Mario Van Peebles (born January 15, 1957)
is a Mexican-born American director and actor. He is best known for appearing in ''
Heartbreak Ridge'' in 1986, and known for directing and starring in ''
New Jack City
''New Jack City'' is a 1991 American crime action film directed by Mario Van Peebles (in his feature film directorial debut) and written by Thomas Lee Wright and Barry Michael Cooper, based on a story by Wright. The film stars Wesley Snipes, I ...
'' in 1991, and ''
USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage'' in 2016. He is the son of actor and filmmaker
Melvin Van Peebles, whom he portrayed in the 2003 biopic ''
Baadasssss!'', which he also co-wrote and directed.
Early life and education
Van Peebles was born on January 15, 1957, in
Mexico City
Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
, Mexico, the son of writer, director, actor and musician
Melvin Van Peebles and Maria Marx.
He traveled often with his parents between Europe and the United States.
He majored in economics at
Columbia College, the undergraduate division of
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
. He was invited to speak as the Class Day Speaker as part of the annual commencement exercises in 2021.
Career
1968 to 1971: First roles
Van Peebles' first screen appearance was in 1968, in the soap opera ''
One Life to Live
''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as ...
''.
In 1971, he appeared in the film ''
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song''. Melvin Van Peebles directed and played the lead role, and Mario played his father's character as a child. The film became a hit and a historical American film, because it was widely credited with showing
Hollywood that a viable black audience existed and thus influenced the creation of the
Blaxploitation
In American cinema, Blaxploitation is the film subgenre of action movie derived from the exploitation film genre in the early 1970s, consequent to the combined cultural momentum of the black civil rights movement, the black power movement, ...
genre. That year, Mario acted in a TV movie called ''Crosscurrent''.
For the rest of the decade, he did not appear in other productions.
1981 to 1985: Subsequent roles and first lead
In 1981, Van Peebles acted in the miniseries ''
The Sophisticated Gents''.
He appeared in the action film ''
Exterminator 2'' (1984), as the main villain against its protagonist, played by
Robert Ginty. When the production wrapped, the producers were unhappy and wanted a re-shoot. They replaced the original director, but the main star was no longer available so they made Van Peebles' character more central.
That same year, Van Peebles appeared as a dancer in
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola ( ; born April 7, 1939) is an American filmmaker. He is considered one of the leading figures of the New Hollywood and one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. List of awards and nominations received by Francis Ford Coppo ...
's movie ''
The Cotton Club''.
In 1985, he landed his first leading role in the film ''
Rappin''' as Rappin' John Hood, an ex-convict who attempts to save his neighborhood from developers and hoodlums.
1985 to 1991: continued acting career and early directorial effort to breakthrough
In 1985, he played in the comedy ''
Delivery Boys'', was one of the central characters in the action drama ''South Bronx Heroes'', and acted in the dramatic TV film ''
Children of the Night'' and one episode of the ''
Cosby Show''.
In 1986, he acted in the urban action film ''3:15'', the comedy ''
Last Resort'', the TV film ''D.C. Cops'', four episodes of ''
L.A. Law
''L.A. Law'' is an American legal drama television series created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher for NBC. It ran for eight seasons and List of L.A. Law episodes, 172 episodes from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994.
The series cente ...
'', and the
Clint Eastwood
Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...
military film ''
Heartbreak Ridge'' based on the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
.
In 1987, he played in the sport film ''Hotshot'', the TV film ''
The Facts of Life Down Under'', and ''
Jaws: The Revenge'', the fourth and final installment of the
''Jaws'' franchise.
In 1988, Van Peebles played the lead in the short-lived detective show ''
Sonny Spoon''. The show ran for two brief seasons, both of which aired in 1988 before the series was canceled. The show would mark his directorial debut, for which he tackled the task for one episode. That same year, he also acted in the TV film ''The Child Saver''.
In 1989, he directed for the show ''
Top of the Hill'', three episodes of ''
21 Jump Street'', two of which he acted in, and an episode of the TV series ''
Wiseguy''.
He also acted in one episode of ''American Playwrights Theater: The One-Acts'', and the film ''
Identity Crisis'' directed by his father.

At the beginning of the 1990s he performed in the TV film ''Blue Bayou'' and one episode of ''
In Living Color''.
Van Peebles directed ''Malcolm Takes a Shot'', a 1991 ''
CBS Schoolbreak Special'' about an aspiring high-school basketball star whose obstacles include
epilepsy
Epilepsy is a group of Non-communicable disease, non-communicable Neurological disorder, neurological disorders characterized by a tendency for recurrent, unprovoked Seizure, seizures. A seizure is a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activit ...
and his own arrogance. Van Peebles appeared in the special in a
cameo appearance
A cameo appearance, also called a cameo role and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief guest appearance of a well-known person or character in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking on ...
as the main character's doctor. He was nominated for a
DGA Award by the
Directors Guild of America
The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is an entertainment guild that represents the interests of Film director, film and Television director, television directors in the United States motion picture industry and abroad. Founded as the Screen Dir ...
for "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Shows".
He made his feature film directorial debut in 1991 with the black gangster film ''
New Jack City
''New Jack City'' is a 1991 American crime action film directed by Mario Van Peebles (in his feature film directorial debut) and written by Thomas Lee Wright and Barry Michael Cooper, based on a story by Wright. The film stars Wesley Snipes, I ...
'', in which he also co-stars. Other lead actors are
Wesley Snipes,
Ice-T and
Judd Nelson. ''New Jack City'' was produced with an estimated $8,000,000 budget.
The film premiered at the
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023.
The festival has acted ...
on January 17, 1991, before being released nationally on March 8, 1991. Well received by critics, it grossed $7,039,622 during its opening weekend, and was the highest grossing independent film of 1991, grossing a total of $47,624,253 domestically.
That same year, he directed one episode of ''
Gabriel's Fire'' and acted in the TV film ''
A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story''.
1992 to 2009: Subsequent success
In 1992, he acted in two TV films: ''
In the Line of Duty: Street War'' and ''Stompin' at the Savoy''.
In 1993, he starred in and directed the black Western ''
Posse'', featuring a large ensemble cast including
Woody Strode,
Billy Zane,
Tiny Lister,
Tone Lōc,
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy (born September 10, 1968), better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American Rapping, rapper, producer and actor who began his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely regarded as one of the most influe ...
,
Robert Hooks, and many more. The film tells the story of a posse of black soldiers and one ostracized white soldier, who are all betrayed by a corrupt colonel.
That same year, he played in the science fiction crime film ''
Full Eclipse''.
In 1994, he collaborated twice with actor
Christopher Lambert; they played the side by side leads in the action film ''
Gunmen'', and he was the main villain in ''
Highlander III: The Sorcerer'', the third installment of the
''Highlander'' film series. He also acted in a film called ''In the Living Years''.
In 1995, he directed and co-starred in ''
Panther'' based on a screenplay adapted by his father,
Melvin Van Peebles, from his novel of the same name portraying the
Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, tracing the organization from its founding through its decline in a compressed timeframe.
Creative license is taken but the general trajectory of the Party and its experiences is factual. At the
Locarno International Film Festival
The Locarno International Film Festival is a major international film festival, held annually in Locarno, Switzerland. Founded in 1946, the festival screens films in various competitive and non-competitive sections, including feature-length narr ...
it won the prize of the
Ecumenical Jury, a Silver Leopard, and was nominated for a Golden Leopard. At the Political Film Society it was nominated for a PFS Award.
In 1996, he acted in one episode of ''
Living Single
''Living Single'' is an American television sitcom created by Yvette Denise Lee that aired for five seasons on the Fox network, from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centers on the lives of six New York City friends who share perso ...
'' and one episode of
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 ...
's ''Strangers''. He also played the lead in the science fiction action film ''
Solo
Solo or SOLO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Characters
* Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character
* Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''Star Wars Legends'' continuity
* Kylo Ren (Ben Solo), a ''Star Wars'' character
* Napoleon Solo, fr ...
''. His directorial release that year was ''
Gang in Blue'', in which he stars and co-directs with his father who also has a role in the film. It's about a black police officer who discovers a cell of white supremacist vigilantes within his department.
In 1997, he acted in one episode of ''
The X-Files
''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The original series aired from September 10, 1993, to Ma ...
'', and in the films ''
Stag'', ''
Riot
A riot or mob violence is a form of civil disorder commonly characterized by a group lashing out in a violent public disturbance against authority, property, or people.
Riots typically involve destruction of property, public or private. The p ...
'', and ''
Los Locos'', the first American film directed by
Jean-Marc Vallée.
In 1998, he directed and starred in ''
Love Kills'', a comedy about a masseur who gets mixed up in the family plots at the mansion of a recently deceased Beverly Hills millionaire. He also appeared in the mini series ''
Mama Flora's Family'', ''Valentine's Day'', and ''Killers in the House''.
In 1999, he acted in ''Judgement Day'', and ''Raw Nerve''.
In 2000, Van Peebles acted in one episode of ''
Martial Law
Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties ...
'' and 20 episodes of ''
Rude Awakening'', he also appeared in the films''Sally Hemings: An American Scandal'' and ''
Blowback''.
In 2001, he starred in a film called ''Guardian'', and co-starred in the
Michael Mann
Michael Kenneth Mann (born February 5, 1943) is an American film director, screenwriter, author and producer, best known for his stylized crime dramas. He has received a BAFTA Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards as well as nominations for four ...
film ''
Ali'' for which he received a nomination for "Outstanding Supporting Actor" at the NAACP Image Awards.
In 2002, he acted in ''
10,000 Black Men Named George'', two episodes of ''
Robbery Homicide Division'', and the TV movie ''Fiona''.
In 2003, he acted in the film ''
The Hebrew Hammer'', ''44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out'', ''Gang of Roses'', and ''The Street Lawyer''.
His 2003
docudrama
Docudrama (or documentary drama) is a genre of television show, television and feature film, film, which features Drama (film and television), dramatized Historical reenactment, re-enactments of actual events. It is described as a hybrid of docu ...
''
Baadasssss!'', also known as ''How to Get the Man's Foot Outta Your Ass'', opened 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 ...
. The film describes the making of his father's seminal film, ''
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song''. Mario directed the film as well as portraying his father in the lead role. The film was critically acclaimed and garnered numerous awards and nominations in the film festival circuits: it won "Best Feature Film"
2004 Philadelphia Film Festival and was nominated for Best Feature
2004 Gijón International Film Festival. At the
2005 Black Reel Awards, he was nominated for Best Actor, won Best Director, won Best Screenplay, and was nominated for Best Film, and the actress
Joy Bryant was nominated Best Supporting Actress. Additionally, Van Peebles received three nominations at
2005 Independent Spirit Awards, and two nominations at
2005 NAACP Image Awards.
In 2004, he was a lead in the TV film ''Crown Heights'' and acted in one episode of
''Soul Food''. In 2005, he acted in ''
Carlito's Way: Rise to Power''. In 2006, he directed and co-starred in the film ''
Hard Luck'', starring Wesley Snipes as the lead, and
Cybill Shepherd
Cybill Lynne Shepherd (born February 18, 1950) is an American actress, singer and former model. Her film debut and breakthrough role came as Jacy Farrow in Peter Bogdanovich's coming-of-age drama '' The Last Picture Show'' (1971) alongside Jef ...
was also in it. Snipes plays Lucky, a down on his luck former criminal and drug dealer whose post prison trials and tribulations take him on a wild adventure. In 2007, he acted in an episode of ''
Law & Order'' and the film
''Sharpshooter''. That year, he returned to directing for television starting with three episodes of ''
Damages
At common law, damages are a remedy in the form of a monetary award to be paid to a claimant as compensation for loss or injury. To warrant the award, the claimant must show that a breach of duty has caused foreseeable loss. To be recognized at ...
'', in which he also had recurring role until 2009.
In 2008, he acted in his father's film ''
Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha'' and 43 episodes of the soap opera ''
All My Children
''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 2 ...
''. He returned to ''
Law & Order'' as a director for three episodes. In 2009, Van Peebles and his family starred in the reality TV show ''
Mario's Green House''. He also acted in the film ''A Letter to Dad''.
2010 to present day
In 2010, he acted in two films ''
Multiple Sarcasms'' and ''
Across the Line: The Exodus of Charlie Wright''. He directed one episode of ''
Lost'', the documentary ''Fair Game?'', and the film ''
Redemption Road''.
In 2011, he directed the sport drama ''
All Things Fall Apart'' starring rapper/actor
50 Cent in the title role playing a football player who suffers from a deadly disease; Van Peebles also played a role in this feature. Other acting credits that year were the films ''
Tied to a Chair'' and ''5th & Alameda'', on TV, two episodes of ''
Hellcats'' and two episodes of ''
The Game'', and he started to direct for the TV series ''
Boss'' directing five episodes until 2012.

In 2012, he wrote, directed, and acted in ''
We the Party'', a comedy set in an ethnically diverse Los Angeles high school. The film focuses on five friends as they deal with romance, money, prom, college, sex, bullies, Facebook, fitting in, standing out, and finding themselves. Also that year, he acted in one episode of
''The Finder'' and the feature film
''American Warship''.
In 2013, he directed one episode ''
NCIS'', one episode of ''
Monday Mornings'', one episode of
''Zero Hour'', and an episode of
''Nashville'' and in 2014 he directed two additional episodes of ''Nashville'' as well as acting in one, in 2015, he reprised his role with another director.
In 2014, Van Peebles wrote, directed, and acted in ''
Red Sky'', an action/thriller film starring
Cam Gigandet,
Shane West, and
Rachael Leigh Cook
Rachael Leigh Cook (born October 4, 1979) is an American actress and model. She has starred in the films ''The Baby-Sitters Club (film), The Baby-Sitters Club'' (1995), ''She's All That'' (1999), and ''Josie and the Pussycats (film), Josie and ...
. He also directed three episodes of
''Once Upon a Time'', and that year, he acted in two other films ''
Mantervention'' and ''
Drumline: A New Beat''.

In 2015, he directed one episode of
''The Last Ship'', one episode of
''Chicago P.D.'', and two episodes of ''
Empire
An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
''.
In 2016, he directed another episode of ''Empire'' and two episodes of ''
Being Mary Jane''.
In 2016, he directed the film ''
USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage'', based largely on the true story of the loss of the ship in the closing stages of the Second World War and starring
Nicolas Cage,
Tom Sizemore, and
Thomas Jane.
He directed one episode of ''
Roots
A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients.
Root or roots may also refer to:
Art, entertainment, and media
* ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusin ...
'' and acted in the feature film ''
Submerged''.
In 2017, he directed two additional episodes of ''Being Mary Jane'' and one episode of ''
Hand of God''. He also acted in the feature ''For Justice'' and in four episodes of
''Bloodline'', one of which he also directed, and he directed an additional episode his character didn't appear in. That year, he created and produced the TV series ''
Superstition
A superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural, attributed to fate or magic (supernatural), magic, perceived supernatural influence, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly app ...
,'' directed eight episodes, and acted in ten, and in some of them he performed both roles.
Activism
In 2014, Van Peebles filmed a public service video supporting the
District of Columbia statehood movement. His advocacy is part of DC Shadow Senator
Paul Strauss’ “51 Stars" campaign which aims to enlist 51 celebrities to endorse making
Washington, DC
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...
the 51st state.
Filmography
Film
Television
Actor (stage)
*''
Waltz of the Stork'' (1982)
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Van Peebles, Mario
1957 births
20th-century African-American male actors
20th-century American male actors
21st-century African-American people
African-American directors
African-American film directors
African-American male child actors
African-American television directors
American male child actors
American male film actors
American male television actors
American people of German descent
American television directors
Columbia College (New York) alumni
English-language film directors
Film directors from Los Angeles
Living people
Male actors from Mexico City
Mario
Mario (; ) is a Character (arts), character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Ja ...