Mario Cain Van Peebles was born in Mexico City,ย Mexicoย on January 15, 1957 and is the son of writer, director, and actorย Melvin Van Peeblesย andย Germanย actress and photographer Maria Marx. He graduated from Saint Thomas More School inย Connecticutย in 1974 and from Columbia University in 1978 with a bachelorโs degree inย economics.
Mario Van Peebles is a highly regardedย director,ย actor,ย producer, andย writer. His directorial skills can be seen in the retelling of the epic mini-seriesย Rootsย (2016) starringย Forest Whitakerย and Matthew Goode. Van Pebbles has directed award-winning shows such as the recent hitย Empireย andย The Last Ship, as well asย Sons of Anarchy,ย Lost,ย Damages, andย Boss. As an actor Van Peebles has credits that are equally as impressive.
His many talents can be seen in films like his directorial breakout hitย New Jack City(1991),ย Posseย (1993), andย Pantherย (1995); plus Michael Mann’s Oscar-nominatedย Ali(started in 1993 but finally released in 2001), in which he received critical acclaim for his role as real-life minister and human rights activistย Malcolm X; the multi-award-winningย Cotton Clubย (1984) written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola; Clint Eastwood’sย Heartbreak Ridgeย (1986); and several projects with directorย Ava DuVernay.
Throughout his career, Van Peebles has brought challenging, compelling material to the screen, including hisย hip-hopย coming-of-age filmย We the Partyย (2012), which he wrote, directed and produced; his documentary shortย Bring Your ‘A’ Gameย (2009); and, of course,ย Baadasssss!ย (2003), which was his odyssey about the making of his father’s groundbreaking filmย Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Songย (1971).ย Film critics Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper named it one of the ten best movies of the year for 2004.
In 1994, Hofstra University awarded Van Peebles an honorary doctorate of humane letters. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Columbia University, Van Peebles spent two years working atย New York’s Department of Environmental Protection before moving to Hollywood to try his hand at acting writing and directing.
Mario Van Peebles is married to Chitra Sukhu Van Peebles and they have five children, Makaylo, Mandela, Marley, Maya, and Morgana.ย Mario Van Peebles now lives in Los Angeles,ย California.
