Don Cheadle

Donald Frank Cheadle, born in Kansas City, Missouri on November 29, 1964, is an Oscar nominated actor. His mother, Betty, is a bank manager and psychology teacher, and his father, Donald, is a clinical psychologist. He has one brother, Colin, and one sister, Cindy. He also has a half-brother, Andrew Kilbourne. After graduating from East High School in Denver, Colorado in 1982, Cheadle attended the California Institute of the Arts where he earned a BA in Fine Arts.

He has starred in supporting roles in films including "Out of Sight," "Boogie Nights," "Traffic," "Devil in a Blue Dress," and the "Oceans Eleven" series. In 2004, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Paul Rusesbagina in "Hotel Rwanda." He then co-produced and starred in "Crash," which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2005.

"Hotel Rwanda" has the distinction of being #90 on the American Film Institute's List of 100 Most Inspiring Movies of all time. The movie would not have been the success that it was without Cheadle's great performance.

Early in his career, Cheadle also had roles in three television series, "Fame," "The Golden Palace" (which was a spin-off of "The Golden Girls"), and "Picket Fences. He also starred in an episode of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Also in his early career, Cheadle tried stand-up comedy.

In addition to being a skilled actor, Cheadle is a philanthropist and author. He vigorously campaigns against the genocide in Darfur, Sudan and even co-authored a book on the subject which is entitled "Not On Our Watch: The Mission To End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond." He also traveled to Sudan with five members of Congress to meet with survivors. When he returned, he reported on the trip, the refugee camps, and the genocide survivors on "ABC News Nightline."

This saxophone-playing actor lives with actress Brigid Coulter, and they have two daughters, Ayana Tai (born in 1995) and Imani (born in 1997). He is very much a family man and often wishes that his craft did not require so much time away from them.

Cheadle is a respected actor who, in addition to being nominated for an Academy Award, has received awards from the Screen Actors Guild, the Los Angeles Film Critics' Association, and the National Society of Film Critics.

In 2007, he received the BET Humanitarian Award for his tireless efforts in Darfur and Rwanda.