Donald Frank Cheadle was born on November 29, 1964, in Kansas City, Missouri, to parents Bettye (née North),a teacher, and Donald Frank Cheadle Sr., a clinical psychologist. He had a sister, Cindy, and a brother, Colin.
Cheadle's family moved frequently during his childhood, and he attended high school in Denver, Colorado. He then went on to study fine arts at the California Institute of the Arts, graduating with a bachelor's degree.
After college, Cheadle began his acting career, landing a recurring role on the TV series Fame in 1982. He then appeared in several films, including Colors (1988) and Hamburger Hill (1987).
Cheadle's breakthrough performance came in 1995, when he played opposite Denzel Washington in Devil in a Blue Dress. He received critical acclaim for his role and was named Best Supporting Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics.
He went on to appear in a wide range of films, including Traitor (2008),Crash (2004),Hotel Rwanda (2004),Ocean's Eleven (2001),Ocean's Twelve (2004),and Ocean's Thirteen (2007). He also starred in the TV series House of Lies (2012) on Showtime.
Cheadle has received numerous awards and nominations for his work, including an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his performance in Hotel Rwanda. He has also won several awards for his humanitarian work, including the 2007 BET Humanitarian Award for his efforts on behalf of the people of Darfur and Rwanda.
In addition to his acting career, Cheadle is also a talented musician who plays saxophone, writes music, and sings. He has been nominated for a Grammy Award for his narration/dramatization of the Walter Mosley novel 'Fear Itself.'
