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Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31,
1962) is an American actor, film producer, and martial
artist. He has starred in action-adventures, thrillers,
and dramatic feature films but is best known for his
role as Blade in the Blade trilogy. In 1991, the actor
formed a production company called Amen Ra Films and a
subsidiary, Black Dot Media, to develop projects for
film and television. Snipes has been training in martial
arts since age twelve, earning the rank of fifth dan
black belt in Shotokan Karate. He has also trained as a
student of Capoeira under Mestre Jelon Vieira and in a
number of other disciplines including various styles of
Kung Fu. |
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A 24-year-old Snipes was discovered by
an agent while performing in a competition. He made his film
debut in the Goldie Hawn vehicle Wildcats. In 1987, he
appeared as Michael Jackson's nemesis in the music video "Bad"
(he is seen in only the long version of the video) and the
feature film Streets of Gold.
Snipe'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 Hays in
Major League, beginning a succession of box-office hits for
Snipes. Lee would later cast Snipes as the jazz saxophonist
Shadow Henderson in Mo' Better Blues and as the lead in the
interracial romance drama Jungle Fever. Another important role
for Snipes was the powerful drug lord Nino Brown in New Jack
City, which was written specifically for him by Barry Michael
Cooper. Another film in which his character was involved in
drugs was the somber movie Sugar Hill.
Although Snipes is more remembered for his roles in action
films like Passenger 57, Demolition Man (with
Sylvester Stallone), U.S. Marshals (a spin-off of The
Fugitive) and Rising Sun (with
Sean Connery), he has also had success in comedies like
White Men Can't Jump, and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything!
Julie Newmar where he played with
Patrick Swayze and John Leguizamo. Snipes has also been
critically acclaimed for his roles in dramas like The
Waterdance and Disappearing Acts.
In 1997, he won the Best Actor Volpi Cup at the Venice Film
Festival for his performance in New Line Cinema's One Night
Stand. 1998 marked Snipes's largest commercial success with
the opening of Blade, for New Line Cinema, which has grossed
over $150 million worldwide. The film turned into a successful
series. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
and an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, SUNY/Purchase,
for his outstanding achievements in film.
Most of his latest films have been released straight-to-DVD.
His latest films are The Shooter (also know as The
Contractor), filmed in Bulgaria and the UK, with Charles
Dance, Lena Heady, Eliza Bennett, and the upcoming
Gallowwalker, set to be released in 2009.
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 his widely-publicized tax problems, and
his role eventually went to Derek Luke.
Snipes made a comeback performance in Brooklyn's Finest as Caz,
a supporting character. |
