Wesley Snipes

Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor, martial artist, author, and film producer. In a film career spanning more than forty years, Snipes has appeared in a variety of genres, such as numerous thrillers, dramatic feature films, and comedies, though he is best known for his action films. He was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his work in The Waterdance (1992) and won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his performance in the film One Night Stand (1997). Films in which he has appeared have grossed over $3.6 billion worldwide.

Snipes had notable parts in the comedy film Major League (1989), the drama Mo' Better Blues (1990), and the crime drama King of New York (1990) before gaining prominence by playing a drug lord in the crime drama New Jack City (1991). He subsequently received more attention for the drama film Jungle Fever (1991), the sports comedy White Men Can't Jump (1992), and the action film Passenger 57 (1992). He has since starred in various genres such as the comedy film To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995), the thriller The Fan (1996), and the drama film Down in the Delta (1998) but mostly established himself as an action star, portraying both heroes and villains in films such as Demolition Man (1993), Rising Sun (1993), Money Train (1995), and U.S. Marshals (1998). Also in 1998, he was cast as Eric Brooks / Blade in the superhero film Blade, based on the Marvel Comics superhero of the same name, a role he went on to reprise in Blade II (2002), Blade: Trinity (2004), and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024).

From the mid-2000s, Snipes appeared in direct-to-video films before returning to theatrical releases with films such as Brooklyn's Finest (2009) and The Expendables 3 (2014). His television work includes the drama series H.E.L.P. (1990), the action series The Player (2015), and the limited series True Story (2021) as well as the romantic drama film Disappearing Acts (2000).

He formed a production company, Amen-Ra Films, in 1991, and a subsidiary, Black Dot Media, to develop projects for film and television. Snipes has been training in martial arts since the age of 12, earning a 5th dan black belt in Shotokan karate and 2nd dan black belt in Hapkido. He is credited with helping popularize martial arts in Hollywood and bringing martial arts to mainstream audiences as well as contributing to the representation of Black actors in action roles, breaking stereotypes. In 2017, Snipes made his debut as a novelist with the urban fantasy Talon of God.

Wesley Trent Snipes was born on July 31, 1962, in Orlando, Florida. the son of Wesley Rudolph Snipes, an aircraft engineer, and Marian (née Long), a teacher's assistant. He grew up in The Bronx, one of five New York City boroughs. Snipes attended the High School of Performing Arts of Fiorello H.La Guardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, but returned to Florida before he could graduate. After graduating from Jones High School in Orlando, Snipes returned to New York and attended the State University of New York at Purchase, from which he received a bachelor's degree in fine arts. Snipes also attended Southwestern College in California.

At the age of 23, Snipes was discovered by an agent while performing in a competition. He made his film debut in the 1986 Goldie Hawn vehicle Wildcats. Later that year, he appeared on the TV show Miami Vice as a drug-dealing pimp in the episode "Streetwise" (first aired December 5, 1986). In 1987, he appeared as Michael Jackson's nemesis in the Martin Scorsese–directed music video "Bad" and the feature film Streets of Gold. That same year, Snipes was also considered for the role of Geordi La Forge in the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation, but the role eventually went to LeVar Burton. Snipes auditioned and lobbied hard for the role of Leroy Green in the 1985 cult classic movie The Last Dragon, but the role was given to Taimak instead.

Snipes's performance in the music video "Bad" caught the eye of director Spike Lee. Snipes turned down a small role in Lee's Do the Right Thing for the larger part of Willie Mays Hayes in Major League (1989), beginning a succession of box-office hits for Snipes. Lee would later cast Snipes as the jazz saxophonist Shadow Henderson in Mo' Better Blues (1990) and as the lead in the interracial romance drama Jungle Fever (1991). After the success of Jungle Fever, The Washington Post described Snipes as "the most celebrated new actor of the season". He then played Thomas Flanagan in King of New York (1990) opposite Christopher Walken. He played the drug lord Nino Brown in New Jack City (1991), which was written specifically for him by Barry Michael Cooper. He also played a drug dealer in the 1994 film Sugar Hill.

Snipes has played several roles in action films, including Passenger 57 (1992), Rising Sun (1993), Demolition Man (1993) (with Sylvester Stallone), Drop Zone (1994), Money Train (1995), The Fan (1996), U.S. Marshals (1998) and The Art of War (2000), as well as comedies like White Men Can't Jump (1992), and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995) where he played a drag queen. Snipes has appeared in additional dramas, such as The Waterdance (1992) and Disappearing Acts (2000).

In 1997, Snipes won the Best Actor Volpi Cup at the 54th Venice Film Festival for his performance in New Line Cinema's One Night Stand. In 1998, Snipes had his largest commercial success with Blade, appearing in the title role, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Blade has grossed over $150 million worldwide and the film spawned a franchise. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and an honorary doctorate in humanities and fine arts from his alma mater, SUNY/Purchase. In 2002, Snipes reprised his role in Blade II, and in 2004, starred in a third film, Blade: Trinity, both of which he also produced. In 2005, Snipes sued New Line Cinema and David S. Goyer, the film's studio and director, respectively. He claimed that the studio did not pay his full salary, that he was intentionally cut out of casting decisions, and that his character's screen time was reduced in favor of co-stars Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Biel. The suit was later settled, but no details were released.

Snipes later appeared in The Contractor (2007), filmed in Bulgaria and the UK, Game of Death (2010), and Gallowwalkers (2012). Snipes was originally slated to play one of the four leads in Spike Lee's 2008 war film Miracle at St. Anna but had to leave the film due to tax problems; his role eventually went to Derek Luke.

In the late 1990s, Snipes and his brother started a security firm called the Royal Guard of Amen-Ra, dedicated to providing VIPs with bodyguards trained in law enforcement and martial arts. Amen-Ra is also the name of his film company. In 1996, the first film produced by Amen-Ra was A Great And Mighty Walk – Dr. John Henrik Clarke.

In 2000, the business was investigated for alleged ties to the United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors. It emerged that Snipes had spotted 200 acres (81 ha) of land near their Tama-Re compound in Putnam County, Georgia, intending to buy and use it for his business academy. Both Snipes's business and the groups used Egyptian motifs as their symbols. Ultimately, Snipes and his brother did not buy the land, instead establishing their company in Florida, Antigua, and Africa.

In 2005, Snipes entered into negotiations to fight Fear Factor host Joe Rogan on Ultimate Fighting Match, but the deal fell through.

In 2010, Snipes co-created the sci-fi comic series After Dark with Antoine Fuqua. In 2017, he made his debut as a novelist with the urban fantasy supernatural adventure Talon of God. In 2022, he returned to comics with The Exiled.

Snipes began training in martial arts when he was 12 years old in 1974. He has a 5th degree black belt in Shotokan karate and a 2nd degree black belt in Hapkido. He has also trained in Capoeira under Mestre Jelon Vieira and in a number of other disciplines including Kung Fu at the USA Shaolin Temple, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and kickboxing. During his time in New York, Snipes was trained in fighting by his friend and mentor Brooke Ellis. Snipes is also trained in Arnis.

Snipes, who was raised a Christian, converted to Islam in 1978, but left Islam in 1988. During a 1991 interview, Snipes said "Islam made me more conscious of what African people have accomplished, of my self-worth, and gave me some self-dignity".

After Dark (comics, co-created with Antoine Fuqua; 2010)

Talon of God (novel, co-written with Ray Norman; 2017)

The Exiled (comics, co-created with Adam Lawson & Keith Arem; 2022)