Biography
Who is Mike Epps?
Early life and background
Michael Elliot Epps was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on November 18, 1970. He is the son of Mary Reed and Tommie Epps. During his formative years, he attended Arlington High School and Arsenal Technical High School in his hometown. As an adult, he relocated to Brooklyn to pursue opportunities in the entertainment industry, specifically joining the Def Comedy Jam tour in 1994.
Comedy and early acting roles
Mike Epps launched his professional career by touring with Def Comedy Jam in 1995 and appearing in two HBO specials for the program. His first on-screen role occurred in 1997 in the film Strays, which Vin Diesel directed. In 1999, he was cast as Day-Day Jones in the sequel Next Friday after Ice Cube attended one of his stand-up sets and invited him to audition. He later reprised this role in Friday After Next. During this period, he also appeared in films such as 3 Strikes and Bait.
His filmography expanded in the early 2000s with roles in Dr. Dolittle 2 and the comedy How High, where he played Baby Powder. In 2002, he reunited with Ice Cube for All About the Benjamins. He also portrayed Lloyd Jefferson Wayne in Resident Evil: Apocalypse and Resident Evil: Extinction. He lent his voice to the character Boog in the 2008 film Open Season 2, taking over the role from Martin Lawrence. The two actors also worked together on Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins that same year.
Career highlights and television work
Mike Epps has maintained a steady presence in film and television throughout his career. He played Black Doug in The Hangover and its sequel, The Hangover Part III. In 2012, he took on a more serious role as the antagonist Satin in the remake of Sparkle, a performance that received positive feedback from critics. He also portrayed Richard Pryor in the film Nina and in the series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.
His television work includes starring in the single-season sitcom Uncle Buck in 2016. Since 2021, he has been a series regular on the Netflix comedy The Upshaws. He also starred in the comedy horror film Meet the Blacks and its follow-up, The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2. In 2012, he served as a Super Bowl ambassador for his home city of Indianapolis, appearing in promotional commercials and events.
Personal life and music
Beyond acting, Mike has been involved in the music industry. He hosted the Jim Jones and Skull Gang tribute album and released his own album, Funny Bidness: Da Album, in 2009. He also recorded tracks such as Trying to Be a Gangsta and Big Girls. Also, he briefly ran a label called Naptown Records, signing artist Philthyphil in 2006, though the contract was terminated in 2007.
Regarding his personal life, he married Mechelle McCain in July 2006. The couple lived in Beverly Hills before their divorce was finalized in September 2017. In June 2019, he married Kyra Robinson, an executive for the OWN Network and a producer for Iyanla: Fix My Life, in a ceremony held in Newport Beach, California.
Birthday and age
Mike Epps was born on November 18, 1970, which makes Mike 55 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Mike shares the date with 23 other famous people.
Explore more
