Today, Wesley Snipes is one of the most popular black actors in Hollywood. During his career, he managed to star in dozens of successful films. In addition, Snipes managed to try himself as a director and producer. This person has tens of thousands of fans around the world.
Wesley Snipes: biography and childhood
The future popular actor was born July 31, 1962 in the city of Orlando, in the state of Florida. But Wesley's childhood passed in the southern part of the Bronx (New York). From an early age, the boy saw the lawlessness and cruelty of the streets. But such a fate did not attract him - he decided to devote his life to the acting profession.
That is why he entered the Higher School of Fine Arts. By the way, there he was rightly considered the best student. Unfortunately, he could not complete his education, as the family had to move back to Orlando. Nevertheless, Wesley Snipes was not going to give up his stage career.
While studying in Florida, the guy enters the theater troupe of street actors - often he and his friends entertain with ordinary performers with his ideas. After leaving school, Wesley goes to New York, where he studies at a state university. At the same time, he often earns money by taking part in theatrical performances. Several times he even starred for commercials.
The first audition in the cinema
In the end, luck smiled at the guy - in 1986 he was offered a small role in the film "Wild Cats", where he plays with Goldie Hawn. In the same year, Wesley starred in the role of a boxer in the film "Streets of Gold", where, by the way, he was able to show off his fighting skills. And he appeared in one of the episodes of the popular series “Miami Police. Department of manners. "
But, despite the perfectly played roles, they noticed the young actor thanks to the filming of Michael Jackson’s video for the song “Bad”, where he played the leader of a street gang. It was here that his talent pleased Spike Lee. In addition, in 1988 he received a cameo role in the film "Critical State". And in 1989, he played a young baseball player in the movie "Major League".
Blues for a Better Life and First Success
After the release of the Michael Jackson video, Wesley Snipes is offered the main role in the film, which has become iconic for the guy. In 1990, the premiere of the film “The Blues about a Better Life” took place. Here he played along with Spike Lee, Denzel Washington and Giancarlo Esposita. The image of a talented young musician came out beautiful, which ensured the actor's success.
Wesley Snipes: filmography
In 1991, two more films were released, in which Wesley Snipes starred. His filmography was replenished with "Jungle Fever", where he played the architect Flipper, who cheats on his wife and secretary, as well as the painting "Dance on the Water".
In 1992, he starred in three more films. In the film "White People Can't Jump", he played a street basketball player Sidney, and in "Boiling Point" he successfully showed himself as the ideal hero of the militants. He secured his success in the film "Passenger 57", playing a security officer who is trying to deal with a gang of terrorists alone.
In 1993, the actor works with Sean Connery on the film The Rising Sun, where he got the role of an inexperienced but courageous police lieutenant conducting a murder investigation, in which the Japanese mafia is involved.
The film "Destroyer" and a new round of career
If you are interested in the best films with Wesley Snipes, then, of course, the action movie Destroyer, which premiered in 1993, should be included in the list. Interestingly, this role was originally intended for Jackie Chan, but he refused it. Here Wesley appears in the guise of a scoundrel - the killer of Simon Phoenix. And it is worth noting that the role of a slightly unbalanced criminal with a strange sense of humor has made the actor popular throughout the world, and to this day she is considered one of his most successful works. In addition, viewers liked the Stallone-Snipes tandem.
Naturally, other films with Wesley Snipes followed. In 1994, he starred in the action movie Landing Zone, playing the role of policeman Pete, and in 1995 he played one of two brothers, former policemen, who, after being fired, decide to turn into robbers and steal a train with money (Money Train) .
In 1997, the actor worked on the film "One Night's Visit." Here Wesley Snipes appeared before the audience in a completely unusual role and showed talent in a dramatic game. This British melodrama received a lot of positive reviews, and Snipes won the Volpi Cup in the Best Actor nomination.
The Blade Semi-Wapiline Trilogy: Worldwide Fame
In 1998, the film Blade was released, which brought Wesley Snipes worldwide recognition and popularity. Here, the actor got the role of a half-man-half-vampire, the only meaning of which is the fight against night hunters and the opposition to his own nature.
By the way, this film has become really famous. Just renting a movie in theaters brought three times more money than the creators spent on its shooting. In 1999, the picture was nominated for the Saturn Award in the category "Best Horror Movie".
Great success pushed the creators to remove the continuation of the picture. In 2002, the sequel “Blade 2” was released, and already in 2004 - “Blade 3: Trinity”, where Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Bill also starred with Wesley Snipes . Unfortunately, the final part of the trilogy did not become as popular as the two previous ones.
Further career of the actor
In 2002, the premiere of a new film with Wesley Snipes - the drama "Under the Sight". Here he played the extremist Joe, who took hostages in the theater, trying to avenge the death of his daughter. In 2005, Wesley appeared before the audience in the guise of a professional thief Jack Taliver in the action movie called "7 seconds."
In 2005, Snipes, along with Jason Statham, starred in the criminal action movie "Chaos". And two years later, the new film “Shooter” appears on the screens, where the actor got the role of James Diley, a CIA employee. And in the 2009 action movie Brooklyn Police, Wesley Snipes (photos are presented in this article) played Kasanova Philips, a gang member.
In 2008, he played the role of Will Sinclair in the film "Return to Origins." And in 2000, another very successful film was released entitled The Art of War. Here, Wesley Snipes played Neil Shaw, a UN operative who was framed for the murder. By the way, in 2008, the actor starred in the sequel "The Art of War 2", which, however, was less popular.
In 2010, two action movies appeared in which Wesley Snipes starred. His filmography was replenished with the action-packed film "Death Games", where the actor got the role of a diplomat's bodyguard.
In the same year, the actor worked on the horror film "Hangers", which was released in 2012. Here Wesley appeared in the guise of a tough gunner Aman, who was surprised to find that all the people he killed returned from the next world in the guise of bloodthirsty zombies. Now he, along with the rustic guy Kansa, has to deal with the invasion of the dead.
From 2010 to 2013 followed by a short break in Snipes' career, due to troubles with the law. However, now the actor is working on the continuation of the famous painting “The Expendables 3” along with Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li and other stars.
Personal life
In 1985, Wesley Snipes married Puerto Rican April, with whom he lived for 5 years.
(the couple filed for divorce in 1990.) It is also known that for some time the actor met in Halle Berry, whom he met during the filming of the picture "Jungle Fever." But the star couple broke up pretty quickly. And already in 1996, Wesley quite often appeared in public with the beautiful Asian Donna Wong.
In 2002, the famous actor began dating Nikki Park. And in March 2003 they already played a wedding. And to this day, the couple lives happily together, despite Wesley’s problems with the law. By the way, Nikki gave birth to the actor's daughter Aiset. And in March 2007, the couple had a son, Alimay Moa-Ti.
Law troubles
In April 2008, the federal court of Ocala (a city in the state of Florida) sentenced the actor to imprisonment for tax evasion. According to the prosecution, Wesley Snipes evaded payment from 1999 to 2001, as a result of which he owed the state $ 15 million.
During the trial, the actor pleaded guilty and offered an instant repayment of the debt in exchange for leniency, which he did not wait for. True, the execution of the sentence was postponed for some time. For two years he filed appeals that did not give any result - in 2010 Snipes received the maximum term for tax evasion in the United States. Wesley Snipes in the Lewis Run prison served almost full time - he was released in April 2013 and placed under house arrest until July.