Don Cheadle

Don Cheadle: biography

Don Cheadle, mostly known for acting in the movies about Marvel super-heroes, began building his career being a student. Having received enough experience starring at school’s performances and plays, Cheadle went to conquer the frightening but full of opportunities world of show-business. What has he managed to achieve there? Let’s know in the article!

Childhood and youth

Don Cheadle’s birthplace is Kansas City. He was raised by Donald Cheadle Sr. and his wife, Betty. Speaking about his parents’ occupations, his mom worked as a teacher, while his father had a degree in psychology. Cheadle was brought up along a sister and a brother. From the very infancy, he showed obvious inclinations towards the world of music and acting. While at school, future celebrity joined its choir and impressed music teacher by his penetrating pitch. Besides being a member of a choir, Cheadle was a real star of school plays, performances, concerts. There he learned to play the saxophone and joined a local music band. His favorite music genre was jazz.

As a kid, he often traveled with his parents, got acquainted with other cultures what inspired him for creating music masterpieces.

1982 was marked by Cheadle’s graduation from a high school. Later, he went to study fine arts at a university. While studying there, Cheadle tried himself out in various auditions and eventually got his first role ever in the TV series entitled Fame.

Movie career

1985 brought Don Cheadle his debut big-screen role – he was seen playing in the comedy picture entitled Moving Violations. Two years later, Cheadle was cast of the movie Hamburger Hill – its plot was about war. Besides starring in movies, Cheadle didn’t neglect his TV career. So, that time he took part in the recording of an episode of the comedy TV series Night Court – the episode was shown in 1988.

Totally, at the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s, the actor appeared in dozens of pictures. So, fans could see him starring in LA Law and Hill Street Blues. Remarkably, his role in the picture Devil in a Blue Dress premiered in 1995 brought him lots of fans and respect from professional critics.

In 2004 Cheadle played in the successful movie Crash. Besides, the celebrity helped in its production. As a result, the picture brought its directors the Oscar. Around that time Cheadle added the picture ‘Hotel Rwanda’ to the list of projects he took part in the recording of.

The period from 1995 to 2010 brought the actor appearances in lots of various pictures, such as the drama with criminal plot entitled Traffic, the comedy movie The Family Man and the drama ER. 2007 was marked by Cheadle’s acting in Reign Over Me – he co-starred there alongside Adam Sandler.

Don Cheadle acted as a secondary character in the movie entitled Ocean’s Eleven. Due to it, he received numerous awards. Moreover, he played in the pictures Iron Man 2 and Iron Man 3 as James Rhodes. Initially, the character was played by Terrence Howard, but he couldn’t continue working, and the directors had to substitute the actor by Cheadle.

Don Cheadle contributed to production of the project Miles Ahead telling about Miles Davis’ life. He also acted as Colonel James Rhodes in Captain America: Civil War, in Black Panther and in Avengers (alongside Brie Larson) which are thought to be two of the best movies featuring Cheadle.

In 2018 he gave his voice to a character of Duck Tales.

Don Cheadle’s net worth is evaluated at $40 million. As for his salary, he is paid near $160,000 per episode.

Activism

Apart from acting, Don Cheadle is a partner of the United Nations. Together, they make people aware of climate change and the current genocide in Darfur and Rwanda. Cheadle was honored by several humanitarian awards for his help.

Besides, Cheadle has donated several millions of dollars to the people suffering from violence in those places. Being concerned about modern climate problems, he has written several books about the issue.

Except for starring in movies and TV shows, Don Cheadle played in commercials aimed to promote the Super Bowl in 2003.

Personal life

Speaking about Don Cheadle’s private life, he has a wife named Bridgid Coulter. Before tying the knot, the two had been dating for several years. Cheadle is a father of two children - a son and a daughter. Nowadays, they reside in Santa Monica.

Filmography

• Ticker (2002)
• Crash (2005)
• Talk to Me (2007)
• Traitor (2008)
• The Guard (2011)
• Flight (2012)
• Miles Ahead (2015)
• Captain Marvel (2019)
• Black Monday (2019)
• Awards and nominations
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role (2005)
• Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (2015)