Biography
Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. (born November 29, 1964), also addressed as Don Cheadle, is a renowned American actor, producer, director, and writer.
He is best known for his roles in the films Crash, Hotel Rwanda, and Iron Man 2. His first role was in the comedy Moving Violations, which was quickly followed by the war drama Hamburger Hill.
Don Cheadle originally attracted attention for his portrayal of Mouse Alexander in the film Devil in a Blue Dress, for which he won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association’s Best Supporting Actor award.
He co-produced the Best Picture-winning film Crash, in which he also performed, and he played Paul Rusesabagina in the film Hotel Rwanda, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Along with acting, he has collaborated with the UN to address climate change worries.
Along with activist John Prendergast, Don Cheadle co-wrote the book Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond and co-founded the Not On Our Watch Project, which seeks to stop major atrocities against humanity by focusing attention on a worldwide scale.
Don Cheadle resides in Santa Monica, California, with his two kids and his wife, actress Bridgid Coulter. He is a well-known figure in Hollywood’s entertainment industry who has backed the effort to shield people from the worst kinds of horrors.
| Don Cheadle: History • Bio • Photo | |
| Full Name: | Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. |
| Stage Name: | Don Cheadle |
| Born: | 29 November 1964 (age 57 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Kansas City, Missouri, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 1.72 m |
| Parents: | Donald Frank Cheadle, Sr., Bettye Cheadle |
| Siblings: | Colin Cheadle, Andrew Kilbourne, Cindy Cheadle |
| Wife • Spouse: | Bridgid Coulter (m. 2020) |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | N/A |
| Children: | Imani Cheadle, Ayana Tai Cheadle |
| Occupation: | Actor • Filmography |
| Net Worth: | US$35 million |
Early Life & Education
On November 29, 1964, Don Cheadle was born to Donald Frank Cheadle Sr. (father) and Bettye Cheadle (mother) in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. His father was a clinical psychologist, while his mother was a teacher.
Colin Cheadle, Andrew Kilbourne, and Cindy Cheadle are the names of his three siblings. From an early age, he loved music and participated in the school choir. In his early years, he and his family travelled much.
From 1970 to 1974, Don Cheadle attended Hartley Elementary School in Lincoln, Nebraska, and in 1982, he graduated from East High School in Denver, Colorado.
Don Cheadle participated actively in drama during his time in high school and appeared in several plays. Additionally, he picked up the saxophone and played in a jazz ensemble.
He later completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the California Institute of Arts.
Career
Don Cheadle made his big-screen debut in the 1985 comedy Moving Violations. The next year, in 1987, he had a cameo in the war film Hamburger Hill. The comedy series Night Court‘s 1988 episode saw him make a career move and feature there.
He appeared in several films in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including LA Law and Hill Street Blues. Still, his role as Mouse Alexander in the 1995 film Devil in a Blue Dress earned him the Los Angeles Film Critics Association’s Best Supporting Actor award. Denzel Washington played the role opposite him. The film focused on the centre of the black community in 1940s Los Angeles.
In 2004, Don Cheadle co-produced and featured in the Best Picture-winning film Crash, which quickly rose to fame. In the same year that his popularity increased, his portrayal of Paul Rusesabagina in the film Hotel Rwanda led to his nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
He began playing more varied roles and participated in the crime thriller Traffic, then in the comedy The Family Man, and finally in the hospital drama ER, which aired from 1994 to 2009.
Don Cheadle has been on several television shows, such as The Rat Pack, Things Behind the Sun, and A Lesson Before Dying. He received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his work in the television series House of Lies.
He played a little part in the movie Ocean’s Eleven, which was well received and led to his getting a considerably larger role in the sequels Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen. He also appeared in the Iron Man sequels, Iron Man 2 and Iron Man 3, playing James Rhodes, who Terrence Howard portrayed in the first movie.
The 2016 film Miles Ahead, based on Miles Davis‘ life, was written and produced by Don Cheadle. In the recent movies Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers: Infinity War, he resumed the role of Colonel James Rhodes.
Filmography
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Hotel Rwanda
- Boogie Nights
- Ocean’s Eleven
- Crash
- Captain America: Civil War
- Ticker
- Traffic
- Reign Over Me
- Talk to Me
Awards & Achievements
- For his work in The Rat Pack, he won the 1998 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film.
- Don Cheadle‘s portrayal in A Lesson Before Dying earned him the Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film in 1999.
- For his part in Traffic, he won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in 2000.
- He won a Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama in 2004 for his work in Hotel Rwanda.
- For Crash, he took home the 2005 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
- For House of Lies, he received the 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical Comedy.
- For Miles Ahead, he received a Grammy Award in 2017 for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.
Personal Life
After a protracted relationship, Don Cheadle wed actress Bridgid Coulter. They have two children, Imani Cheadle and Ayana Tai Cheadle. They reside in Santa Monica, California.
His DNA indicated Cameroonian ancestry while he was a featured character on the PBS program African American Lives 2.
Net Worth
Don Cheadle is among the highest-paid television figures, with an estimated net worth of US$35 million.
American actor, producer, and author Don Cheadle also make money from writing and other businesses aside from acting.
Social Media
- Twitter: @Doncheadle
- Instagram: @DonCheadle