Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. (, ; born November 29, 1964)
is an American actor. Known for his roles in film and television, he has received
multiple accolades including two
Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual Awards ceremony, award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally ...
, two
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
, and a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
as well as nominations for an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
, two
BAFTA Awards, and 11
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
s. He is one of a few actors to have received
nominations for the EGOT.
Cheadle's career started with supporting roles in ''
Hamburger Hill'' (1987), ''
Colors'' (1988), ''
Devil in a Blue Dress'' (1995), ''
Rosewood'' (1997), ''
Boogie Nights'' (1997), and ''
Bulworth'' (1998). He collaborated with director
Steven Soderbergh
Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( ; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. A pioneer of modern Independent film, independent cinema, Soderbergh later drew acclaim for formally inventiv ...
acting in ''
Out of Sight'' (1998), ''
Traffic
Traffic is the movement of vehicles and pedestrians along land routes.
Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffic laws and informal rules that may have developed over time to facilitate the orderly an ...
'' (2000), ''
The Ocean's Trilogy'' (2001–2007), and ''
No Sudden Move'' (2021). Cheadle was nominated for an
Academy Award for Best Actor
The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading ...
for his portrayal of
Paul Rusesabagina in the historical drama film ''
Hotel Rwanda
''Hotel Rwanda'' is a 2004 biographical historical drama film co-written and directed by Terry George. It was adapted from a screenplay by George and Keir Pearson, and stars Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo as hotelier Paul Rusesabagina and h ...
'' (2004). He was the co-producer of ''
Crash'', which won the
Academy Award for Best Picture
The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards (also known as Oscars) presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film a ...
in 2005. Cheadle joined the
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
portraying
James "Rhodey" Rhodes / War Machine, beginning with ''
Iron Man 2'' (2010).
On television, Cheadle earned nominations for
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his roles as
Marty Kaan in ''
House of Lies'' (2012–2016) and Maurice Monroe in ''
Black Monday'' (2019–2021). He was further Emmy-nominated for ''
The Rat Pack'' (1998), ''
A Lesson Before Dying'' (1999), ''
Things Behind the Sun'' (2001), ''
ER'' (2002), and ''
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier'' (2021).
In 2016, he received his first Grammy Award, winning
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media for the soundtrack
''Miles Ahead''. In 2022, he received a second Grammy for
Best Spoken Word Album for his narration of the audiobook ''Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation from John Lewis''; he also received a
Tony Award for Best Musical as a producer for the musical ''
A Strange Loop''.
Early life
Cheadle was born in
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...
, to Bettye Cheadle (née North), a teacher, and Donald Frank Cheadle Sr., a
clinical psychologist
Clinical psychology is an integration of human science, behavioral science, theory, and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well ...
.
He has a sister, Cindy, and a brother, Colin. His family moved from city to city throughout his childhood. He attended Hartley Elementary School in
Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The city covers and had a population of 291,082 as of the 2020 census. It is the state's List of cities in Nebraska, second-most populous city a ...
, from 1970 to 1974. Cheadle graduated in 1982 from
East High School in
Denver
Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
,
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
. During high school, he played saxophone in the jazz band, sang in choirs, and was active in the theater department, performing in musicals, plays, and mime shows.
Cheadle went on to attend the
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a Private university, private art school in Santa Clarita, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the US created specifically for ...
, graduating with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts
A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students pursuing a professional education in the visual arts, Fine art, or performing arts. In some instances, it is also called a Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA).
Background ...
in theater in 1986.
Career
1984–1992: Early roles and theatre work

During his time at CalArts, Cheadle along with his friends acted in numerous plays such as
Athol Fugard
Harold Athol Lanigan Fugard (; 11 June 19328 March 2025) was a South African playwright, novelist, actor and director. Widely regarded as South Africa's greatest playwright and acclaimed as "the greatest active playwright in the English-speaki ...
's ''
"Master Harold"...and the Boys'', ''
The Island''; and ''My Name Could Be Anne'' in the
black box theater. Cheadle became eligible for his
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to m ...
card when he appeared as a burger joint employee in the 1985 comedy ''
Moving Violations''.
["How Did You Get Your SAG-AFTRA Card?" '']TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media
In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...
'', January 13, 2014. p. 10. In 1987, he received a small role in the 7th season of ''
Hill Street Blues'', where he played a teenager with learning difficulties. This was followed by an appearance in ''
Hamburger Hill'' the same year. Cheadle secured the role of Jack in the April 1, 1988, "Jung and the Restless" episode of ''
Night Court''; although his character was 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 music video for
Angela Winbush's number-two hit single "
It's the Real Thing" as a car wash employee performing dance moves. In 1990, he appeared in an episode of ''
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' titled "
Homeboy, Sweet Homeboy", playing
Will Smith
Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, rapper, and film producer. Known for his work in both Will Smith filmography, the screen and Will Smith discography, music industries, List of awards and nominations re ...
's friend and Hilary's first love interest, Ice Tray.
["It's Evening in America". '' Vanity Fair''. May 2012. p. 155.] In 1992, he had a starring role in ''
The Golden Girls
''The Golden Girls'' is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. The show's ensemble cast stars Beatrice Arthur, Betty ...
'' spin-off ''
The Golden Palace'' as Roland Wilson, a young serious hotel manager that Blanche, Rose, and Sophia had retained from the previous owners. He subsequently played
district attorney
In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...
John Littleton on three seasons of ''
Picket Fences''.
1993–2001: Rise to prominence
Cheadle first received widespread notice for his portrayal of Mouse Alexander in the 1995 film ''
Devil in a Blue Dress'', for which he won Best Supporting Actor awards from the
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) is an American film critic organization founded in 1975.
Background
Its membership comprises film critics from Los Angeles–based print and electronic media. In December of each year, the organi ...
and the
National Society of Film Critics and earned nominations for similar awards from the
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to m ...
and the
NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...
. Following soon thereafter was his performance in the title role of the 1996
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
TV movie ''
Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault''. In 1997, he starred in
John Singleton's historical drama ''
Rosewood'' and in the
disaster film
A disaster film or disaster movie is a film genre that has an impending or ongoing disaster as its subject and primary plot device. Such disasters may include natural disasters, accidents, offensive (military), military/terrorism, terrorist att ...
''
Volcano
A volcano is commonly defined as a vent or fissure in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface.
On Earth, volcanoes are most oft ...
''. In the same year, he appeared in
Paul Thomas Anderson's
period drama
Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
''
Boogie Nights''. The following year, he appeared in ''
Out of Sight''. The film was an adaptation of
Elmore Leonard
Elmore John Leonard Jr. (October 11, 1925August 20, 2013) was an American novelist, short story author and screenwriter. He was, according to British journalist Anthony Lane, "hailed as one of the best crime writers in the land". His earliest no ...
's 1996 novel of the
same name and the first of Cheadle's many collaborations with director
Steven Soderbergh
Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( ; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. A pioneer of modern Independent film, independent cinema, Soderbergh later drew acclaim for formally inventiv ...
.
Cheadle's portrayal of
Sammy Davis Jr. in the 1998 TV movie ''
The Rat Pack'' won him a
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
and an
Emmy
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award catego ...
nomination. A year later he starred as Grant Wiggins, a school teacher in the film ''
A Lesson Before Dying'', which won the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie. It was based on
the novel of the same name by
Ernest J. Gaines. He had two major film roles in 2000, starring as Montel Gordon, a
DEA agent in ''
Traffic
Traffic is the movement of vehicles and pedestrians along land routes.
Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffic laws and informal rules that may have developed over time to facilitate the orderly an ...
'' and as Luke Graham in the
sci-fi
Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
film ''
Mission to Mars''. The following year, he played
Basher Tarr in the heist film ''
Ocean's Eleven'', a remake of the 1960
Rat Pack original. He joined an ensemble cast including
George Clooney,
Brad Pitt,
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige Damon ( ; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. He was ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars in 2007, and in 2010 was one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He has received va ...
,
Andy García, and
Julia Roberts,
and reprised his role for the sequels ''
Ocean's Twelve'' in 2004 and ''
Ocean's Thirteen'' in 2007. He starred alongside
Hugh Jackman and
John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor. He began acting in television before transitioning into a leading man in films. List of awards and nominations received by John Travolta, His accolades include a Primetime Em ...
in the 2001 action thriller film ''
Swordfish
The swordfish (''Xiphias gladius''), also known as the broadbill in some countries, are large, highly migratory predatory fish characterized by a long, flat, pointed bill. They are the sole member of the Family (biology), family Xiphiidae. They ...
''.
Cheadle made a guest appearance in the
ninth season of the television series ''
ER'', playing the role of Paul Nathan, a medical student who suffers from
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...
. For this performance, he was nominated for an
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
in the category of
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
2002–2009: Established actor
Cheadle appeared in
NFL commercials promoting the
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...
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 in which every player on a football team is Don Cheadle.
In 2005, Cheadle was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Actor
The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading ...
for his portrayal of
Paul Rusesabagina in the film ''
Hotel Rwanda
''Hotel Rwanda'' is a 2004 biographical historical drama film co-written and directed by Terry George. It was adapted from a screenplay by George and Keir Pearson, and stars Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo as hotelier Paul Rusesabagina and h ...
''. He also starred in and co-produced ''
Crash'', which won the 2006
Academy Award for Best Picture
The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards (also known as Oscars) presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film a ...
. For his performance in ''Crash'', Cheadle was nominated for the
BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...
and Screen Actors Guild awards for Best Supporting Actor. He played the main character in the movie ''
Traitor''.
In March 2007, Cheadle starred with comedian
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, producer and screenwriter. Primarily a comedic leading actor in films, List of awards and nominations received by Adam Sandler, his accolades include an Independent Sp ...
in
Mike Binder
Mike Binder (born June 2, 1958) is an American filmmaker, stand-up comedian, and actor.
Life and career
Binder, descended from Russian-Jewish immigrants, grew up in the Detroit suburb of Birmingham. During the summers of 1966 through 1975, he a ...
's ''
Reign Over Me'', a comedy-drama about a man who has slipped away from reality after the death of his wife and three daughters on
9/11. The film was a
box office flop, earning a domestic gross of $22.2 million. Cheadle later starred in the 2009 DreamWorks Pictures film ''
Hotel for Dogs''. Cheadle was to make his directorial debut with the adaptation of
Elmore Leonard
Elmore John Leonard Jr. (October 11, 1925August 20, 2013) was an American novelist, short story author and screenwriter. He was, according to British journalist Anthony Lane, "hailed as one of the best crime writers in the land". His earliest no ...
's ''
Tishomingo Blues'', but in July 2007, he stated, Tishomingo' is dead..."
In 2009, Cheadle and ''
Boondocks'' creator
Aaron McGruder worked on a potential comedy show on NBC.
The "project revolve
around mismatched brothers who reunite to open a private security company."
Cheadle and McGruder were slated to serve as executive producers, while McGruder was expected to write the script.
Also 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
Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922January 27, 2010) was an American historian and a veteran of World War II. He was chair of the history and social sciences department at Spelman College, and a political science professor at Boston University. Zinn ...
's ''
A People's History of the United States'' and its companion volume ''
Voices of a People's History of the United States''.
2010–2020: Acclaim and ''Marvel'' films
In 2010, Cheadle assumed the role of
James "Rhodey" Rhodes / War Machine in ''
Iron Man 2'' (2010), replacing
Terrence Howard
Terrence Dashon Howard (born March 11, 1969) is an American actor performing on film and television. He has received a Screen Actors Guild Awards, Screen Actors Guild Award as well as nominations for an Academy Awards, Academy Award, a Golden ...
. Cheadle reprised this role in the films ''
Iron Man 3
''Iron Man 3'' is a 2013 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Iron Man, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to ''Iron Man (2008 film), Iron Man'' (2008) an ...
'' (2013) as the Iron Patriot, ''
Avengers: Age of Ultron'' (2015), ''
Captain America: Civil War'' (2016), ''
Avengers: Infinity War'' (2018),
''
Captain Marvel'' (2019), and ''
Avengers: Endgame'' (2019), as well as the
Disney+
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
TV series ''
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier'' (2021), ''
What If...?''
(2021), ''
Secret Invasion'' (2023) and the upcoming theatrical film ''
Armor Wars'' (TBA).
From 2012 to 2016, Cheadle starred in the Showtime TV series ''
House of Lies''. In 2013, he won the Golden Globe as Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on the show.
He was in the show for five seasons until it ended in 2016.
Cheadle spent 10 years writing and producing the film ''
Miles Ahead'' (2016) based on the life of jazz musician
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...
. Cheadle also directed and starred in the film. Locations for the movie were found in
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
.

In 2018, Cheadle guest-starred in the first-season finale of ''
DuckTales'', providing
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created by the Walt Disney Company. Donald is an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit, sailor shirt and cap with ...
's new voice box. He later guest-starred again in 2020 during season three after a wish Donald made to Gene the Genie had altered reality.
2021–present
In 2021, Cheadle starred in the period crime thriller ''
No Sudden Move'', in which he played Curt Goynes, a gangster in 1950s Detroit. Around that same year, Cheadle played a villain role in ''
Space Jam: A New Legacy'', portraying the role of the main antagonist Al-G Rhythm.
In February 2024, it was announced that Cheadle had joined the main cast for
Peacock
Peafowl is a common name for two bird species of the genus '' Pavo'' and one species of the closely related genus '' Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae (the pheasants and their allies). Male peafowl are referred t ...
's crime drama miniseries ''
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist''. Cheadle co-starred in the biographical wrestling drama ''
Unstoppable''. Based on the life of wrestler
Anthony Robles, Cheadle portrayed Sean Charles, his head coach. The feature premiered at the
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the most prestigious and largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. Founded in 1976, the festival takes place every year in early September. The organi ...
in September, followed by a limited theatrical release in December 2024.
Cheadle is set to lead the Marvel film ''
Armor Wars''.
Activism

Cheadle has campaigned to end the
genocide in Darfur,
Sudan
Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...
. Cheadle and
John Prendergast co-authored a book about this issue entitled ''
Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond''. With
George Clooney,
Brad Pitt,
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige Damon ( ; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. He was ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars in 2007, and in 2010 was one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He has received va ...
,
David Pressman, and
Jerry Weintraub
Jerome Charles Weintraub (September 26, 1937 – July 6, 2015) was an American film producer, talent manager and actor whose television films won him three Emmys.
He began his career as a talent agent, having managed known singer John Denver in ...
, Cheadle co-founded the
Not on Our Watch Project, an organization focusing global attention and resources to stop and prevent mass atrocities. Cheadle was awarded the BET Humanitarian award of the year in 2007 for his humanitarian work for the people of Darfur and Rwanda.
At the
2007 World Series of Poker, Cheadle and poker player
Annie Duke organized an annual charity poker tournament,
Ante Up for Africa.
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.
Cheadle has worked with the United Nations on climate change concerns. He and
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. Regarded as a cinematic cultural icon, he has starred in Harrison Ford filmography, many notable films over seven decades, and is one of List of highest-grossing actors, the highest-gr ...
created a documentary event series entitled ''
Years of Living Dangerously'' that provided first-hand reports on those affected by, and seeking solutions to climate change. He is also on the advisory board of
Citizens' Climate Lobby.
In 2010, Cheadle was named U.N. Environment Program Goodwill Ambassador.
Also in 2010, he and Prendergast published their second book: ''
The Enough Moment: Fighting to End Africa's Worst Human Rights Crimes''.
On his 2019 ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' appearance, he wore a T-shirt saying "
protect trans kids".
Personal life
In 2008, Cheadle's family history was profiled on the
PBS series ''
African American Lives 2''. The family history revealed that Cheadle's ancestors had been owned by the
Chickasaw Nation, who had refused to free their slaves until 1866. Cheadle's ancestors did not hold U.S. nor Chickasaw citizenship until the 1890s, due to the
Dawes Commission. A
DNA test taken by the show revealed that Cheadle is of
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...
ian descent. Another DNA test revealed that among his African ancestry, one-third comes from the region from
Senegal
Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...
to
Liberia
Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...
, just over one-quarter comes from the
Congo-
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
region, and the rest comes from western
Nigeria
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
and
Benin
Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its po ...
.
Cheadle married his long-time partner, actress and ''Rosewood'' co-star Bridgid Coulter, in early 2020. The couple has been together for more than 28 years and have two children.
Acting credits and accolades
He is the recipient of
multiple accolades, including two
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
, a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
, two
Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual Awards ceremony, award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally ...
, and two
Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has also earned nominations for an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
, two
British Academy Film Awards, and 11
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
s. His
Emmy
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award catego ...
,
Grammy,
Oscar
Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to:
People and fictional and mythical characters
* Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar
* Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...
, and
Tony nominations make him
one of few black individuals to be
nominated for the four major American entertainment awards (EGOT).
References
External links
*
*
Don Cheadleat
UNEP
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the Declaration of the United Nati ...
's official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cheadle, Don
1964 births
Living people
20th-century African-American male actors
20th-century American male actors
21st-century African-American male actors
21st-century American male actors
African-American film directors
African-American film producers
African-American television producers
American environmentalists
American male film actors
American male television actors
American male voice actors
American people of Angolan descent
American people of Beninese descent
American people of Liberian descent
American people of Nigerian descent
American people of Senegalese descent
American people of Tikar descent
American philanthropists
American poker players
Audiobook narrators
Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (television) winners
Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe (television) winners
California Institute of the Arts alumni
Film directors from Colorado
Film directors from Missouri
Film producers from Missouri
Grammy Award winners
Male actors from Denver
Male actors from Kansas City, Missouri
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners
Television producers from Missouri
Tony Award winners
United Nations goodwill ambassadors
East High School (Denver, Colorado) alumni