Michael Ealy
Michael David Brown (born August 3, 1973), known professionally as Michael Ealy, is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the films such as Barbershop (2002), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Takers (2010), Think Like a Man (2012), About Last Night (2014), Think Like a Man Too (2014), The Perfect Guy (2015), The Intruder and Jacob's Ladder (both in 2019) and Fatale (2020). Ealy also had roles in the television sitcoms including FlashFoward, Bel-Air, Being Mary Jane, and Power Book II: Ghost.
Also recorded as Michael David Brown
Michael Ealy

Gage Skidmore · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Name
- Michael Ealy
- Birth Name
- Michael David Brown
- Born
- 3 August 1973
- Birthplace
- Washington, D.C., U.S.
- Education
- University of Maryland (BA)
- Occupation
- Actor
- Nationality
- United States
- Fields
- action film · comedy film · melodrama
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Michael David Brown (born August 3, 1973), known professionally as Michael Ealy, is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the films such as Barbershop (2002), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Takers (2010), Think Like a Man (2012), About Last Night (2014), Think Like a Man Too (2014), The Perfect Guy (2015), The Intruder and Jacob's Ladder (both in 2019) and Fatale (2020). Ealy also had roles in the television sitcoms including FlashFoward, Bel-Air, Being Mary Jane, and Power Book II: Ghost.
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Michael Ealy • Birth Name — Michael David Brown • Born — 3 August 1973 • Birthplace — Washington, D.C., U.S. • Education — University of Maryland (BA) • Occupation — Actor • Children — 2 • Years Active — 2000–present
Early life
Early life
Ealy was born in Washington, D.C., and was raised in Silver Spring, Maryland. Ealy went to Springbrook High School and graduated from the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland in 1996 with a degree in English. His mother worked for IBM and his father was in the grocery business.
Career
Career
He started his acting career in the late 1990s, appearing in several off-Broadway stage productions. Among his first film roles were Bad Company and Kissing Jessica Stein. His breakout role came in 2002's Barbershop, in which he plays reformed felon Ricky Nash, a role that he reprised in the 2004 sequel, Barbershop 2: Back in Business. In 2003, he played the role of Slap Jack in the second installment of the Fast and the Furious film series, 2 Fast 2 Furious. Later in 2004, Ealy appeared in Never Die Alone with DMX. He also appeared in Mariah Carey's music video for her hit single "Get Your Number" from her 2005 album The Emancipation of Mimi. In 2005, Ealy co-starred in the television film version of Their Eyes Were Watching God, produced by Oprah Winfrey and Quincy Jones, and starring Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry. The same year, he starred in the independent film Jellysmoke, directed by Mark Banning. He starred in the Showtime television series Sleeper Cell, the first season of which aired December 4–18, 2005, and the second season of which, Sleeper Cell: American Terror, aired December 10–17, 2006. On December 14, 2006, Ealy was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role in Sleeper Cell: American Terror in the category Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television. In December 2008 he was featured in the movie Seven Pounds alongside Will Smith as Ben Thomas. He also starred as the male lead in Beyoncé's "Halo" music video, and as CIA Field Officer Marshall Vogel in the ABC television series FlashForward. Ealy also appears in the limited-edition coffee table book (About Face) by celebrity photographer John Russo, published by Pixie Press Worldwide. In 2009, Ealy performed in The People Speak, a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. • Illustration — Ealy with Lala Anthony in 2012. In 2010, Ealy appeared as attorney Derrick Bond in the second season of The Good Wife. He co-starred in the 2010 action movie Takers as Jake Attica and appeared as Travis Marks in USA Network's original series Common Law about two cops who have to go to couples counseling because they argue too much. Common Law premiered following Fairly Legal on Friday, May 11, 2012. Ealy appeared as Dominic in the 2012 ensemble comedy Think Like a Man and its 2014 sequel, Think Like a Man Too, and appeared as "Papa Joe" in the 2012 inspirational film Unconditional. He appeared opposite Think Like a Man co-star Kevin Hart in the 2014 remake of About Last Night. In 2013, Ealy signed on to play co-lead "Dorian" in the Fox television series Almost Human. The sci-fi police procedural takes place in the year 2048 and follows the relationship between two cops as they struggle to solve futuristic crimes that involve complex technology. Ealy depicts the android "Dorian", an older, "DRN" android model that is considered to be less reliable due to its artificial emotions and that is tasked with protecting his partner John Kennex (Karl Urban). The show aired for one season on Fox from 2013 to 2014. In 2015, Ealy played serial killer "Theo Noble" in season 3 of the Fox television series The Following. He starred as Eric Warner in the second season of the ABC mystery crime series Secrets and Lies, which aired in the fall of 2016. From 2017 to 2019, Ealy starred in the fourth, fifth and final season of Being Mary Jane opposite Gabrielle Union. 2019 also saw Ealy star in Stumptown on ABC alongside Cobie Smulders, Jake Johnson and Camryn Manheim.
Personal life
Personal life
• Illustration — (Left to right) Actors Glenn Close, Jessica Alba, Ealy, and Kerry Washington show their support for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential election In October 2012, Ealy married Afghan-American entrepreneur Khatira Rafiqzada, his girlfriend of four years, in a ceremony in Los Angeles, and together they have a son and a daughter. Ealy is a fan of the Washington Commanders. Ealy is a Democrat. In 2024, he publicly endorsed and supported Angela Alsobrooks in the Senate election in Maryland. He also showed support for Vice President Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in their campaign for the 2024 presidential election.
Television
Television
• Year — Film — Role — Notes • 2000 — Law & Order — Private Nelson — Episode: "Vaya Con Dios" • Madigan Men — Runner — Episode: "Love and Dermatology" • 2001 — Soul Food — Steve — Episode: "Little Girl Blue" • 2002–03 — ER — Rick Kendrick — Recurring role (season 9) • 2005–06 — Sleeper Cell — Darwyn al-Sayeed — Main cast • 2009 — Hawthorne — Dr. Alan Phillips — Episode: "The Sense of Belonging" • 2009–10 — FlashForward — CIA Agent Marshall Vogel — Recurring cast • 2010–11 — The Good Wife — Derrick Bond — Recurring role (season 2) • 2011 — Californication — Ben — Recurring role (season 4) • 2012 — Common Law — Travis Marks — Main cast • 2013–14 — Almost Human — Dorian — Main cast • 2014–16 — Celebrity Name Game — Himself/Celebrity Player — Recurring Celebrity Player (seasons 1–2) • 2014–19 — Hollywood Game Night — Himself/Celebrity Player — Guest Celebrity Player (seasons 2, 4 & 6) • 2015 — The Following — Theo Noble — Main cast (season 3) • 2016 — Barbarians Rising — Narrator (voice) — Main cast • Secrets and Lies — Eric Warner — Main cast (season 2) • 2017 — Hip Hop Squares — Himself — Guest (season 3); recurring (season 4) • 2018 — Match Game — Himself/Celebrity Panelist — Episode: "Episode #3.11" • 2017–19 — Being Mary Jane — Justin Talbot — Recurring role (season 4); guest (season 5) • 2019 — Stumptown — Detective Miles Hoffman — Main cast • 2020 — Westworld — Jake Reed — Recurring role (season 3) • Sherman's Showcase — Himself — Episode: "Black History Month Spectacular" • 2020–21 — To Tell the Truth — Himself — Panelist (seasons 5–6) • 2021 — Celebrity Game Face — Himself — Episode: "Caught in the Act of Mouthing Off" • 2022 — The $100,000 Pyramid — Himself/Celebrity Player — Episode: "Episode #6.9" • The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window — Douglas — Main cast • Bel-Air — Reid Broderick — Recurring role (season 1) • A Black Lady Sketch Show — Supreme Rameek — Episode: "Save My Edges, I'm a Donor!" • 2022–24 — Reasonable Doubt — Damon Cooke — Main cast (season 1); guest (season 2) • 2023 — The Afterparty — Quentin Devereaux — Episode: "Danner's Fire" • 2024 — Is It Cake? — Himself/Judge — Episode: "Knock Knock...Cake Service!" • Power Book II: Ghost — Detective Don Carter — Main cast (season 4) • 2025 — The Terminal List: Dark Wolf — Ish — Episode: "What's Past is Prologue" • TBA — The Magnificent Seven — Vin Tanner — Main cast
Music videos
Music videos
• Year — Music video — Artist — Role • 2005 — "Get Your Number" — Mariah Carey — Love interest of Mariah Carey • 2009 — "Halo" — Beyoncé Knowles — Love interest of Beyoncé • 2012 — "Tonight" — John Legend ft. Ludacris — Love interest of woman
Film
• Year — Film — Role — Notes • 2000 — The Lush Life — Isaac Youngblood — Short • 2001 — Kissing Jessica Stein — Greg • 2002 — Bad Company — G-Mo • Barbershop — Ricky Nash • 2003 — Justice — Woody • 2 Fast 2 Furious — Slap Jack • 2004 — November — Jesse • Never Die Alone — Michael • Barbershop 2: Back in Business — Ricky Nash • 2005 — Their Eyes Were Watching God — Virgible 'Tea Cake' Woods — TV movie • Jellysmoke — Jacob • 2007 — Put It in a Book — Akmed — Short • Suspect — Detective Marcus Tillman — TV movie • 2008 — Miracle at St. Anna — Sgt. Cummings • Seven Pounds — Ben Thomas • 2009 — The People Speak — Himself • 2010 — Takers — Jake Attica • For Colored Girls — Beau Willie • 2011 — Margaret — Dave the Lawyer • 2012 — Underworld: Awakening — Detective Sebastian • Think Like a Man — Dominic • Unconditional — "Papa Joe" Bradford • 2013 — The Signal — Daniel Miller — Short • Last Vegas — Ezra • 2014 — About Last Night — Danny • Think Like a Man Too — Dominic • 2015 — The Perfect Guy — Carter Duncan/Robert Adams • 2019 — The Intruder — Scott Russell • Stucco — X — Short • Jacob's Ladder — Jacob Singer • 2020 — aTypical Wednesday — Dr. Jones • Really Love — Yusef Davis • Fatale — Derrick Tyler • 2022 — The Devil You Know — Detective Joe McDonald • 2024 — It Takes a Village — Lawrence Cooke — Short
Awards and nominations
• Year — Nominated work — Award — Category — Result • 2007 — Sleeper Cell — Golden Globe Awards — Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film • 2005 — Their Eyes Were Watching God — Black Reel Awards — Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series • 2010 — For Colored Girls — African-American Film Critics Association — Best Supporting Actor • 2011 — For Colored Girls — NAACP Image Awards — Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture • 2012 — Think Like a Man — Teen Choice Awards — Choice Movie Actor Romance

NSU defeated Savannah State 33-21 during its 2012 Homecoming celebration.
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NSU defeated Savannah State 33-21 during its 2012 Homecoming celebration.
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Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Michael Ealy Biography. Yahoo! Movies.
- 2.Mobile.twitter.com. Michael Ealy (@MichaelEaly) on Twitter.
- 3.Local Actor Makes It Big. The Washington Post. March 4, 2005.
- 4.University of Maryland, College Park. Commencement(1996). 1996.
- 5.Michael Ealy on 'Good Wife,' 'Colored Girls', and Doing Laundry - Speakeasy. The Wall Street Journal. November 2, 2010.
- 6.Dante Lee International. Actor Michael Ealy on "Barbershop 3," "Think Like A Man 3," and Why He Has Blue Eyes. BlackNews.com. June 30, 2014.
- 7.Never die alone. RogerEbert.com. March 26, 2004.
- 8.Oprah Winfrey Presents: Their Eyes Were Watching God. Entertainment Weekly. March 2, 2005.
- 9.Sleeper Cell. The New York Times. December 8, 2006.
- 10.Seven Pounds (2008). The New York Times. 2014.
- 11.Michael Ealy biography. TV Guide.
- 12.Michael Ausiello. Good Wife' exclusive: 'FlashForward' alum Michael Ealy named partner!. Entertainment Weekly. July 19, 2010.
- 13.Site Coming Soon!. Pixiepressworldwide.com.
- 14.Metro Source LA magazine
- 15.Ed M. Koziarski. Lupe, Ealy, and The People Speak. Chicago Reader. November 10, 2009.
- 16.Natalie Abrams. Michael Ealy Joins the Cast of The Good Wife. TV Guide. July 19, 2010.
- 17.Amanda Kondolojy. USA Sets 'Common Law' Premiere Date For Friday, May 11 At 10/9c. TV by the Numbers. March 2, 2012.
- 18.Kristen Page-Kirby. Michael Ealy says 'Think Like a Man Too' ups the romantic ante. The Washington Post. June 20, 2014.
- 19.Michael Ealy talks unconditional. blackenterprise.com.
- 20.Michael Ealy: 'I Had To Lose 25 Pounds For 'About Last Night' Role'. The Grio. February 9, 2014.
- 21.Natalie Abrams. Almost Human's Michael Ealy Dissects Dorian. TV Guide. November 24, 2013.
- 22.Nellie Andreeva. Fox Drama 'Almost Human' Cancelled. Deadline Hollywood. April 29, 2014.
- 23.Michael Ealy's Big Bad on 'The Following' Is No Clown. Yahoo!. March 30, 2015.
- 24.Shelli Weinstein. Michael Ealy Joins Secrets & Lies For the Next Tragic Murder Mystery. TV Guide. June 17, 2015.
- 25.Denise Petski. 'Being Mary Jane': Michael Ealy Joins Season 4 Cast. Deadline Hollywood. October 10, 2016.
- 26.Ladies Your #MCM Is Coming to Being Mary Jane!. BET.com. October 10, 2016.
- 27.Michael Ealy honors Afghan wife in Instagram message amid Kabul violence. 6 September 2021.
- 28.Michael Ealy Quietly Married Longtime Girlfriend in October. People. December 20, 2012.
- 29.Michael Ealy Announces He Has a Son. Essence. February 15, 2014.
- 30.Jazmine Denise Rogers. Michael Ealy Finally Opens Up About His Marriage And Son. MadameNoire. June 18, 2014.
- 31.The Tom Joyner Morning Show Interview Promoting The Perfect Guy September 2015
- 32.Surprise! Michael Ealy Welcomes Baby Girl With Wife Khatira Rafiqzada. E! Online.
- 33.Q&A With Actor Michael Ealy, Redskins Fan And D.C. Native. Commanders.com. April 25, 2017.
- 34.Wright, Ja Nai. Michael Ealy joins Democratic city leaders to discuss the importance of voting. WMAR2News.com. October 18, 2024.
- 35.Howard University News Service. Michael Ealy Returns Home to Rally for Angela Alsobrooks. hunewsservice.com. October 19, 2024.
- 36.Wiltz, Teresa. What Black Male Celebrities Are Saying About Kamala Harris That She Isn't Saying Herself. Politico.com. November 3, 2024.
- 37.Michael Ealy, 'Think Like A Man' and John Legend: The Parlour Review. Parlour Magazine. April 6, 2012.
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