Mekhi Phifer
Highest Rated: 86% The Tuskegee Airmen (1995)
Lowest Rated: 7% I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)
Birthday: Dec 29, 1974
Birthplace: Harlem, New York, USA
Mekhi Phifer proved himself as an actor many times over with iconic roles in everything from "8 Mile" (2002) to the medical drama "ER" (NBC, 1994-2009). Born in Harlem, New York in 1974, Phifer's single-parent household often struggled when it came to money. Though there were many young men in his orbit with aspirations to become hip-hop artists, Phifer rarely saw this path lead others to success, so he followed his instincts and pursued his drive to become an actor instead. He landed his first role as Ronald 'Strike' Dunham in Spike Lee's "Clockers" (1995), and it proved to be something of a breakthrough. He appeared in the comedy "High School High" (1996) the following year, which he quickly followed with roles in "Soul Food" (1997) and the horror hit "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer" (1998). Mekhi earned major acclaim for his starring performance in "O" (2001), a modern take on Shakespeare's "Othello," and only enjoyed increased notoriety for his performance as Mitch, a character based on real life '80s drug kingpin Rich Porter in the crime drama "Paid in Full" (2002). Phifer next played rapper David 'Future' Porter in the Eminem biopic "8 Mile" the same year he joined the cast of the beloved medical drama "ER." He would stay with the series until it finally wrapped in 2008, though he would also continue to appear in feature films, memorably starring opposite then up-and-coming Jessica Alba in the dance movie "Honey" (2003). In 2004, Phifer appeared alongside Ving Rames and Sarah Polley in Zach Snyder's well-received remake of the classic zombie movie "Dawn of the Dead" (2004). The next year, he landed a recurring role on the massively acclaimed comedy series "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO, 2000-). Phifer went on to join the cast of the crime drama series "Lie to Me" (Fox, 2009-2011), and later appeared in the popular YA movie "Divergent" (2014) in addition to playing the recurring role of Dre Collins on the third season of the acclaimed political drama "House of Cards" (Showtime, 2012-16). He appeared in a number of under-the-radar films during this time including "Chocolate City: Vegas" (2017), "A Talent for Trouble" (2018), "Canal Street" (2018), and "Obsession" (2019). In 2019, Phifer appeared with Octavia Spencer, Aaron Paul, and Lizzy Caplan in the thriller "Truth Be Told" (2019).
Photos
Mekhi Phifer
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
69% | No Score Yet | The Silent Hour | Lynch (Character) | - | 2024 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Long Gone Heroes | Unknown (Character) | - | 2024 |
69% |
|
The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat | James (Character) | - | 2024 |
35% |
|
Lights Out | Max Bomer (Character) | - | 2024 |
No Score Yet |
|
Obsession | Unknown (Character) | - | 2019 |
No Score Yet |
|
Canal Street | Prosecutor A.J. Canton (Character) | $247.8K | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Chocolate City Vegas Strip | Best Valentine (Character) | - | 2016 |
44% |
|
Pandemic | Gunner (Character) | - | 2016 |
11% |
|
The Divergent Series: Allegiant | Max (Character) | $66.2M | 2016 |
28% |
|
The Divergent Series: Insurgent | Max (Character) | $130.1M | 2015 |
No Score Yet |
|
A Day Late and a Dollar Short | Lewis (Character) | - | 2014 |
41% |
|
Divergent | Max (Character) | $150.8M | 2014 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Suspect | The Suspect (Character) | - | 2013 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Love Section | James Johnson (Character) | - | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Business as Usual: The Exploitation of Hip Hop | Executive Producer | - | 2011 |
No Score Yet |
|
Last Man Standing | Jeremy Davis (Character) | - | 2011 |
15% |
|
Flypaper | Darrien (Character) | $1.1K | 2011 |
No Score Yet |
|
A Day in the Life | King Khi (Character) | - | 2009 |
No Score Yet |
|
Nora's Hair Salon 2: A Cut Above | Dr. Terry (Character) | - | 2008 |
55% |
|
This Christmas |
Gerald (Character), Executive Producer |
$49.1M | 2007 |
No Score Yet |
|
Puff, Puff, Pass |
Big Daddy (Character), Director, Producer |
- | 2006 |
9% |
|
Slow Burn | Isaac Duparde (Character) | $1.2M | 2005 |
No Score Yet |
|
The MC: Why We Do It | Narrator | - | 2005 |
76% |
|
Dawn of the Dead | Andre (Character) | $58.9M | 2004 |
21% |
|
Honey | Chaz (Character) | $30.2M | 2003 |
33% | No Score Yet | The Other Brother | Martin (Character) | - | 2002 |
75% |
|
8 Mile | Future (Character) | $116.7M | 2002 |
53% |
|
Paid in Full | Mitch (Character) | $3.0M | 2002 |
50% |
|
Carmen: A Hip Hopera | Hill (Character) | - | 2001 |
No Score Yet |
|
Brian's Song | Gale Sayers (Character) | - | 2001 |
25% |
|
Impostor | Cale (Character) | $6.1M | 2001 |
65% |
|
O | Odin James (Character) | $16.4M | 2001 |
67% |
|
Shaft | Trey Howard (Character) | $70.3M | 2000 |
80% |
|
A Lesson Before Dying | Jefferson (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
Uninvited Guest | Silk (Character) | $170.8K | 1999 |
40% |
|
Hell's Kitchen N.Y.C. | Johnny Miles (Character) | $9.8K | 1998 |
7% |
|
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer | Tyrell (Character) | $40.0M | 1998 |
82% |
|
Soul Food | Lem (Character) | $43.5M | 1997 |
19% |
|
High School High | Griff McReynolds (Character) | $21.0M | 1996 |
86% |
|
The Tuskegee Airmen | Lewis Johns (Character) | - | 1995 |
74% |
|
Clockers | Ronald "Strike" Dunham (Character) | $13.0M | 1995 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | 69% | Truth Be Told | Markus Killebrew (Character) | 2019-2021 2023 |
100% | 88% | The Bobby Brown Story | Tommy Brown (Character) | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Beat Bobby Flay | Guest | 2018 |
No Score Yet | 88% | Chicago P.D. | Joe Baker (Guest Star) | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Match Game | Guest | 2017 |
77% | 85% | Frequency | Lieutenant Satch Reyna (Character) | 2016-2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Last Call With Carson Daly | Guest | 2016 |
No Score Yet | 73% | Secret City | Brent Moreton (Character) | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Roots | Jerusalem (Character) | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Wendy Williams Show | Guest | 2011 2014-2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Chew | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hollywood Game Night | Guest | 2014 |
No Score Yet | 12% | The View | Guest | 2014 |
No Score Yet | 83% | House of Lies | Dre (Guest Star) | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Larry King Now | Guest | 2014 |
96% | 93% | White Collar | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2012 |
89% | 94% | Psych | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 106 & Park | Unknown (Character) | 2012 |
98% | 83% | Torchwood | Rex Matheson (Character) | 2011 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Talk | Guest | 2011 |
No Score Yet | 86% | Lie to Me |
FBI Agent Ben Reynolds (Character), Unknown (Guest Star) |
2009-2011 |
No Score Yet | 85% | ER |
Dr. Gregory Pratt (Character), Unknown (Guest Star) |
2002-2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Bonnie Hunt Show | Guest | 2008 |
92% | 91% | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Omar Jones (Guest Star) | 2005 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Daily Show | Guest | 2004 |
91% | 89% | Homicide: Life on the Street | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | New York Undercover | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1995-1996 |