Mario Van Peebles

Mario Van Peebles
Mario Van Peebles in 2014
Born	Mario Cain Van Peebles (1957-01-15) January 15, 1957 Mexico City, Mexico
Occupation	Actor, director
Years active	1971–present
Spouse(s)	Lisa Vitello (2 children) Chittra Sukhu (3 children)

Mario Van Peebles (born January 15, 1957) is an American film director and actor best known for directing New Jack City in 1991. He is the son of actor and filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles, whom he portrayed in the 2003 biopic Baadasssss! that he also co-wrote and directed.

Early life and education

Mario "Chip" Cain Van Peebles was born Mario Cain Van Peebles in Mexico City, Mexico, the son of writer, director and actor Melvin Van Peebles and German actress and photographer Maria Marx. He graduated from Saint Thomas More School in Connecticut in 1974 and from Columbia University in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in economics.

Career

Over the next three decades, Van Peebles starred in and directed many television shows & films.

Van Peebles played the lead in the short-lived detective show Sonny Spoon. The show ran for two brief seasons, both of which aired in 1988, before being canceled. He directed several episodes of the show as well as episodes of 21 Jump Street. Van Peebles also directed Malcolm Takes a Shot, a CBS Schoolbreak Special about an aspiring high-school basketball star whose obstacles include epilepsy and his own arrogance. Van Peebles appeared in the special in a cameo, as Malcolm's doctor.

He made his feature film directorial debut in 1991 with New Jack City. This was followed by Posse in 1993, Panther in 1995 and Love Kills in 1998. In that period he also co-directed Gang in Blue with his father.

His 2004 biopic BAADASSSSS! describes the making of his father's seminal film, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. He directed the film, and also portrayed his father in the lead role.

Van Peebles guest-starred on the television show Damages, as Agent Harrison. Van Peebles was first brought on to the FX series to direct a few Season 1 episodes, and was then cast in a small role as an agent. He appeared in eleven episodes.

Personal life

Van Peebles is married to Chitra Sukhu Van Peebles and has five children: Makaylo, Mandela, Marley, Maya and Morgana (three boys, two girls).

Filmography

Actor (film)

Van Peebles in 1991

• Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971)
• Exterminator 2 (1984)
• The Cotton Club (1984) (cameo)
• South Bronx Heroes (1985)
• Children of the Night (1985)
• Rappin' (1985)
• Delivery Boys (1985)
• Heartbreak Ridge (1986)
• Last Resort (1986)
• Hotshot (1987)
• Jaws: The Revenge (1987)
• Identity Crisis (1989)
• Blue Bayou (1990)
• New Jack City (1991)
• Full Eclipse (1992)
• Stomping at the Savoy (1992)
• Posse (1993)
• Highlander: The Final Dimension (1994)
• Gunmen (1994)
• Panther (1995)
• Solo (1996)
• Riot (1997)
• Stag (1997)
• Gang in Blue (1997)
• Los Locos (1997)
• Killers in the House (1998)
• Mama Flora's Family (1998)
• Love Kills (1998)
• Raw Nerve (1999)
• Judgment Day (1999)
• Blowback (2000)
• Ali (2001)
• 10,000 Black Men Named George (2002)
• The Hebrew Hammer (2003)
• BAADASSSSS! (2003)
• Crown Heights (2004)
• Carlito's Way: Rise to Power (2005)
• Hard Luck (2006)
• Across the Line: The Exodus of Charlie Wright (2010)
• All Things Fall Apart (2011)
• We the Party (2012)
• American Warships (2012)
• Red Sky (2014)
• Mantervention (2014)

Actor (TV)

• One Life to Live (1982–1983)
• The Cosby Show (1985)
• L.A. Law (1986)
• Sonny Spoon (1988)
• 21 Jump Street (1989–1990)
• A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story (1991)
• In the Line of Duty: Street War (1992)
• Living Single (1995)
• Riot (1997, co-starred with Luke Perry)
• The Outer Limits (1997)
• Rude Awakening (2000–2001)
• 10,000 Black Men Named George (2002)
• 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out (2003)
• L.A Riots 29 April 1992 (2004)
• Law & Order (2007)
• All My Children (2008–2009)
• Damages (2007–2009)
• Mario's Green House (2009)
• House houses (2009)
• Hellcats (2011)
• The Game (2011)
• The Finder (2012)
• American Warships (2012)
• Nashville (2014)

Director

• 21 Jump Street (1989–1990)
• New Jack City (1991)
• Posse (1993)
• Panther (1995)
• Gang in Blue (1996)
• Love Kills (1999)
• BAADASSSSS! (2003)
• Hard Luck (2006)
• Sons of Anarchy (2008) Season 1, episode 10: "Better Half"
• Law & Order (2008) Season 19, episode 6: "Sweetie"
• Damages (2008)
• Lost (2010) Season 6, episode 7: "Dr. Linus"
• Redemption Road (2010)
• Boss (2011) Season 1, episodes 3, 6, 8; Season 2, episodes 6, 9
• All Things Fall Apart (2011)
• We The Party (2012)
• NCIS (2013) Season 10, episode 16: "Detour"
• Monday Mornings (2013)
• Zero Hour (2013)
• Nashville (2013) Season 2 episode 7: "She's Got You"
• Once Upon A Time (2014) Season 3, episode 16; Season 4, episodes 6, 10
• Red Sky (2014)
• Empire (2015) Season 1, episode 11: "Die But Once"
• The Last Ship (2015) Season 2, episode 10: "Friendly Fire"
• USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage (2016)

Actor (stage)

• Waltz of the Stork (1982)

External links

• Mario Van Peebles at the Internet Movie Database
• Works by or about Mario Van Peebles in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Mario Van Peebles collected news and commentary at The New York Times