Don Cheadle, whose full name is Donald Frank Cheadle Jr., is a popular actor from the United States. He was born on November 29, 1964.
Cheadle has received high praise for his performances and has been honored with numerous prestigious awards.
Among his accolades are two Grammy Awards, a Tony Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
In addition, he has been nominated for an Academy Award, two British Academy Film Awards, and an impressive 11 Primetime Emmy Awards.
Cheadle’s exceptional achievement lies in his rare collection of nominations for the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards, making him part of an exclusive group of black artists who have been recognized by all four major American entertainment awards (EGOT).
REAL FACTS ABOUT DON CHEADLE
FULL NAME: Donald Frank Cheadle Jr.
DATE OF BIRTH: November 29, 1964
PLACE OF BIRTH: Kansas City, Missouri, U.S
NATIONALITY: American
OCCUPATIONs : Actor, Producer
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. was born into a nomadic lifestyle in Kansas City, Missouri to Bettye and Donald Frank Cheadle Sr.
Along with his sister Cindy and brother Colin, his family frequently moved from city to city during his childhood.
Despite the constant relocations, Cheadle remained engaged in various artistic endeavors throughout his formative years.
He played the saxophone in the jazz band, participated in choirs, and excelled in theater productions during his time at Hartley Elementary School in Lincoln, Nebraska and East High School in Denver, Colorado, where he graduated in 1982.
Driven by his passion for the arts, Cheadle pursued further education at the California Institute of the Arts.
In 1986, he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theater.
CAREER
Cheadle’s acting career began to take off when he obtained his Screen Actors Guild card after portraying a burger joint employee in the 1985 film Moving Violations.
He went on to have roles in popular TV shows such as Hill Street Blues, Hamburger Hill, and Night Court.
In 1988, he played the character Rocket in the movie Colors and also appeared in a music video for Angela Winbush’s hit single “It’s the Real Thing” in 1989.
Cheadle’s talent and versatility allowed him to make appearances in famous TV shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and he even had a starring role in The Golden Girls spin-off, The Golden Palace.
He later portrayed district attorney John Littleton in three seasons of Picket Fences.
Cheadle rose to fame for his performance in the movie “Devil in a Blue Dress” in 1995.
He continued to impress with his portrayal of Sammy Davis Jr. in “The Rat Pack,” and received critical acclaim for his roles in “A Lesson Before Dying,” “Traffic,” and the “Ocean’s” trilogy.
Additionally, he was nominated for an Emmy for his appearance on the television show “ER.”
Cheadle became popular for his NFL commercials during the Super Bowl from 2002 to 2005, and his previous ads were recognized by the NFL, inspiring new advertising ideas in 2006.
Some of his career highlights include an Academy Award nomination for his role in “Hotel Rwanda,” co-producing and acting in the award-winning film “Crash,” and receiving nominations for BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Awards for his performance in “Crash.” He also starred in the film “Traitor.”
In the movie “Reign Over Me” in 2007, Cheadle portrayed a man dealing with personal tragedy after the events of 9/11, alongside Adam Sandler.
He later appeared in “Hotel for Dogs” in 2009 and was set to direct a film adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s work, but the project was canceled.
In 2009, he collaborated with Aaron McGruder to develop a comedy series for NBC about brothers starting a security firm.
Cheadle has had a diverse and successful career in film and television.
He showcased his talent in “The People Speak” in 2009, where he brought historical American writings to life on the big screen.
From “Iron Man 2” in 2010 onwards, he took on the role of James “Rhodey” Rhodes/War Machine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in subsequent films and Disney+ series.
Cheadle’s performance in “House of Lies” from 2012 to 2016 earned him a Golden Globe, and he also wrote, produced, directed, and starred in the biopic “Miles Ahead” in 2016, which focused on jazz legend Miles Davis.
In 2018, Cheadle made a special appearance in the season finale of DuckTales, lending his voice to Donald Duck’s new voice box.
He returned for another guest appearance in 2020 during the show’s third season.
In 2021, Cheadle took on the role of gangster Curt Goynes in the period crime thriller “No Sudden Move,” set in 1950s Detroit.
He also played the main antagonist, Al-G Rhythm, in “Space Jam: A New Legacy” in the same year.
PERSONAL LIFE
Outside of his acting career, genetic testing conducted on a TV show revealed that Cheadle has ancestral roots in Cameroon.
Further DNA testing showed that a portion of his African heritage can be traced back to the Senegal to Liberia region, with another significant portion coming from the Congo-Angola area, and the remaining portion from western Nigeria and Benin.
In early 2020, Cheadle married actress and long-time partner Bridgid Coulter, and the couple has two children together.
