Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. (born November 29, 1964) is an acclaimed American actor with numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards, a Tony Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
He has received nominations for an Academy Award and 11 Primetime Emmy Awards, making him one of the few Black performers nominated for the EGOT. Cheadle gained fame in films like Hotel Rwanda (2004) and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as War Machine. His television credits include House of Lies and Black Monday, earning multiple nominations.
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Don Cheadle Net Worth
Don Cheadle has a net worth of $40 million. He joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2010 as James Rhodes/Warm Machine in “Iron Man 2”, reprising the role in several sequels, including “Iron Man 3,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Captain America: Civil War,” “Avengers: Infinity War,” and “Avengers: Endgame.”
During the decade, he also starred in films like “Brooklyn’s Finest” alongside Richard Gere and Ethan Hawke, the comedy “The Guard,” the drama “Flight,” and the biopic “Miles Ahead,” portraying musician Miles Davis.
Early life
Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. was born in Kansas City, Missouri, to Bettye, a teacher, and Donald Frank Cheadle Sr., a clinical psychologist. He has a sister, Cindy, and a brother, Colin. His family frequently moved during his childhood, and he attended Hartley Elementary School in Lincoln, Nebraska from 1970 to 1974.
He graduated from East High School in Denver, Colorado in 1982, where he played saxophone, sang in choirs, and participated in theater. Cheadle earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater from the California Institute of the Arts in 1986.
Career
While attending CalArts, Donald Cheadle acted in plays like Athol Fugard’s “Master Harold”…and the Boys and My Name Could Be Anne. He earned his Screen Actors Guild card in 1985 with a role in Moving Violations and appeared in Hill Street Blues the following year.
Cheadle starred as Rocket in Colors (1988), featured in a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episode, and played hotel manager Roland Wilson in The Golden Palace. He appeared in No Sudden Move (2021) and Space Jam: A New Legacy. In 2024, he joined Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist and starred in Unstoppable.
Personal life
In 2008, Donald Cheadle’s family history was featured on PBS’s African American Lives 2, revealing that his ancestors were owned by the Chickasaw Nation, who did not free their slaves until 1866. Cheadle’s ancestors lacked U.S. and Chickasaw citizenship until the 1890s, due to the Dawes Commission.
DNA testing confirmed his Cameroonian descent, with one-third of his African ancestry linked to the region from Senegal to Liberia, and the rest from the Congo-Angola region and western Nigeria. Cheadle married actress Bridgid Coulter in early 2020 after 28 years together.
What Avenger did Don Cheadle play?
Don Cheadle played James “Rhodey” Rhodes, also known as War Machine, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starting with “Iron Man 2” in 2010. He received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his guest appearance as this character in the Disney+ miniseries “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” in 2021.
Conclusion
Don Cheadle’s net worth of approximately $40 million is a testament to his successful and diverse career in acting, spanning over three decades. His involvement in significant cinematic productions, along with his contributions to humanitarian causes, underscores his multifaceted persona both on and off the screen.
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FAQs about Don Cheadle’s Net Worth
- What major awards has Don Cheadle won?
- Cheadle has won two Grammy Awards, a Tony Award, and two Golden Globe Awards among others.
- How did Don Cheadle start his acting career?
- He started with small roles in TV and films in the 1980s, gradually rising to fame through the 1990s.
- What are some of Don Cheadle’s most notable roles?
- Apart from his role in “Hotel Rwanda” and as War Machine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Cheadle is known for his performances in “Boogie Nights,” “Traffic,” and “The Ocean’s Trilogy.”
- Has Don Cheadle directed any films?
- Yes, Cheadle directed and starred in the film “Miles Ahead” based on the life of jazz musician Miles Davis.
- What is Don Cheadle’s involvement in activism?
- He co-founded the Not on Our Watch Project and has been actively involved in advocating for the end of genocide in Darfur and beyond.
