Mekhi Phifer was born in Harlem, Manhattan, and was raised by his mother, Rhoda, a high school teacher, who played a significant role in shaping his early life.
Phifer's acting career began when he auditioned at an open casting call for director Spike Lee's Clockers (1995) and was selected for the leading role of Strike, a young New Jersey drug dealer involved in a murder cover-up, working alongside Harvey Keitel and Delroy Lindo.
He garnered critical acclaim for his compelling performance, which earned him recognition in the industry, and soon appeared in the comedy spoof High School High (1996).
In the Columbia/Tristar thriller I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998),he co-starred with Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr., showcasing his versatility as an actor.
He also starred in Soul Food (1997),20th Century Fox's film that featured Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox, and Nia Long, solidifying his position in the industry.
In 2002, Phifer starred as Future, opposite Eminem, Brittany Murphy, and Kim Basinger in Curtis Hanson's critically acclaimed film, 8 Mile (2002),as well as in the Miramax feature Paid in Full (2002),directed by Charles Stone III.
He received the American Black Film Festival's "Rising Star" Award in June, acknowledging his growing talent and recognition in the industry.
Phifer's television credits include a starring role on the Emmy Award-winning series ER (1994) as Dr. Gregory Pratt, for which he recently received a NAACP Image Award Nomination, adding to his growing list of credits.
He also appeared in the highly rated film Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001),in which he did all his own rap work and starred opposite Beyoncé, and in the Emmy award-winning HBO Original Movie, A Lesson Before Dying (1999),with Don Cheadle and Cicely Tyson, earning him an NAACP Image Award Nomination.
Phifer has also made guest appearances on the popular police dramas Homicide: Life on the Street (1993) and New York Undercover (1994),showcasing his range and adaptability as an actor.
Recently, he completed work on Universal's Honey (2003),starring alongside Jessica Alba, and can be seen in the Universal remake of the 1978 horror classic Dawn of the Dead (2004),starring Ving Rhames and Sarah Polley, and Slow Burn (2005) opposite Ray Liotta.
