Mekhi Phifer is a popular African-American actor, director, producer, and rapper. Born in New York and currently residing in Los Angeles, Phifer first gained recognition for his role in Spike Lee’s film ‘Clockers’ during his college days. He continued to impress with his performance in the Emmy-winning TV-film ‘The Tuskegee Airmen’. In 2001, Phifer made his mark in mainstream Hollywood with his role in ‘O’, a contemporary remake of ‘Othello’. Despite the film’s box office performance, his acting skills received praise from notable critics. He also starred alongside rapper Eminem in ‘8 Mile’. Phifer’s talent was further acknowledged when he won the Rising Star award at the American Black Film Festival in 2002. He later joined the cast of the award-winning drama series ‘ER’ for six seasons.
Quick Facts
- Age: 48 Years
- Family: Spouse/Ex-: Reshelet Barnes (m. 2013), Malinda Williams (m. 1999–2003), father: Rhoda Phifer, children: Mekhi Thira Phifer Jr, Omikaye Phifer
- Actors
- Directors
- Height: 5’9″ (175 cm)
- City: New York City
- U.S. State: New Yorkers, African-American From New Yorkers
Childhood & Early Life
Mekhi Phifer was born on 29 December 1974 in Harlem, New York City. His mother, Rhoda Phifer, was soon abandoned by Mekhi’s father. A schoolteacher by profession, she took care of the boy as a single parent. She was a very committed mother and it never affected Mekhi that he could never meet his father.
Since his mother was a schoolteacher, Mekhi never neglected his education and performed very well in school. He also found time for a few after-school jobs, while excelling in his studies simultaneously. His love for acting developed at the tender age of seven, when he represented the Ghost of Christmas Present in the play, ‘A Christmas Carol’, as organized by the Harlem community center.
In 1994, he completed his high school graduation from the Lincoln Square Auxiliary Services High School with good grades. He then enrolled in the electrical engineering program at the reputed State University of New York in New Paltz, New York City. However, his acting career that was to begin soon would interrupt his studies.
Career
In 1994, Mekhi Phifer auditioned for Spike Lee’s film, ‘Clockers’, and bagged the role of a narcotics dealer, while competing against around a thousand more contestants! In 1995, his first music album was released by Warner Brothers Records and bore the title ‘New York Related: The HF Project’. Later on, Phifer participated in many music-related projects like ‘The Boy Is Mine’ (Brandy), ‘Many Men’ (50 Cent), and ‘Don’t Let Go’ (En Vogue).
Inspired by his success so far, he took his chances with a comedy spoof movie, ‘High School High’ (starring his first wife, Malinda Williams) and a horror movie, ‘I Still Know What You Did Last Summer’ (starring Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze, Jr.). He also worked for many TV-movies like ‘The Tuskegee Airmen’ (1995), ‘HBO’s Subway Stories: Tales from the Underground’ (1997), and ‘Brian’s Song’ (2001). His movie career flourished as well, with films like ‘The Biography of Spud Webb’, ‘NYC’, ‘Hell’s Kitchen’, ‘Soul Food’, and ‘Tears of a Clown’. As an actor, he touched greater heights in the 2000s and beyond with major appearances in films like ‘8 Mile’ (2002), ‘Dawn of the Dead’ (2004), ‘This Christmas’ (2007), and ‘A Day in the Life’ (2009). In June 2011, Phifer was cast as CIA agent Rex Matheson in the series ‘Torchwood: Miracle Day’.
The year 1996 turned out to be pretty eventful for Mekhi Phifer as he starred as ‘Junior Bunk’ in the popular television crime-drama series, ‘Homicide: Life on the Streets’ in a recurring role. He also played a part in the sitcom, ‘The Wayans Bros’. In 1999, he gained a lot of popularity after starring in ‘A Lesson Before Dying’ (a TV version of the classic novel), along with Don Cheadle, and it rewarded him with a NAACP Image Award nomination. In 2000, he was involved in the remake project of ‘Shaft’, which also starred Samuel L. Jackson. His role as Agent Collins in the fourth season of the television series, ‘White Collar’ was much appreciated. Recently in 2016, he became involved with the famous television series, ‘Frequency’ as a regular actor.
Awards and Achievements
His contribution to the medical drama series, ‘ER,’ as Dr. Gregory Pratt earned him two nominations for an NAACP Image Award. Moreover, he was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award for the TV show, ‘A Lesson Before Dying’. In 2002, Mekhi Phifer won the Rising Star award from the iconic American Black Film Festival. In 2004, he won the Celebrity Poker Showdown Championship after defeating Neil Patrick Harris during the 4th season.
Personal Life & Legacy
Mekhi Phifer has a son named Omikaye Phifer, with his first wife Malinda Williams (actress), who he later divorced. He has a second son named Mekhi Thira Phifer Jr. who was born as a result of his relationship with Oni Souratha. In 2011, he launched the company, Third Reel Films, an initiative to enable filmmakers to showcase their projects to entertainment representatives. He tied the knot with his long-term girlfriend, Reshelet Barnes, on 30 March 2013, in Beverly Hills. He is also a dedicated Chairman of the non-profit organization, The Vine Group USA that was established in the year 2000 and aims to provide educational resources to various African universities.
In April 2014, Phifer officially filed for bankruptcy with a debt of $1.3 million.
Trivia
Mekhi Phifer is very grateful to his mother for her no-nonsense parenting style and for his proper upbringing even though she was a single parent. Besides being a well-established actor, Mekhi Phifer is active as an entrepreneur and is the owner of a number of Athlete’s Foot athletic shoe store franchises. He made a guest appearance in the second season of the TV series, ‘Husbands’.