Mekhi Phifer
Born: 1974-12-29 in New York City, New York, USA
Known For: Acting
Biography
Mekhi Thira Phifer (born December 29, 1974) is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his multi-year role as Dr. Greg Pratt on NBC's long-running medical drama ER and his co-starring role opposite Eminem in the feature film 8 Mile. He was a regular on the Fox crime show Lie to Me portraying the role of Ben Reynolds, before season 3. He was born in in Harlem, New York City, the son of Rhoda Phifer, a high school teacher; he grew up in a single-parent household with his mother. His acting career began in 1995, when Phifer attended an open casting call for director Spike Lee’s Clockers, beating over a thousand others to get the lead role as a narcotics dealer embroiled in a murder cover-up. He followed that role with another in the comedy spoof feature High School High (which also starred his former wife Malinda Williams) and continued by co-starring in the fright flick I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze, Jr. Among Phifer’s other big-screen credits are Soul Food, The Biography of Spud Webb, Hell’s Kitchen, NYC, Tears of a Clown, O (as the titular character Odin a.k.a. O), and the thriller Uninvited Guest (as Silk). He appeared in Impostor as well as Paid in Full, 8 Mile, opposite Eminem and Dawn of the Dead. Phifer has a son, Omikaye, with his ex-wife, actress Malinda Williams. His second son, Mekhi Thira Phifer Jr., was born to his girlfriend Oni Souratha in Los Angeles on October 30, 2007.
Filmography
2024
- High Potential as Arthur Ellis
- The Silent Hour as Mason Lynch
- Lights Out as Max Bomer
- The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat as James Henry
- Long Gone Heroes as Moreao
2020
- Love, Victor as Harold Brooks
2019
- Truth Be Told as Markus Killebrew
- Obsession as Sonny
- Canal Street as Prosecutor A.J. Canton
2018
- The Bobby Brown Story as Tommy Brown
- A Talent For Trouble as Mekhi Phifer
2016
- Allegiant as Max
- Match Game as Self - Panelist
- Roots as Jerusalem
- Frequency as Satch Reyna
- Pandemic as Gunner
- Secret City as Ambassador Moreton
- Chocolate City: Vegas Strip as Best Valentine
2015
- Insurgent as Max
2014
- Chicago P.D. as Joe Baker
- Divergent as Max
- A Day Late and a Dollar Short as Lewis
2013
- Beat Bobby Flay as Self
- Hollywood Game Night as Self
- The Suspect as The Suspect
- The Love Section as James Johnson
2012
- Key & Peele as Cousin
2011
- Last Man Standing as Jeremy Davis
- Flypaper as Darrien
2009
- White Collar as Kyle Collins
- Lie to Me as Ben Reynolds
- A Day in the Life as King Khi
2008
- Nora's Hair Salon II: A Cut Above as Maxwell Terry
2007
- This Christmas as Gerald
2006
- Psych as Drake
- Torchwood as Rex Matheson
- Puff, Puff, Pass as Big Daddy
2005
- Slow Burn as Isaac Duperde
2004
- Best Week Ever
- Dawn of the Dead as Andre
- On Air with Ryan Seacrest as Self
2003
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
- Punk'd as Self
- Honey as Chaz
- The Making of '8 Mile' as Self
2002
- 8 Mile as Future
- Paid in Full as Mitch
- The Other Brother as Martin
- NBC 75th Anniversary Special as Self
2001
- Impostor as Cale
- Carmen: A Hip Hopera as Hill
- O as Odin James
- Brian's Song as Gale Sayers
2000
- Curb Your Enthusiasm as Omar Jones
- Shaft as Trey Howard
1999
- Uninvited Guest as Silk
- A Lesson Before Dying as Jefferson
1998
- I Still Know What You Did Last Summer as Tyrell
- Hell's Kitchen as Johnny Miles
1997
- The View as Self
- Hav Plenty as Harold
- Subway Stories as Man in Hallway (segment "Fern's Heart of Darkness")
- Soul Food as Lem
1996
- The Daily Show as Self
- Girl 6 as Himself (cameo) (uncredited)
- High School High as Griff McReynolds
1995
- Clockers as Ronald 'Strike' Dunham
- The Tuskegee Airmen as Lewis Johns
1994
- ER as Greg Pratt
- New York Undercover as Sekou
1993
- Homicide: Life on the Street
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
1990
- Law & Order as Lyman Ross
1963
- Miss USA as Judge