Mekhi Phifer

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Mekhi Phifer

Mekhi Thira Phifer (born December 29, 1974) is an American

United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
actor. He is perhaps best known for his multi-year role as Dr. Greg Pratt on NBC's long-running medical drama

Medical drama

A medical drama is a television drama in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment. While not as popular as :category:legal television series/List of police television dramas, it is still easily identifiable occupational based drama....
ER
ER (TV series)

ER is an Emmy Award-winning Television in the United States medical drama television series created by the late novelist Michael Crichton and airing on NBC....
and his co-starring role opposite Eminem

Eminem

Marshall Bruce Mathers III , known by his primary stage name Eminem, or by his alter-ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer and actor....
in the feature film

Feature film

In the film industry, a feature film is a film made for initial Film distributor in Movie theater and being the "main attraction" of the screening ....
8 Mile
8 Mile (film)

8 Mile is a United States hip-hop drama film, directed by Curtis Hanson and starring Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, and Mekhi Phifer....
.

er was born in Harlem

Harlem

Harlem is a Neighbourhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, long known as a major African-American residential, cultural, and business center....
, New York City

New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
, the son of Rhoda Phifer, a high school

High school

High school is the name used in some parts of the world to describe an institution which provides all or part of secondary education. The term originated in Scotland and spread to the New World countries as the high prestige that the Scottish educational system had at the time led several countries to employ Scottish educators to develop the...
teacher; he grew up in a single-parent household with his mother.

Phifer has a son Omikaye with his former wife, actress Malinda Williams

Malinda Williams

Malinda Williams is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of hair stylist Tracy "Bird" Van Adams on the Showtime television drama Soul Food ....
.

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Encyclopedia

Mekhi Thira Phifer (born December 29, 1974) is an American

United States

Medical drama

Eminem

Marshall Bruce Mathers III , known by his primary stage name Eminem, or by his alter-ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer and actor....
in the feature film

Feature film

Personal life

Phifer was born in Harlem

Harlem

Harlem is a Neighbourhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, long known as a major African-American residential, cultural, and business center....
, New York City

New York City

High school

Malinda Williams

Malinda Williams is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of hair stylist Tracy "Bird" Van Adams on the Showtime television drama Soul Food ....
. His second son, Mekhi Thira Phifer Jr., was born to his Malagasy

Malagasy people

The Malagasy ethnic group forms the vast majority of the population of Madagascar. They are divided into two subgroups: the "Highlander" Merina, Sihanaka and Betsileo of the central plateaux around Antananarivo, Alaotra and Fianarantsoa, and the c?tiers elsewhere in the country....
fiancee Oni Souratha in Los Angeles on 30 October 2007.

Phifer resides in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles is the largest city in the U.S. state of California and the List of United States cities by population in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles is rated as a beta global city, has an estimated population of 3.8 million and spans over in Southern California....
.

Entertainment career

In 1995, Phifer attended an open casting call for director Spike Lee’s

Spike Lee

Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an Emmy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated United States film director, Film producer, screenwriter, and actor, noted for his films dealing with controversial Society and Politics issues....
Clockers, beating over a thousand others to get the lead role as a narcotics dealer embroiled in a murder coverup. He followed that role with another in the comedy spoof feature High School High
High School High

High School High is a 1996 comedy film about an inner city high school in the Los Angeles, California area, starring Jon Lovitz, Tia Carrere, Mekhi Phifer, Louise Fletcher, Malinda Williams and Brian Hooks....
(which also starred his former wife Malinda Williams

Malinda Williams

Malinda Williams is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of hair stylist Tracy "Bird" Van Adams on the Showtime television drama Soul Food ....
) and continued by co-starring in the fright flick I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is a 1998 in film slasher film released as a sequel to the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer....
, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt

Jennifer Love Hewitt

Jennifer Love Hewitt is an United States actress and singer-songwriter. Hewitt began her acting career as a child by appearing in television commercials and the Disney Channel series Kids Incorporated....
and Freddie Prinze, Jr.

Freddie Prinze, Jr.

Freddie James Prinze, Jr. is an United States actor. He became known during the late 1990s and early 2000s, after starring in several Hollywood films aimed at teenage audiences, including Delgo, I Know What You Did Last Summer and its I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, as well as She's All That, and Scooby-Doo ....
He is perhaps best known for his role as Gregory Pratt

Gregory Pratt

Dr. Gregory "Greg" Pratt was a fictional medical doctor on the US television show ER , portrayed by Mekhi Phifer from April 4, 2002 to September 25, 2008....
on the medical drama ER
ER (TV series)

ER is an Emmy Award-winning Television in the United States medical drama television series created by the late novelist Michael Crichton and airing on NBC....
, that he started in April 2002. Phifer left the show in September 2008, in the first episode of Season 15. His character was tragically killed off in the conclusion of the season 14 finale cliffhanger involving an ambulance explosion that was rigged to kill an injured FBI informant(steve buscemi). During his 6 years in the show, he was nominated twice for an NAACP Award.

Phifer’s television credits include the movies The Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen

The Tuskegee Airmen is a 1995 in television HBO television movie based on the exploits of an actual groundbreaking unit, the first African American combat pilots in the United States Army Air Force, that fought in World War II, ....
(1995), HBO's

Home Box Office

HBO is a premium television programming subsidiary of Time Warner. It offers two 24-hour pay television services to over 38 million U.S. subscribers....
Subway Stories: Tales from the Underground
Subway Stories

Subway Stories: Tales from the Underground was a film made in 1997 and produced by Home Box Office for television. It began as a contest among New Yorkers who submitted stories of their experiences within the New York City Subway....
(1997), and Brian's Song
Brian's Song

Brian's Song is a 1971 in film made-for-TV movie, recalling the details of the life of Brian Piccolo , a White American American football player stricken with terminal cancer, and his friendship with African American Chicago Bears running back teammate and Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers , who helps him through the difficult strugg...
(2001) (as former Chicago Bear

Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the NFC North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League ....
Sayers

Gale Sayers

Gale Eugene Sayers , also known as "The Kansas Comet", was a professional American football player in the National Football League who spent his entire career with the Chicago Bears....
). He received additional notice for his performance opposite singer Beyoncé Knowles

Beyoncé Knowles

Beyonc? Giselle Knowles , commonly known as Beyonc? , is an American contemporary R&B singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools, and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child....
(from Destiny’s Child) on MTV’s alternative take on the Carmen
Carmen

Carmen is a French op?ra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Hal?vy, based on the Carmen by Prosper M?rim?e, first published in 1845, itself influenced by the narrative poem "The Gypsies" by Pushkin....
legend with the movie Carmen: A Hip Hopera
Carmen: A Hip Hopera

Carmen: A Hip Hopera is a 2001 musical film produced for television by MTV and directed by Robert Townsend. The film stars Beyonc? Knowles, Mos Def, Rah Digga, Wyclef Jean, Mekhi Phifer, Da Brat, Joy Bryant, Jermaine Dupri and Lil' Bow Wow....
(2001). Phifer guest-starred in the series Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street

Homicide: Life on the Street is an United States television police procedural series chronicling the work of a fictional Baltimore Baltimore Police Department homicide unit....
and New York Undercover
New York Undercover

New York Undercover is a one-hour Police procedural that aired on the FOX television network from 1994 in television to 1998 in television. The program was popular among its Hip hop culture target audience....
. Likewise, he earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for another TV movie, A Lesson Before Dying
A Lesson Before Dying

A Lesson Before Dying is Ernest J. Gaines' eighth novel, published in 1993....
, opposite Don Cheadle

Don Cheadle

Donald Frank "Don" Cheadle is an United States actor, film producer, philanthropist, and author. Cheadle rose to prominence after playing supporting roles in films such as Out of Sight, Traffic , and the Ocean's Eleven series of films....
.

Among Phifer’s other big-screen credits are Soul Food
Soul Food (film)

Soul Food is a 1997 in film film, produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Tracey Edmonds, and Robert Teitel, and released by Fox 2000 Pictures....
, The Biography of Spud Webb
Spud Webb

Anthony Jerome Webb , better known as Spud Webb, is a retired United States National Basketball Association professional basketball point guard....
, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC
Hell's Kitchen (1998 film)

Hell's Kitchen is a 1998 in film film starring Rosanna Arquette, William Forsythe, Angelina Jolie, Mekhi Phifer, and Johnny Whitworth. The film was written and directed by Tony Cinciripini....
, Tears of a Clown, O
O (film)

O is a 2001 in film drama film, based loosely upon William Shakespeare's Othello.The film's intended release date coincided with the Columbine High School massacre, so the film was shelved....
(as the titular character Odin a.k.a. O), and the thriller Uninvited Guest (as Silk). He appeared in Impostor
Impostor (film)

Impostor is a 2002 science fiction film based upon Impostor written by Philip K. Dick in 1953....
as well as Paid in Full
Paid in Full (film)

Paid in Full is 2002 in film film that was produced by Roc-A-Fella Films and directed by Charles Stone III. It is a film that takes place in Harlem at the height of the Crack Epidemic that hit there during the 1980s....
and director Curtis Hanson

Curtis Hanson

Curtis Lee Hanson is an Academy Award-winning United States of America filmmaker. A former photographer, freelance writer of Hollywood-themed articles and editor of Cinema magazine, Hanson honed his filmmaking skills by writing screenplays for low-budget thrillers before establishing himself as a director of Oscar-caliber work....
’s 8 Mile
8 Mile (film)

8 Mile is a United States hip-hop drama film, directed by Curtis Hanson and starring Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, and Mekhi Phifer....
, opposite Eminem

Eminem

Marshall Bruce Mathers III , known by his primary stage name Eminem, or by his alter-ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer and actor....
He was mentioned in the song "Lose Yourself" by Eminem.

Filmography

Year	Title	Role
1995	Tuskegee Airmen Tuskegee Airmen The Tuskegee Airmen is the popular name of a group of African American pilots who flew with distinction during World War II as the 332nd Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces....	Lewis Johns
1995	Clockers Clockers *Clockers* is a 1995 in film film directed by Spike Lee. The screenplay, written by Lee and Richard Price , is based on Price's Clockers. The film stars Mekhi Phifer in his first role and was filmed In Gowanus Projects in Brooklyn, New York....	Ronald 'Strike' Dunham
1996	High School High High School High *High School High* is a 1996 comedy film about an inner city high school in the Los Angeles, California area, starring Jon Lovitz, Tia Carrere, Mekhi Phifer, Louise Fletcher, Malinda Williams and Brian Hooks....	Griff McReynolds
1997	Soul Food Soul Food (film) *Soul Food* is a 1997 in film film, produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Tracey Edmonds, and Robert Teitel, and released by Fox 2000 Pictures....	Lem
1998	I Still Know What You Did Last Summer I Still Know What You Did Last Summer *I Still Know What You Did Last Summer* is a 1998 in film slasher film released as a sequel to the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer....	Tyrell
1999	A Lesson Before Dying A Lesson Before Dying *A Lesson Before Dying* is Ernest J. Gaines' eighth novel, published in 1993....	Jefferson
1999	Uninvited Guest	Silk
2000	Shaft Shaft (2000 film) *Shaft* is a 2000 in film action film-crime film directed by John Singleton, and starring Samuel L. Jackson, Toni Collette, Busta Rhymes, Vanessa L....	Trey Howard
2001	Carmen: A Hip Hopera Carmen: A Hip Hopera *Carmen: A Hip Hopera* is a 2001 musical film produced for television by MTV and directed by Robert Townsend. The film stars Beyonc? Knowles, Mos Def, Rah Digga, Wyclef Jean, Mekhi Phifer, Da Brat, Joy Bryant, Jermaine Dupri and Lil' Bow Wow....	Derek Hill
	O O (film) O is a 2001 in film drama film, based loosely upon William Shakespeare's Othello.The film's intended release date coincided with the Columbine High School massacre, so the film was shelved....	Odin "O" James
	Impostor Impostor (film) *Impostor* is a 2002 science fiction film based upon Impostor written by Philip K. Dick in 1953....	Cale
	Brian's Song Brian's Song *Brian's Song* is a 1971 in film made-for-TV movie, recalling the details of the life of Brian Piccolo , a White American American football player stricken with terminal cancer, and his friendship with African American Chicago Bears running back teammate and Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers , who helps him through the difficult strugg...	Gale Sayers
2002	8 Mile 8 Mile (film) *8 Mile* is a United States hip-hop drama film, directed by Curtis Hanson and starring Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, and Mekhi Phifer....	David "Future" Porter
2002	Paid in Full Paid in Full (film) *Paid in Full* is 2002 in film film that was produced by Roc-A-Fella Films and directed by Charles Stone III. It is a film that takes place in Harlem at the height of the Crack Epidemic that hit there during the 1980s....	Mitch
2003	Honey Honey (2003 film) *Honey* is a 2003 in film motion picture released by Universal Pictures. Featuring music produced by Rodney Jerkins, the film stars Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer, Lil' Romeo , Joy Bryant, Missy Elliott and David Moscow....	Chaz
2004	Dawn of the Dead Dawn of the Dead (2004 film) *Dawn of the Dead* is a 2004 horror film remake of George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead . The remake and original both depict a handful of human survivors living in a shopping mall surrounded by swarms of zombies, but the details differ significantly....	Andre
2005	Slow Burn Slow Burn *Slow Burn* is an American motion picture starring Ray Liotta, Jolene Blalock, and LL Cool J, which is notable for the extended period between production and eventual release....	Isaac Duperde
2006	Puff, Puff, Pass Puff, Puff, Pass *Puff, Puff, Pass* is a 2006 in film comedy stoner crime film, also known as *Living High*, directed by Mekhi Phifer....	Big Daddy
2007	This Christmas This Christmas (film) *This Christmas* is a 2007 in film christmas film comedy film-drama film produced by and distributed by Screen Gems. Written, produced and directed by Preston A....	Gerald
2008	Nora's Hair Salon 2: A Cut Above Nora's Hair Salon 2: A Cut Above *Nora's Hair Salon 2: A Cut Above* is a 2008 in film Comedy film-Drama film Feature film Screenwriter by Chanel Capra and Jill Maxcy, who also Film director....	Dr. Terry
2008	A Talent for Trouble	Mekhi

Television appearances

Punk'd
Punk'd

Punk'd was an United States hidden camera practical joke television series on MTV, produced and hosted by Ashton Kutcher, which first aired in 2003....
, 2004, one episode
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm

Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy starring Seinfeld writer, co-creator, and executive producer Larry David as himself, and produced and broadcast by Home Box Office....
, 2005, 4 episodes
ER
ER (TV series)

ER is an Emmy Award-winning Television in the United States medical drama television series created by the late novelist Michael Crichton and airing on NBC....
, 2002–2008
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street

Homicide: Life on the Street is an United States television police procedural series chronicling the work of a fictional Baltimore Baltimore Police Department homicide unit....
, 1996–1998, 3 episodes
The Black Poker Stars Invitational, 2008, BET

Music videos

"Many Men (Wish Death)
Get Rich or Die Tryin' (album)

Get Rich or Die Tryin' is the commercial debut studio album by New York City rapper 50 Cent, released through Interscope Records. The album was supposed to be released on February 11, 2003 but due to leakage and heavy bootlegging on the Internet, it was released seven days earlier on February 4, 2003....
" by 50 Cent
50 Cent

Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin' and The Massacre ....
"The Boy Is Mine
The Boy Is Mine

"The Boy Is Mine" is a song recorded by United States R&B singers Brandy Norwood and Monica . Originally written by LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and Brandy for her second studio album Never Say Never , it was eventually released as the lead single off of both singers' second albums during the second quart...
" by Brandy
Brandy (entertainer)

Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American contemporary R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, fashion model, actress, television personality, and film producer....
and Monica
Monica (singer)

Monica Denise Arnold , professionally known as Monica, is an American contemporary R&B singer, songwriter, and occasional actor. She debuted in 1995 under the guidance of Rowdy Records head Dallas Austin and became the youngest recording act to ever have two consecutive chart-topping hits on the U.S....
"Don't Let Go (Love)
Don't Let Go (Love)

"Don't Let Go " is the first single from musical group En Vogue's third studio album, EV3. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA for shipments of over 1,000,000 units....
" by En Vogue
En Vogue

En Vogue is a Grammy nominated United States female Contemporary R&B vocal quartet assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy....
"Nobody
Nobody (Keith Sweat song)

"Nobody" is the title of a number-one R&B single by singers Keith Sweat and Athena Cage from the band Kut Klose. The hit song spent three weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart, and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100....
" by Keith Sweat
Keith Sweat

Keith Sweat, born on July 22, 1961 in Harlem, New York, is an United States Contemporary R&B/soul music, singer-songwriter, record producer and a major contributor to the New jack swing era....
"Flava in Ya Ear (remix)" by Craig Mack
Craig Mack

Craig Mack is an United States rapper who debuted on Sean Combs's Bad Boy Entertainment record label. Although his first single was released under the name MC EZ in 1988, he is best known for his 1994 hit single "Flava In Ya Ear"....
"Wu Wear" by Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan

The Wu-Tang Clan is a New York City?based hip hop group. Wu-Tang Clan consists of nine United States rapping: RZA, GZA, Raekwon, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Method Man, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard....

Other activities

Phifer was the 2004 winner of the Celebrity Poker Showdown Championship, defeating Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris is an United Statesn Golden Globe- and Emmy-nominated actor and magician. Prominent roles in his career include the title character of Doogie Howser, M.D., the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, Col....
during the fourth season. Phifer plays on the World Poker Tour

World Poker Tour

The World Poker Tour is a series of international poker tournaments featuring most of the world's professional players. It was started in the United States by attorney/television producer Steven Lipscomb, who now serves as CEO of WPT Enterprises , the firm that controls the World Poker Tour....
in the Hollywood Home games for the Love Our Children USA charity. Phifer is chairman of the board of trustees of The Vine Group USA. a non-profit organization established in 2000 to provide educational resources to universities in Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
.

Phifer is an owner of six Athlete's Foot

The Athlete's Foot

The Athlete's Foot is the world's first and largest franchisor of athletic footwear.Robert and David Lando opened the first The Athlete's Foot store in 1971 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
athletic shoe store franchises in California.

Mekhi Phifer

Personal life

Entertainment career

Filmography

Television appearances

Music videos

Other activities

External links