Ving Rhames

Ving Rhames
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Name	Ving Rhames
Caption	Rhames in 2013
Birth name	Irving Rameses Rhames
Birth date	12 May 1959
Birth place	Harlem, New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1984–present
Spouse	Valerie Scott, 1994, 1999, Deborah Reed, 2000

Ving Rhames. An American actor renowned for his commanding screen presence and deep, resonant voice, he has built a prolific career portraying formidable and often morally complex characters. Rising to prominence in the 1990s, his performances in films like Pulp Fiction and the Mission: Impossible franchise have cemented his status as a distinctive figure in Hollywood. His work spans intense dramas, action blockbusters, and voice roles, earning him critical acclaim including a historic Golden Globe Award.

Early life and education

Irving Rameses Rhames was born in Harlem, New York City, to Reather, a homemaker, and Ernest Rhames, an automotive mechanic. He was raised in various New York City boroughs, including Harlem and the South Bronx. His interest in acting was sparked in high school after reading Shakespeare's Hamlet. He pursued formal training at the State University of New York at Purchase, where he befriended fellow acting student Stanley Tucci. To honor his classmate's father, who called him "Ving," he legally changed his name. He further honed his craft at the prestigious Juilliard School's Drama Division.

Career

Rhames began his career on stage and with television roles in the mid-1980s, appearing on series like Miami Vice and Tour of Duty. His early film work included roles in Patty Hearst and The Long Walk Home. His breakthrough came with a powerful performance as a drug dealer in Quentin Tarantino's landmark film Pulp Fiction. This led to his iconic role as Luther Stickell in Brian De Palma's Mission: Impossible, a part he has reprised throughout the franchise. Other notable film credits include Rosewood, Con Air, Out of Sight, Bringing Out the Dead, and Dawn of the Dead. On television, he earned an Emmy Award nomination for his portrayal of Don King in the telefilm Don King: Only in America and starred in the series Kojak, a revival of the classic Telly Savalas show. His voice work includes video games like Mafia II and the animated series The Simpsons.

Personal life

Rhames married actress Valerie Scott in 1994; they divorced in 1999. He married Deborah Reed in 2000, and they have several children. A devout Buddhist, he practices Nichiren Buddhism and is a member of the Soka Gakkai International organization. In a famous and generous act, he gave his Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries to fellow nominee Jack Lemmon during the 1998 ceremony, stating Lemmon was his acting idol. He has been involved in various philanthropic efforts and is a supporter of the USO.

Filmography

A selected list of his extensive filmography includes: * The Soldier (1982) * Patty Hearst (1988) * Pulp Fiction (1994) * Mission: Impossible (1996) * Rosewood (1997) * Con Air (1997) * Out of Sight (1998) * Bringing Out the Dead (1999) * Mission: Impossible II (2000) * Dawn of the Dead (2004) * Mission: Impossible III (2006) * I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007) * Surrogates (2009) * Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) * Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) * Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) * Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Awards and nominations

Rhames' accolades include winning a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film for Don King: Only in America in 1998. That same year, he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for the same role. He has also been honored with awards from the NAACP Image Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. His gesture of giving his Golden Globe Award to Jack Lemmon remains one of the most memorable moments in the award show's history.

Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:Golden Globe Award winners