Don Cheadle Biography

(Actor and Filmmaker)

Birthday: November 29, 1964 (Sagittarius)

Born In: Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Don Cheadle is an American actor, producer, director, and writer best known for his performance in the movies ‘Crash,’ ‘Hotel Rwanda’ and ‘Iron Man 2.’ He made his debut in the comedy film ‘Moving Violations’ closely followed by the war movie ‘Hamburger Hill.’ He first received recognition for his performance as Mouse Alexander in the movie ‘Devil in a Blue Dress’ for which he was awarded the Best Supporting Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. He co-produced as well as acted in the Oscar-winning Best Picture ‘Crash’ and portrayed Paul Rusesabagina in the movie ‘Hotel Rwanda’ which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Besides acting, he has worked with the United Nations to address concerns on climate change and the genocide in Darfur and Rwanda. He has co-authored the book ‘Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond’ with activist John Prendergast and has co-founded the ‘Not On Our Watch Project’ that focuses global attention in order to prevent mass atrocities on humanity. Cheadle is married to actress, Bridgid Coulter and has two children, with whom he lives in Santa Monica, California. He is one of Hollywood’s respected entertainment personalities who has supported the cause of protecting humanity from atrocities of the worst kind.

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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Donald Frank Cheadle Jr.

Age: 59 Years, 59 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Bridgid Coulter (1992–present)

Born Country: United States

Actors American Men

Height: 5'8" (173 cm), 5'8" Males

Ancestry: Cameroonian American

Notable Alumni: California Institute For The Arts

City: Kansas City, Missouri

U.S. State: Missouri

More Facts

education: California Institute For The Arts

  • 1

    What movies has Don Cheadle starred in?

    Don Cheadle has appeared in numerous movies, including "Hotel Rwanda," "Iron Man" series, "Crash," "Ocean's Eleven" series, and "Avengers: Endgame."
  • 2

    Is Don Cheadle related to Will Smith?

    No, Don Cheadle is not related to Will Smith. They are both talented actors but do not share a familial relationship.
  • 3

    What is Don Cheadle's character name in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

    Don Cheadle portrays the character of James "Rhodey" Rhodes, also known as War Machine, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
  • 4

    Has Don Cheadle won any awards for his acting?

    Yes, Don Cheadle has received critical acclaim for his work and has won several awards, including a Golden Globe Award and multiple Emmy nominations.
  • 5

    Does Don Cheadle have any upcoming projects?

    Yes, Don Cheadle continues to be actively involved in the entertainment industry and has several upcoming projects in both film and television.
Childhood & Early Life

He was born as Donald Frank Cheadle Jr on November 29, 1964, in Kansas City, Missouri, US to Bettye and Donald Frank Cheadle Sr. His mother was a teacher and his father was a clinical psychologist. He has two siblings named Cindy and Colin. He was fond of music and was a member of his school choir from a young age. He travelled a lot with his family during his initial days.

He studied in Hartley Elementary School in Lincoln, Nebraska from 1970 to 1974 and completed his graduation from East High School, Denver, Colorado in 1982. During his high school days, he took an active part in dramatics and performed in several plays. He also learnt to play the saxophone and was a member of a jazz band.
He went on to do a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from the California Institute of Arts. While he was in college he attended a number of auditions and landed with a recurring role in the television serial ‘Fame.’
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Career
He made his debut on the big screen in the comedy film ‘Moving Violations’ in 1985. This was followed by his appearance in the war movie ‘Hamburger Hill in 1987. He then changed track to television and appeared in the April 1988 episode of the comedy serial ‘Night Court.’

He acted in a number of movies in the late 80’s and early 90’s like ‘LA Law’ and ‘Hill Street Blues’ but first received wide spread acclaim when he was awarded the Best Supporting Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association for his performance as Mouse Alexander opposite Denzel Washington in the movie ‘Devil in a Blue Dress’ in 1995. The movie explored the heart of the black community in Los Angeles in the 1940’s.

He soon gained popularity and appeared as well as co-produced the Oscar-winning Best Picture titled ‘Crash’ in 2004. His portrayal of Paul Rusesabagina in the movie ‘Hotel Rwanda’ earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor the same year that boosted his ratings.

He started taking on more diverse roles and appeared in the criminal drama ‘Traffic,’ followed by a comedy role in ‘The Family Man’ and a more serious role in the hospital drama ‘ER’ that ran from 1994 to 2009. His television appearances include ‘’The Rat Pack,’ ‘Things Behind The Sun’ and ‘A Lesson Before Dying.’ His performance in the serial “House of Lies’ won him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series.

He had a minor role in the film ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ which was appreciated and landed him with the role of the same character in the sequels ‘Ocean’s Twelve’ and ‘Ocean’s Thirteen,’ with much more screen time. He also starred in the sequels ‘Iron Man 2’ and ‘Iron Man 3’ portraying the role of James Rhodes, played by Terrence Howard in the initial film.

He wrote and produced the film ‘Miles Ahead’ based on the life of Miles Davis, which was released in 2016. He reprised the character of Colonel James Rhodes in the films ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron,’ ‘Captain America: Civil War’ and ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ recently.

Major Works

His other notable films include ‘Moving Violations’ (1985), ‘Hamburg Hill’ (1987), ‘The Metro Man’ (1993), ‘Devil in a Blue Dress’ (1995), ‘Volcano’ (1997), ‘The Rat Pack’ (1998), ‘Maniac’ (2001), ‘Hotel Rwanda’ (2004), ‘Darfur Now’ (2007), ‘Iron Man 3’ (2013), ‘Miles Ahead’ (2015) and ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018).

He has appeared in the television serials ‘L. A. Law’ (1986), ‘Hill Street Blues’ (1987), ‘Night Court’ (1988), ‘The Golden Palace’ (1992 – 1993), ‘Picket Fences’ (1993 – 1995), ‘The Simpsons’ (2000), ‘House of Lies’ (2012 – 2016), ‘Duck Tales’ (2018).
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He has also produced a number of serials that include ‘Crash’ (2004), ‘Darfur Now’ (2007) and ‘Miles Ahead’ (2015).
He has made an off-Broadway performance in the play ‘Topdog/Underdog.’
Awards & Achievements
He was awarded the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for his performance in ‘The Rat Pack’ in 1998.
In 1999, he won the Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries of Television Film for his performance in ‘A Lesson Before Dying.’
He received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for his role in ‘Traffic’ in 2000.
His performance in ‘Hotel Rwanda’ earned him a Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama in 2004.
He won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for ‘Crash’ in 2005.
He was awarded the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical Comedy for ‘House of Lies’ in 2012.
He won a Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media for ‘Miles Ahead’ in 2017.
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Personal Life

Cheadle married actress, Bridgid Coulter, after a long-term relationship and has two children, Ayana and Imani, with whom he lives in Santa Monica, California. He was featured on the PBS series ‘African American Lives 2,’ on which his DNA revealed Cameroonian origin.

Besides acting, he has worked with the United Nations to address concerns on climate change and the genocide in Darfur and Rwanda. His contributions to the cause have been recognised by the BET Humanitarian award and the Peace Award by the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates in Rome. He is also a member of the Advisory Board on Citizens Climate Lobby where he has been actively involved and has been named as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environmental Program of 2010.

He is a founding member of the Ante Up for Africa poker tournament that has raised more than $ 3 million for the victims of violence in Darfur and Rwanda.
Facts About Don Cheadle
Don Cheadle is an accomplished saxophonist and has been known to play the instrument both on screen and in his personal life.
He is a dedicated environmentalist and has been actively involved in various conservation efforts, including advocating for climate change action.
Don Cheadle is a talented poker player and has participated in several celebrity poker tournaments.
He is fluent in Spanish and has demonstrated his language skills in interviews and public appearances.
Don Cheadle is a co-owner of a popular eco-friendly hotel in California, showcasing his commitment to sustainability in both his personal and professional endeavors.

Don Cheadle Movies

1. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

  (Action, Sci-Fi, Adventure, Fantasy)

2. Hotel Rwanda (2004)

  (Drama, History, War, Biography)

3. Boogie Nights (1997)

  (Drama)

4. Ocean's Eleven (2001)

  (Thriller, Crime)

5. Crash (2004)

  (Thriller, Crime, Drama)

6. Captain America: Civil War (2016)

  (Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure)

7. Ticker (2002)

  (Adventure, Action, Short)

8. Traffic (2000)

  (Thriller, Drama, Crime)

9. Reign Over Me (2007)

  (Drama)

10. Talk to Me (2007)

  (War, Drama, History, Music, Biography)

Awards

Golden Globe Awards
2013 Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical House of Lies (2012)
1999 Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television The Rat Pack (1998)
Grammy Awards
2017 Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media Miles Ahead (2015)
2017 Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media Winner

See the events in life of Don Cheadle in Chronological Order

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Article Title
- Don Cheadle Biography
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- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/don-cheadle-31423.php

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