Mario Van Peebles
Mario Van Peebles was born on this date in 1957. He is a Black director and actor.
He is the son of writer, director, and actor Melvin Van Peebles and German actress Maria Marx. He was born in Mexico City, Mexico, and is the brother of Megan Van Peebles and Max Van Peebles. He began his movie career at 13 in his father's 1971 film "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song," where he had a love scene with an older woman.
He graduated from Columbia University in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in economics. He became an analyst for the New York City Mayor's Office of Management and Budget under Mayor Edward I. Koch during the city's fiscal crisis in 1979. He also was assigned to the Environmental Protection Agency budget task force.
Van Peebles is the father of Maya Van Peebles, Marley Van Peebles, and Mandela Van Peebles. In 1991, he was chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world.
He earned a Cable ACE Award nomination for Third & Oak: The Pool Hall and was awarded the Bronze Halo Award for Children of The Night. He also starred in the TV series "Sonny Spoon" and "Rude Awakening" and directed and starred in several episodes of Michael Mann's series "Robbery Homicide Division." Van Peebles' stage work includes "Waltz of the Stork," which was directed by his father, "War Letters," and "Oak and Ivy," in which he portrayed the acclaimed turn-of-the-century poet Laurence Dunbar.
Van Peebles' other acting film credits include Clint Eastwood's "Heartbreak Ridge," for which he won an NAACP Image Award. He has starred in Alex Haley's "Mama Flora’s Family," "The Rickey Bell Story," "Sally Hemmings: An American Scandal," "The Emperor Jones," and "Gang in Blue and Riot."
