don cheadle

Don Cheadle knew, in some form or another, since he was 5 years old, that he wanted to be a performer. He fancied himself both an actor and a jazz musician, and his parents were supportive enough to encourage both of these loves. He graduated high school with scholarships for both acting and music, but eventually decided on acting and attended the California Institute of the Arts. He made his feature film debut in 1985 in "Moving Violations," and continued to perfect his craft in recurring roles on television, appearing in everything from "Hill Street Blues" to "Night Court" (our personal favourite). But it was his role as D.A. John Littleton on "Picket Fences" from 1993 to 1995.

During this time, Cheadle was also beginning to make a name for himself on the big screen, appearing in his first lead role in 1987's "Hamburger Hill," and then wowing critics with his role in "Devil in a Blue Dress" alongside Denzel Washington. He won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards for Best Supporting Actor, which raised questions in his mind - along with the minds of many others - as to why he was passed over for an Oscar nomination. Putting the question aside, he continued working and appeared to yet more acclaim in films like "Boogie Nights," "Rosewood," "Traffic" and "Ocean's 11." He is nominated for his leading role in "Hotel Rwanda."

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