Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersIndependent Spirit AwardsWomen's History MonthSXSWSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Biography
  • Awards
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Mekhi Phifer(I)

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Mekhi Phifer
A true-crime podcaster tries to solve the mystery surrounding a family patriarch's death.
Play trailer2:15
Truth Be Told (2019– )
39 Videos
99+ Photos
Mekhi Phifer was born in Harlem, Manhattan, and was raised by his mother, Rhoda, a high school teacher. Phifer's acting career began when he auditioned at an open casting call for director Spike Lee's Clockers (1995) and was selected for the leading role. Working alongside Harvey Keitel and Delroy Lindo, he garnered critical acclaim for his compelling performance as Strike, a young New Jersey drug dealer involved in a murder cover-up. Following his impressive screen debut, he appeared in the comedy spoof High School High (1996). In the Columbia/Tristar thriller I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), he co-starred with Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. He also starred in Soul Food (1997), 20th Century Fox's film that starred Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox and Nia Long. In 2002, Phifer starred as Future, opposite Eminem, Brittany Murphy and Kim Basinger in Curtis Hanson's critically acclaimed film, 8 Mile (2002), as well as in the Miramax feature Paid in Full (2002), directed by Charles Stone III. In June, he was honored by the American Black Film Festival, receiving the organization's "Rising Star" Award. Phifer also recently appeared in the feature film O (2001), where he starred opposite Julia Stiles and Josh Hartnett. Based on William Shakespeare's Othello, he portrayed Odin, the captain of a champion high school basketball team whose best friend becomes jealous of his relationship with his girlfriend. In addition to his escalating film career, Mr. Phifer added to his growing list of television credits a starring role on the Emmy Award winning series, ER (1994) as Dr. Gregory Pratt, for which he recently received a NAACP Image Award Nomination. Mekhi Phifer's other television credits include leading roles in MTV's highly rated film Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001), in which he did all his own rap work and starred opposite Beyoncé. He appeared in the Emmy award winning HBO Original Movie, A Lesson Before Dying (1999) with Don Cheadle and Cicely Tyson, where his subtle performance as a man on death row won rave reviews and also earned him an NAACP Image Award Nomination. He tackled the challenging role of NFL Hall of Famer Gale Sayers in the ABC television special Brian's Song (2001) and appeared in the celebrated HBO Original Film The Tuskegee Airmen (1995). Phifer has also made guest appearances on the popular police dramas Homicide: Life on the Street (1993) and New York Undercover (1994). Phifer recently completed work on Universal's Honey (2003), starring alongside Jessica Alba. He can also be seen in the Universal remake of the 1978 horror classic Dawn of the Dead (2004), starring Ving Rhames and Sarah Polley, and Slow Burn (2005) opposite Ray Liotta.
BornDecember 29, 1974
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornDecember 29, 1974
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Unlock contact info on IMDbPro
  • Awards
    • 5 wins & 14 nominations

Photos233

Mekhi Phifer and Octavia Spencer in Darkness Declares the Glory of Light (2023)
Mekhi Phifer in From My Hand the Poisoned Apple (2023)
Mekhi Phifer and Merle Dandridge in The Untold Story (2021)
Mekhi Phifer and Octavia Spencer in Lanterman-Petris-Short (2021)
Mekhi Phifer and Ming-Na Wen in ER (1994)
Mekhi Phifer, Dulé Hill, James Roday Rodriguez, and Jaleel White in Psych (2006)
Mekhi Phifer, Dulé Hill, James Roday Rodriguez, and Jaleel White in Psych (2006)
Mekhi Phifer, Dulé Hill, James Roday Rodriguez, and Jaleel White in Psych (2006)
Mekhi Phifer and Riley Smith in Frequency (2016)
Mekhi Phifer and Riley Smith in Frequency (2016)
Mekhi Phifer in ER (1994)
Mekhi Phifer in Frequency (2016)

Known for

George Clooney, Anthony Edwards, Julianna Margulies, Ming-Na Wen, Noah Wyle, Laura Innes, Alex Kingston, Eriq La Salle, Kellie Martin, Paul McCrane, Michael Michele, Erik Palladino, Maura Tierney, and Goran Visnjic in ER (1994)
ER
7.9
TV Series
  • Gregory Pratt
Jessica Alba in Honey (2003)
Honey
5.3
  • Chaz
  • 2003
Sarah Polley in Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Dawn of the Dead
7.3
  • Andre
  • 2004
8 Mile (2002)
8 Mile
7.2
  • Future
  • 2002

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • 10-13
    • Dave Harris
    • Pre-production
  • Lights Out
    • Max Bomer
    • Post-production
  • The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat
    • Post-production
  • The Silent Hour
    • Lynch
    • In Production
  • Kate Hudson and Octavia Spencer in Truth Be Told (2019)
    Truth Be Told
    • Markus Knox
    • Markus Killebrew
    • TV Series
    • 2019–2023
  • Love, Victor (2020)
    Love, Victor
    • Harold Brooks
    • TV Series
    • 2020–2022
  • Mekhi Phifer and Elika Portnoy in Obsession (2019)
    Obsession
    • Sonny
    • 2019
  • The Bobby Brown Story (2018)
    The Bobby Brown Story
    • Tommy Brown
    • TV Series
    • 2018
  • Mekhi Phifer, Lance Reddick, Mykelti Williamson, Kevin Quinn, Bryshere Y. Gray, and Woody McClain in Canal Street (2018)
    Canal Street
    • Prosecutor A.J Canton
    • 2018
  • A Talent for Trouble (2018)
    A Talent for Trouble
    • Mekhi Phifer
    • 2018
  • Jason Beghe, Marina Squerciati, and Tracy Spiridakos in Chicago P.D. (2014)
    Chicago P.D.
    • Joe Baker
    • TV Series
    • 2018
  • Chocolate City: Vegas (2017)
    Chocolate City: Vegas
    • Best Valentine
    • 2017
  • Peyton List and Riley Smith in Frequency (2016)
    Frequency
    • Satch Reyna
    • TV Series
    • 2016–2017
  • Alan Dale, Jacki Weaver, and Anna Torv in Secret City (2016)
    Secret City
    • Ambassador Moreton
    • TV Series
    • 2016
  • Malachi Kirby in Roots (2016)
    Roots
    • Jerusalem
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2016
  • Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, Zoë Kravitz, Nadia Hilker, Theo James, and Ansel Elgort in Allegiant (2016)
    Allegiant
    • Max
    • 2016
  • Mekhi Phifer in Pandemic (2016)
    Pandemic
    • Gunner
    • 2016
  • Key and Peele (2012)
    Key and Peele
    • Cousin
    • TV Series
    • 2015
  • Shailene Woodley and Theo James in The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015)
    The Divergent Series: Insurgent
    • Max
    • 2015

Producer

  • Mekhi Phifer, William Sadler, and Sterling K. Brown in The Suspect (2013)
    The Suspect
    • executive producer
    • 2013
  • Business as Usual: The Exploitation of Hip Hop (2011)
    Business as Usual: The Exploitation of Hip Hop
    • executive producer
    • 2011
  • Tatyana Ali, Donn Swaby, and Brandi Boyd in Nora's Hair Salon II (2008)
    Nora's Hair Salon II
    • producer
    • 2008
  • Regina King, Delroy Lindo, Laz Alonso, Loretta Devine, Idris Elba, Sharon Leal, Keith D. Robinson, Columbus Short, Lauren London, and Chris Brown in This Christmas (2007)
    This Christmas
    • executive producer
    • 2007
  • Mekhi Phifer, Danny Masterson, and Ronnie Warner in Puff, Puff, Pass (2006)
    Puff, Puff, Pass
    • producer
    • 2006

Director

  • Mekhi Phifer, Danny Masterson, and Ronnie Warner in Puff, Puff, Pass (2006)
    Puff, Puff, Pass
    • Director
    • 2006

Videos40

Season 3 Official Trailer
Trailer 2:15
Season 3 Official Trailer
Watch Now on Apple TV+
Trailer 1:44
Watch Now on Apple TV+
"The Bobby Brown Story" Trailer
Trailer 1:00
"The Bobby Brown Story" Trailer
Frequency Trailer
Trailer 4:25
Frequency Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:43
Official Trailer
Final Trailer
Trailer 1:05
Final Trailer
"Fight Back"
Trailer 1:02
"Fight Back"
Super Bowl Spot
Trailer 1:03
Super Bowl Spot
Trailer #2
Trailer 2:24
Trailer #2
Teaser Trailer
Trailer 1:04
Teaser Trailer
Flypaper
Trailer 2:06
Flypaper
Obsession
Trailer 1:46
Obsession

Personal details

Edit
  • Official site
    • Paul Ekman Group
  • Height
    • 5′ 9½″ (1.77 m)
  • Born
    • December 29, 1974
    • Harlem, New York City, New York, USA
  • Spouses
      Reshelet BarnesMarch 30, 2013 - present
  • Children
      Mekhi Thira Phifer Jr.
  • Parents
    • Rhoda
  • Other works
    Appears also in video "don't let go" from En Vogue
  • Publicity listings
    • 2 Interviews
    • 2 Articles
    • 2 Pictorials
    • 5 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Owns an "Athlete's Foot" store franchise, which sells athletic footwear in California. Owns six stores with two of them up and running.
  • Quotes
    I know a lot of people who are weak, who are in a perpetual cycle of poverty and being locked up. There are guys from my neighborhood who are in jail or who are dead. It does take a certain strength to know your environment and say, 'I can grow beyond it.'

Related news

Contribute to this page

Suggest an edit or add missing content
  • Learn more about contributing
Edit page

More to explore

Recently viewed

Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
Get the IMDb App
Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
  • Get the IMDb App
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • IMDb Developer
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.