |
| 1993–1995 | Picket Fences | D.A. John Littleton | 38 episodes |
| 2000 | Simpsons, TheThe Simpsons | Brother Faith | Episode: "Faith Off" |
| 2002 | Bernie Mac Show, TheThe Bernie Mac Show | Cousin D | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | ER | Paul Nathan | 4 episodes |
| 2003 | MADtv | Perry | |
| 2011–present | House of Lies | Marty Kaan | Lead Role |
| 2014–present | Thursday Night Football | Narrator | Intro only |
As producer
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Crash | Producer | |
| 2007 | Talk to Me | Executive producer | |
| 2007 | Darfur Now | Producer | |
| 2008 | Traitor | Producer | |
| 2007 | Crash | Producer | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Miles Ahead | Producer |
- Video games
- Iron Man 2[23] video game (2010), Col. James 'Rhodey' Rhodes/War Machine
- Theatre
- Topdog/Underdog off-Broadway performances (2001)
- Internet
- Drunk History Volume 5 (Frederick Douglass)
- Don Cheadle is Captain Planet[24]
Awards and nominations
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Williams, Kam (January 12, 2009). "Don Cheadle: The Hotel for Dogs Interview". The Sly Fox. KamWilliams.com. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Don Cheadle Wins Golden Globe For Best Comedy Actor". Huffington Post. January 13, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
- ↑ Gates, Jr., Henry Louis (January 2009). In Search of Our Roots: How 19 Extraordinary African Americans Reclaimed Their Past (Biography). Crown. p. 353. ISBN 978-0-307-38240-5.
- ↑ "How Did You Get Your SAG-AFTRA Card?" TV Guide. January 13, 2014. p. 10.
- ↑ "It's Evening in America". Vanity Fair. May 2012. Page 155.
- ↑ "Don Cheadle joins 'Iron Man 2'". Azcentral.com. October 14, 2008. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
- ↑ "Don Cheadle Joins Hotel for Dogs". Movieweb.com. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
- ↑ "Don Cheadle Talks to Us". Comingsoon.net. July 6, 2007. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
- ↑ Thomaselli, Rich (November 2, 2006). "Advertising Age". Adage.com. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Cheadle, McGruder Team For New Series". Blogs.bet.com. October 28, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
- ↑ Getty Images (October 26, 2009). "Don Cheadle, 'Boondocks' creator Aaron McGruder team on NBC comedy; Brad Pitt takes a tumble; and more: The Morning After". Cleveland.com. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
- ↑ "Credits". The People Speak. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
- ↑ Borys Kit (October 14, 2008). "Don Cheadle joins 'Iron Man 2'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 14, 2008.
- ↑ "Actor Don Cheadle named goodwill ambassador for UN". Washington Post. Associated Press. June 6, 2010. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
- ↑ Thompson, Arienne (December 12, 2013). "Don Cheadle mellow, 'barely awake' after Globes news". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
- ↑ "Don Cheadle starts filming 'Miles Ahead' Monday". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ↑ Star-Studded Event At 2007 World Series Of Poker To Raise Awareness For Darfur Survivor. Don Cheadle and Annie Duke Organize "Ante Up for Africa"
- ↑ "2nd ANNUAL ANTE UP FOR AFRICA POKER TOURNAMENT AT THE WSOP RAISES PUBLIC AWARENESS AND FUNDS TO HELP END THE CRISIS IN DARFUR". Ante Up for Africa. Archived from the original on February 17, 2008. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
- ↑ "2010 WSOP Schedule". Retrieved June 6, 2010.
- ↑ "BET AWARDS '07: HUMANITARIAN AWARD". Retrieved 2012-11-04.
- ↑ "African American Lives 2 . Profiles . Don Cheadle". PBS. Retrieved 2013-03-29.
- ↑ http://www.dailynews.com/arts-and-entertainment/20140411/don-cheadle-harrison-ford-explore-climate-change-in-years-of-living-dangerously
- ↑ "Iron Man 2: The Video Game Gets Talented". Sega.com. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
- ↑ "Don Cheadle Is CAPTAIN PLANET in New Funny or Die Spoof | Collider | Page 112368". Collider. Retrieved 2013-03-29.
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