WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.980 Welcome to the Deep Dive. Today we're really 00:00:01.980 --> 00:00:04.240 getting into it, taking a long, structured look 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:07.019 at someone truly remarkable in Hollywood. We're 00:00:07.019 --> 00:00:10.060 talking about Donald Frank Cheadle Jr., an actor 00:00:10.060 --> 00:00:12.919 known for just incredible versatility, strategic 00:00:12.919 --> 00:00:16.420 brilliance, and, well, a strong ethical compass. 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:19.839 Yeah, and the source material we have is, it's 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:21.899 incredibly detailed. We can really trace his 00:00:21.899 --> 00:00:24.899 whole path, you know, from doing mime shows back 00:00:24.899 --> 00:00:26.760 in high school. Lots of mime shows, right. Yeah. 00:00:27.079 --> 00:00:29.899 all the way to, well, the massive scale of the 00:00:29.899 --> 00:00:32.159 Marvel Cinematic Universe. So our mission here 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:34.799 isn't just to, like, list off his movies. No, 00:00:34.820 --> 00:00:37.899 definitely not. We want to unpack how. How does 00:00:37.899 --> 00:00:40.820 one person manage to get nominated for basically 00:00:40.820 --> 00:00:45.039 everything? Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony, that egotty 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:47.299 contender status. Right. And co -produce an Oscar 00:00:47.299 --> 00:00:50.039 Best Picture winner like Crash? Give that unbelievably 00:00:50.039 --> 00:00:52.679 powerful performance in Hotel Rwanda. Which earned 00:00:52.679 --> 00:00:55.000 him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Exactly. 00:00:55.630 --> 00:00:58.590 and still be the face of War Machine in one of 00:00:58.590 --> 00:01:00.570 the biggest franchises ever. It's kind of mind 00:01:00.570 --> 00:01:02.890 -blowing. It really is the ultimate balancing 00:01:02.890 --> 00:01:06.189 act, isn't it? Between that high art, critically 00:01:06.189 --> 00:01:08.810 acclaimed stuff, and huge commercial success. 00:01:09.269 --> 00:01:11.409 And we really want to dig into how he pulled 00:01:11.409 --> 00:01:13.849 it off. Okay, so before we dive deep, let's just 00:01:13.849 --> 00:01:16.569 lay out the basic facts for you. Born November 00:01:16.569 --> 00:01:20.730 29, 1964, Kansas City, Missouri. And he got serious 00:01:20.730 --> 00:01:24.549 training early on, a BFA in theater from CalArts 00:01:24.549 --> 00:01:27.109 California Institute of the Arts back in 1986. 00:01:27.969 --> 00:01:30.969 That's a top school. Absolutely. And beyond the 00:01:30.969 --> 00:01:33.269 acting and producing, which is, you know, undeniable, 00:01:33.409 --> 00:01:36.010 his humanitarian work is a huge part of his story. 00:01:36.069 --> 00:01:37.590 We'll definitely be covering that. And personally, 00:01:37.730 --> 00:01:40.090 he married his longtime partner, Bridget Culture, 00:01:40.329 --> 00:01:42.769 also an actress, in 2020. They'd been together 00:01:42.769 --> 00:01:45.950 for, what, almost 30 years? Yeah, over 28 years 00:01:45.950 --> 00:01:47.530 before making it official. They have two kids 00:01:47.530 --> 00:01:50.489 together. That kind of stability, you know, nearly 00:01:50.489 --> 00:01:52.870 three decades before actually marrying, that 00:01:52.870 --> 00:01:54.930 seems like it reflects his whole approach, doesn't 00:01:54.930 --> 00:01:56.709 it? I think so. It suggests something really 00:01:56.709 --> 00:01:59.870 measured long -term commitment, like a solid 00:01:59.870 --> 00:02:02.430 foundation. Right. A foundation strong enough 00:02:02.430 --> 00:02:04.090 to maybe let him take those big professional 00:02:04.090 --> 00:02:07.590 risks later. Exactly. So to understand that, 00:02:07.670 --> 00:02:11.370 we need to go back. Look at what shaped him early 00:02:11.370 --> 00:02:14.009 on. Okay. Let's unpack those early years because, 00:02:14.090 --> 00:02:16.740 as you said, Our sources really emphasize how 00:02:16.740 --> 00:02:19.699 much they moved around. His dad was a clinical 00:02:19.699 --> 00:02:22.139 psychologist, his mom a teacher, professions 00:02:22.139 --> 00:02:25.360 that often mean relocating. And the family, Don, 00:02:25.699 --> 00:02:28.759 his sister Cindy, his brother Colin, they moved 00:02:28.759 --> 00:02:30.800 city to city. That's right. We've seen him born 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:32.360 in Kansas City, then he's at Hartley Elementary 00:02:32.360 --> 00:02:34.840 in Lincoln, Nebraska for a few years, like 1970 00:02:34.840 --> 00:02:37.819 to 74. Okay. And then he ends up graduating high 00:02:37.819 --> 00:02:40.400 school in Denver, Colorado, East High School, 00:02:40.500 --> 00:02:44.819 1982. Wow. That constant moving. You have to 00:02:44.819 --> 00:02:47.259 think, as a kid, that forces you to develop some 00:02:47.259 --> 00:02:49.960 serious skills. Oh, absolutely. Intense observation 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:52.020 skills, right? And you've got to be adaptable. 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:53.819 Total. You're the new kid all the time. You learn 00:02:53.819 --> 00:02:55.879 to read the room fast. You learn new social cues, 00:02:56.139 --> 00:02:58.300 how to connect with people quickly. All incredibly 00:02:58.300 --> 00:03:00.939 valuable skills for an actor who needs to transform 00:03:00.939 --> 00:03:03.340 to become different people. A real chameleon. 00:03:03.400 --> 00:03:05.800 And his artistic side was already incredibly 00:03:05.800 --> 00:03:08.840 diverse back then in Denver at East High. He 00:03:08.840 --> 00:03:11.159 wasn't just like doing the school play. No, the 00:03:11.159 --> 00:03:14.990 sources are specific. He was in musicals, straight 00:03:14.990 --> 00:03:17.229 plays. He played saxophone in the jazz band. 00:03:17.409 --> 00:03:20.729 Okay. Sang in choirs. And the detail that just 00:03:20.729 --> 00:03:23.289 jumps out. The mime shows. The mime shows, yeah. 00:03:23.509 --> 00:03:25.830 It's not something you typically see on the resume 00:03:25.830 --> 00:03:29.849 of an actor known for such verbal dexterity and 00:03:29.849 --> 00:03:32.050 dramatic intensity later on. It seems almost 00:03:32.050 --> 00:03:35.689 counterintuitive. Well, maybe not. If you think 00:03:35.689 --> 00:03:38.770 about what mime training involves. It's rigorous 00:03:38.770 --> 00:03:41.590 physical discipline. It's incredible control 00:03:41.590 --> 00:03:44.250 over facial expressions, even tiny ones. It's 00:03:44.250 --> 00:03:47.069 mastering storytelling without words. Ah, okay. 00:03:47.210 --> 00:03:49.009 I see where you're going. That kind of physical 00:03:49.009 --> 00:03:51.050 grounding, that nonverbal communication skill. 00:03:51.150 --> 00:03:53.310 That's exactly what underpins some of his most 00:03:53.310 --> 00:03:55.909 powerful dramatic work later, where so much is 00:03:55.909 --> 00:03:58.389 said with just a look or his posture. He learned 00:03:58.389 --> 00:04:00.750 that early. So he takes all that varied training, 00:04:00.849 --> 00:04:03.150 the music, the acting, the mime, and heads to 00:04:03.150 --> 00:04:06.110 Callard's. Graduates in 86 with that BFA in theater. 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:09.020 Right. And it seems like he wasn't just, you 00:04:09.020 --> 00:04:10.539 know, waiting to get discovered by Hollywood. 00:04:10.759 --> 00:04:13.180 He was deep into the craft of theater itself. 00:04:13.539 --> 00:04:15.439 He was doing serious stage work, even during 00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:17.740 college. Yeah. During his CalArts years, the 00:04:17.740 --> 00:04:21.220 sources mentioned specific plays, really significant, 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:24.680 often political stuff. Athol Fugard's work, like 00:04:24.680 --> 00:04:27.939 Master Herald, and The Boys, The Island. Also, 00:04:28.040 --> 00:04:30.970 My Name Could Be Anne. That's heavy material. 00:04:31.250 --> 00:04:33.269 It is. It's intellectual. It's character focused. 00:04:33.310 --> 00:04:35.850 It tells you right away his sights were set on 00:04:35.850 --> 00:04:38.629 substance, not just, you know, fame. But the 00:04:38.629 --> 00:04:40.709 screen work came pretty quickly after graduation. 00:04:40.730 --> 00:04:43.350 He got a SAG card almost right away, right? Yeah, 00:04:43.430 --> 00:04:46.490 that first credited role was as a burger joint 00:04:46.490 --> 00:04:50.069 employee in a 1985 comedy, Moving Violations. 00:04:50.310 --> 00:04:53.029 Huh, okay. Humble beginnings. Got him the union 00:04:53.029 --> 00:04:55.250 card, though. That was the ticket. And then the 00:04:55.250 --> 00:04:57.569 professional grind really started. And that early 00:04:57.569 --> 00:05:00.670 grind, looking at the dates, it's pure late 80s, 00:05:00.670 --> 00:05:04.610 early 90s TV and film. Totally. 1987, he pops 00:05:04.610 --> 00:05:06.509 up in the final season of Hill Street Blues. 00:05:06.750 --> 00:05:09.230 Small role, playing a teenager with learning 00:05:09.230 --> 00:05:11.370 difficulties. Shows he could handle sensitive 00:05:11.370 --> 00:05:13.629 stuff early. Same year, he's in Hamburger Hill, 00:05:13.750 --> 00:05:17.230 the Vietnam film. And then Colors in 1988, playing 00:05:17.230 --> 00:05:19.870 Rocket. But yeah, the TV guest spots really show 00:05:19.870 --> 00:05:22.149 that shapeshifting ability. Like Night Court 00:05:22.149 --> 00:05:25.839 in 88. Playing a 16 -year -old, he was 23. Exactly. 00:05:26.540 --> 00:05:28.720 He had that youthful look on screen, which definitely 00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:31.019 helps an actor, gives you a wider casting range 00:05:31.019 --> 00:05:33.379 for longer. But I think for a lot of people listening, 00:05:33.480 --> 00:05:35.800 the first time they really remember seeing him, 00:05:35.939 --> 00:05:38.420 it's got to be The Fresh Prince of Bel -Air in 00:05:38.420 --> 00:05:41.540 1990. Oh, absolutely. Ice Trey. Will Smith's 00:05:41.540 --> 00:05:44.040 friend from Philly. Kind of cool. Maybe a little 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:45.740 bit dangerous for Bel -Air. And Hilary Banks' 00:05:45.860 --> 00:05:49.279 first big love interest. That role needed serious 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:53.129 charm and... Great comedic timing. He nailed 00:05:53.129 --> 00:05:55.889 it. He really did. And that ability to handle 00:05:55.889 --> 00:05:58.449 comedy, to hold his own on a hit sitcom stage, 00:05:58.670 --> 00:06:01.709 it led directly to more regular TV work. Right, 00:06:01.750 --> 00:06:04.750 because in 92, he lands a main role in that Golden 00:06:04.750 --> 00:06:07.370 Girls spinoff, The Golden Palace. Yeah, playing 00:06:07.370 --> 00:06:09.629 Roland Wilson, the hotel manager. Young, kind 00:06:09.629 --> 00:06:11.449 of serious guy, trying to wrangle the Golden 00:06:11.449 --> 00:06:14.759 Girls and teach Marin. Quite the setup. And this 00:06:14.759 --> 00:06:16.959 is where you really see that strategic balancing 00:06:16.959 --> 00:06:19.699 act starting to form. He's got this lead role 00:06:19.699 --> 00:06:22.500 in a network comedy spinoff that's a steady gig, 00:06:22.660 --> 00:06:25.240 right? Yeah, good paycheck, visibility. But at 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:28.139 the same time, he wasn't abandoning drama. He 00:06:28.139 --> 00:06:31.220 also had a recurring role on Picket Fences. Oh, 00:06:31.319 --> 00:06:34.220 wow. The David E. Kelly show. Critically acclaimed. 00:06:34.279 --> 00:06:36.660 Exactly. Yeah. Playing District Attorney John 00:06:36.660 --> 00:06:39.839 Littleton for three seasons on that award -winning 00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:43.100 drama. So think about it. He's working two major 00:06:43.100 --> 00:06:46.220 network shows simultaneously, one comedy, one 00:06:46.220 --> 00:06:48.720 serious drama. That's smart. Financial security, 00:06:48.899 --> 00:06:52.000 but also keeps his dramatic chops sharp. It gives 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:54.000 him freedom. He doesn't have to take roles later 00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:56.319 just for the money, that dual path. He established 00:06:56.319 --> 00:06:58.459 it right from the beginning. Okay. So we've seen 00:06:58.459 --> 00:07:00.720 the foundation, the hustle, the early versatility. 00:07:00.899 --> 00:07:02.680 Now we move into the phase where he really breaks 00:07:02.680 --> 00:07:04.800 through critically. And the role everyone points 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:08.300 to is Mouse Alexander in Devil in a Blue Dress, 00:07:08.339 --> 00:07:11.439 1995. Mouse. Yeah. That was pivotal because it 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:14.040 wasn't just, oh, he's good in this. It was a 00:07:14.040 --> 00:07:17.740 star -making supporting turn. He plays this trigger 00:07:17.740 --> 00:07:20.379 -happy friend of Denzel Washington's character. 00:07:20.839 --> 00:07:23.240 Kind of chilling, but also weirdly charismatic. 00:07:23.740 --> 00:07:26.540 Totally. Menacing and charming all at once. And 00:07:26.540 --> 00:07:29.300 honestly, he stole scenes right out from under 00:07:29.300 --> 00:07:32.639 Denzel, who is already a huge star. Critics absolutely 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:34.699 went wild for him. This is really the moment 00:07:34.699 --> 00:07:37.139 Cheadle becomes a critical darling. And not just 00:07:37.139 --> 00:07:40.589 praised, but awarded. The sources highlight this 00:07:40.589 --> 00:07:43.329 specifically. He won Best Supporting Actor from 00:07:43.329 --> 00:07:46.589 two really prestigious groups, the LA Film Critics 00:07:46.589 --> 00:07:49.069 Association and the National Society of Film 00:07:49.069 --> 00:07:50.750 Critics. Those aren't just popularity awards. 00:07:50.850 --> 00:07:53.430 That's serious critical recognition. Plus, he 00:07:53.430 --> 00:07:56.269 got nominations from SAG, the Actors Union, and 00:07:56.269 --> 00:07:58.990 the NAACP Image Awards. So the signal to the 00:07:58.990 --> 00:08:01.649 industry was loud and clear. This guy is serious 00:08:01.649 --> 00:08:04.110 talent. Put him in quality films. And the quality 00:08:04.110 --> 00:08:06.209 of his projects definitely jumped up right after 00:08:06.209 --> 00:08:08.470 that. He's in John Singleton's Rosewood in 97, 00:08:08.750 --> 00:08:11.589 that historical drama. Same year, Volcano, the 00:08:11.589 --> 00:08:14.170 big disaster movie. Right. And then, also in 00:08:14.170 --> 00:08:17.209 97, he joins that incredible ensemble cast in 00:08:17.209 --> 00:08:19.810 Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights. Wow. So 00:08:19.810 --> 00:08:22.269 he's moving between historical drama, blockbuster 00:08:22.269 --> 00:08:28.040 action, and auteur indie films. Seamlessly. That 00:08:28.040 --> 00:08:30.779 versatility is just astonishing. And this whole 00:08:30.779 --> 00:08:33.200 era is really defined by the collaborators he 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:35.100 starts working with. The most important one. 00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:38.200 Probably director Steven Soderbergh. Ah, yes. 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:40.460 That partnership kicks off with Out of Sight 00:08:40.460 --> 00:08:43.340 in 1998. Great movie based on the Elmore Leonard 00:08:43.340 --> 00:08:46.200 novel. Fantastic film. And that Soderbergh connection 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:49.419 becomes absolutely key. Soderbergh is known for 00:08:49.419 --> 00:08:52.340 using this troop of actors he trusts again and 00:08:52.340 --> 00:08:54.500 again across totally different kinds of movies. 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:56.379 Right. So once you're in that circle. You get 00:08:56.379 --> 00:08:58.980 access, guaranteed access to interesting, high 00:08:58.980 --> 00:09:01.639 profile, critically respected material that worked 00:09:01.639 --> 00:09:03.539 together again really quickly on Traffic in 2000. 00:09:03.639 --> 00:09:06.179 Another huge ensemble, multiple Oscar winner. 00:09:06.460 --> 00:09:08.899 Yep. And much later, they re -teamed for the 00:09:08.899 --> 00:09:12.679 period crime film No Sudden Move in 2021. That 00:09:12.679 --> 00:09:15.419 trust, built over decades, it allows an actor 00:09:15.419 --> 00:09:18.019 like Cheadle to take risks, knowing he has this 00:09:18.019 --> 00:09:20.360 artistic home base with a director who really 00:09:20.360 --> 00:09:23.399 gets him. And that trust, that Soderbergh connection, 00:09:23.799 --> 00:09:26.440 it leads him right into one of the slickest, 00:09:26.460 --> 00:09:29.340 most successful franchises ever. The Ocean's 00:09:29.340 --> 00:09:31.659 Movies. The Ocean's Eleven crew, yeah. In 2001, 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:34.879 he joins that insane lineup. George Clooney, 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:39.139 Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Julia Roberts. 00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:41.480 And he's Basher Tarr, the Cockney explosives 00:09:41.480 --> 00:09:44.379 expert. Basher Tarr. And, you know, we have to 00:09:44.379 --> 00:09:48.480 talk about the accent. Ah, yes. The source has 00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:50.840 mentioned this. His Cockney accent in Ocean's 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:53.539 Eleven, it's become kind of legendary for maybe 00:09:53.539 --> 00:09:55.889 not being... entirely accurate let's call it 00:09:55.889 --> 00:09:58.049 memorable or maybe stylized it's definitely a 00:09:58.049 --> 00:10:00.250 choice and what's fascinating is that Soderbergh 00:10:00.250 --> 00:10:02.549 the director apparently just leaned into it he 00:10:02.549 --> 00:10:05.320 didn't try to fix it for the sequels no They 00:10:05.320 --> 00:10:07.320 almost made it a running gag. It became part 00:10:07.320 --> 00:10:10.679 of Basher's quirky charm in Ocean's 12 and Ocean's 00:10:10.679 --> 00:10:12.799 13. That's actually pretty interesting. Why would 00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:15.039 an actor known for such careful preparation not 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:17.620 quite nail an accent? Or was it like a deliberate 00:10:17.620 --> 00:10:19.799 caricature? He apparently admitted later it was 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:22.299 a tough accent to get right and maintain. But 00:10:22.299 --> 00:10:24.360 the fact that it stayed in the film and then 00:10:24.360 --> 00:10:26.440 kind of became this meta joke. It says something 00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:28.759 about his status within that A -list group, right? 00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:30.899 Exactly. He had built up enough trust and goodwill 00:10:30.899 --> 00:10:33.539 that a potential technical flaw just becomes 00:10:33.539 --> 00:10:36.440 an endearing character quirk. Yeah. It wasn't 00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:38.100 something that got him replaced. It got embraced. 00:10:38.679 --> 00:10:41.340 While all this film success is happening, he's 00:10:41.340 --> 00:10:43.539 also just crushing it on television in really 00:10:43.539 --> 00:10:47.320 prestigious projects. Oh, yeah. In 1998, he completely 00:10:47.320 --> 00:10:50.500 transforms himself to play Sammy Davis Jr. in 00:10:50.500 --> 00:10:53.389 the HBO movie The Rat Pack. Huge undertaking, 00:10:53.710 --> 00:10:55.690 playing a legend like that. And he was incredible. 00:10:55.909 --> 00:10:58.990 It earned him a Golden Globe win for Best Actor 00:10:58.990 --> 00:11:02.309 in a TV Movie, plus an Emmy nomination. Major 00:11:02.309 --> 00:11:05.889 validation. Winning a Globe for embodying Sammy 00:11:05.889 --> 00:11:07.690 Davis Jr., that's huge. And then just a year 00:11:07.690 --> 00:11:10.549 later, he follows it up with another really significant 00:11:10.549 --> 00:11:13.830 TV role. Right, starring in A Lesson Before Dying 00:11:13.830 --> 00:11:16.590 in 1999. Based on the Ernest J. Gaines novel, 00:11:16.850 --> 00:11:19.269 an Emmy -winning TV movie, he played the schoolteacher 00:11:19.269 --> 00:11:21.950 Grant Wiggins. So he's showing he can carry these 00:11:21.950 --> 00:11:24.750 important literary adaptations, these heavy dramatic 00:11:24.750 --> 00:11:27.529 roles on TV, too. And even when he just did guest 00:11:27.529 --> 00:11:30.549 spots, they were high impact. Season nine of 00:11:30.549 --> 00:11:33.289 ER, which was still a massive show. He guest 00:11:33.289 --> 00:11:35.610 is Paul Nathan, a medical student dealing with 00:11:35.610 --> 00:11:39.090 Parkinson's disease. Really demanding role, emotionally 00:11:39.090 --> 00:11:41.169 complex. And that got him an Emmy nomination, 00:11:41.190 --> 00:11:43.590 too, right? For guest actor in a drama series 00:11:43.590 --> 00:11:47.819 in 2003. Yep. So you see this pattern. Whether 00:11:47.819 --> 00:11:50.399 it's a lead role, a supporting part, a movie, 00:11:50.500 --> 00:11:53.720 a TV show, even a guest spot. The result is almost 00:11:53.720 --> 00:11:55.960 always critical acclaim, awards attention. He 00:11:55.960 --> 00:11:58.919 just maximized every single opportunity. Okay, 00:11:58.980 --> 00:12:01.480 so the career momentum keeps building, but the 00:12:01.480 --> 00:12:03.840 focus seems to shift here. We're moving from 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:06.940 being part of great ensembles to delivering these 00:12:06.940 --> 00:12:09.440 singular, really defining, dramatic performances. 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:12.360 Performances with global resonance. Yeah, and 00:12:12.360 --> 00:12:14.120 we absolutely have to spend some time on Hotel 00:12:14.120 --> 00:12:17.860 Rwanda. 2004. Playing Paul Rusabagena, the hotel 00:12:17.860 --> 00:12:20.779 manager who sheltered and saved over 1 ,200 refugees 00:12:20.779 --> 00:12:24.120 during the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Just unbelievable 00:12:24.120 --> 00:12:26.460 story. And the role itself is just a crucible, 00:12:26.500 --> 00:12:28.899 psychologically, emotionally. Cheadle had to 00:12:28.899 --> 00:12:32.299 convey not just men's bravery, but also the terror, 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:34.360 the desperation, the sheer weight on this one 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:36.559 man. The preparation must have been immense, 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:40.080 carrying the weight of that history, that tragedy, 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:43.639 through one individual's experience. And the 00:12:43.639 --> 00:12:46.629 world recognized it. The performance earned him 00:12:46.629 --> 00:12:49.009 that Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, 00:12:49.110 --> 00:12:51.970 his first Oscar nomination. That really cemented 00:12:51.970 --> 00:12:54.309 him as a major dramatic force on a global scale. 00:12:54.490 --> 00:12:56.909 Now, this is where his career strategy gets really 00:12:56.909 --> 00:12:58.929 fascinating, like you said earlier. The very 00:12:58.929 --> 00:13:02.090 next year, 2005, he doesn't just act in another 00:13:02.090 --> 00:13:05.080 important film. He produces one. Right. Crash. 00:13:05.620 --> 00:13:08.799 That ensemble drama, exploring race and class 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:11.159 tensions in Los Angeles, he was both a star in 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:13.240 the film and a co -producer. Let's unpack that 00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:15.120 co -producer credit. That's not just a title 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:17.240 they slap on for stars sometimes, right? This 00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:19.940 implies real involvement. It definitely implies 00:13:19.940 --> 00:13:22.440 more than just showing up to act. It suggests 00:13:22.440 --> 00:13:25.159 he was involved in the decision -making, creative 00:13:25.159 --> 00:13:28.460 decisions, maybe financial aspects. Taking on 00:13:28.460 --> 00:13:30.200 that producer role means you want more control. 00:13:30.500 --> 00:13:32.559 So what was the strategic intent there, do you 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:34.919 think? Well, it signals ambition beyond just 00:13:34.919 --> 00:13:37.200 performing. It says, I want to shape the narrative. 00:13:37.700 --> 00:13:41.299 By producing a film like Crash, which was challenging, 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:44.740 multilayered, not an easy sell, he's showing 00:13:44.740 --> 00:13:46.679 he wants to champion certain kinds of stories. 00:13:46.799 --> 00:13:49.440 And taking a risk. A big risk. But it paid off 00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:52.740 massively. When Crash famously won the Academy 00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:55.820 Award for Best Picture in 2006. Upsetting Brokeback 00:13:55.820 --> 00:13:59.259 Mountain. That very controversial win, yes. Teetle 00:13:59.259 --> 00:14:01.179 shared in that Best Picture Oscar as a producer. 00:14:01.399 --> 00:14:03.700 That's huge. An Oscar -winning producer on top 00:14:03.700 --> 00:14:06.019 of being a nominated actor. His acting in Crash 00:14:06.019 --> 00:14:07.860 wasn't overlooked either. He got Best Supporting 00:14:07.860 --> 00:14:10.240 Actor nominations from BAFTA and the Screen Actors 00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:12.559 Guild for that role. So he's firing on all cylinders. 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:15.960 Yeah. Acting, producing, tackling really significant 00:14:15.960 --> 00:14:18.659 issue -driven films. After those two incredibly 00:14:18.659 --> 00:14:21.759 intense dramas, Hotel Rwanda and Crash, he mixes 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:24.450 it up again. strategically. Yeah, he pivots. 00:14:24.470 --> 00:14:27.090 Stars with Adam Sandler in Reign Over Me in 2007. 00:14:27.529 --> 00:14:30.370 It's a comedy drama directed by Mike Binder about 00:14:30.370 --> 00:14:33.230 a man dealing with loss after 9 -11. Interesting 00:14:33.230 --> 00:14:35.210 pairing, Cheadle and Sandler. How did that film 00:14:35.210 --> 00:14:38.269 do? Critically, it got some decent notices for 00:14:38.269 --> 00:14:41.350 its sensitivity, but our sources point out it 00:14:41.350 --> 00:14:43.600 didn't really connect to the box office. Made 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:46.039 about $22 million domestically. That's important 00:14:46.039 --> 00:14:49.159 context. It shows that even with big stars, difficult 00:14:49.159 --> 00:14:51.659 subnet matter can be a tough sell commercially. 00:14:51.960 --> 00:14:55.000 True. But a box office stumble like that didn't 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:57.320 seem to slow him down at all. He starred in The 00:14:57.320 --> 00:15:00.820 Thriller Trader the next year, 2008. And he even 00:15:00.820 --> 00:15:04.279 did a family film, Hotel for Dogs, in 2009. Right. 00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:07.120 The sheer variety is key. He just refuses to 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:10.539 be put in a box. Prestige drama, check. Commercial 00:15:10.539 --> 00:15:13.990 thriller, check. Family movie, check. He was 00:15:13.990 --> 00:15:15.750 also trying to move into directing around this 00:15:15.750 --> 00:15:18.649 time, wasn't he? He was. Had plans to adapt another 00:15:18.649 --> 00:15:21.730 Elmore Leonard novel, Tishomingo Blues. But yeah, 00:15:21.809 --> 00:15:23.210 as you mentioned earlier, that project kind of 00:15:23.210 --> 00:15:26.149 fell apart, declared dead in 2007. A good reminder 00:15:26.149 --> 00:15:28.629 that even for someone with his talent and clout, 00:15:28.710 --> 00:15:31.090 getting projects made, especially directing, 00:15:31.289 --> 00:15:33.769 is always a battle in Hollywood. Definitely. 00:15:33.769 --> 00:15:35.769 Now, this seems like a good point to pull back 00:15:35.769 --> 00:15:37.809 and look at the bigger picture of his awards 00:15:37.809 --> 00:15:39.870 recognition, because it really highlights his 00:15:39.870 --> 00:15:42.450 strategy and his range. We mentioned Ego earlier. 00:15:42.830 --> 00:15:45.250 Right. The quest for the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar 00:15:45.250 --> 00:15:47.850 and Tony. Very few people even get nominated 00:15:47.850 --> 00:15:50.889 for all four. And Cheadle is remarkably close. 00:15:51.009 --> 00:15:53.190 He's actually won three out of the four categories. 00:15:53.409 --> 00:15:55.169 Let's just quickly break it down for you, because 00:15:55.169 --> 00:15:58.090 how he won them is really telling. OK, first, 00:15:58.309 --> 00:16:01.179 the Oscar. That Best Actor nomination for Hotel 00:16:01.179 --> 00:16:04.159 Ronda, the peak of his dramatic film work. Then 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:08.059 the Tony Award. He got that win in 2022, but 00:16:08.059 --> 00:16:11.460 crucially, not for acting on stage. He won, as 00:16:11.460 --> 00:16:13.840 a producer for the musical A Strange Loop, which 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:16.600 won Best Musical. So that producer credit strategy 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:18.820 paid off on Broadway, too. Creative control again. 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:22.039 Exactly. Now the Grammys. He has two wins, and 00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:25.620 they are fascinatingly diverse. First one, 2016 00:16:25.620 --> 00:16:27.759 Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media. 00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:30.419 For Miles Ahead. His passion project about Miles 00:16:30.419 --> 00:16:32.419 Davis. So he won a Grammy for the music of the 00:16:32.419 --> 00:16:34.700 film he directed, wrote, produced, and starred 00:16:34.700 --> 00:16:37.879 in. Incredible. The second Grammy came in 2022 00:16:37.879 --> 00:16:41.019 for Best Spoken Word Album. He narrated the audiobook 00:16:41.019 --> 00:16:43.679 carry -on, Reflections for a New Generation from 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:47.000 John Lewis. Wow. So that win connects directly 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:49.419 to his commitment to civil rights and social 00:16:49.419 --> 00:16:52.159 justice. Even his voice work is tied to these 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:56.059 bigger themes. It's amazing. And finally, the 00:16:56.059 --> 00:16:59.259 Emmys. Television is where he has just been a 00:16:59.259 --> 00:17:02.340 constant presence, racking up nominations. How 00:17:02.340 --> 00:17:05.099 many total? Eleven primetime Emmy nominations 00:17:05.099 --> 00:17:07.819 over the years. Think about The Range, The Rat 00:17:07.819 --> 00:17:10.460 Pack, A Lesson Before Dying, Things Behind the 00:17:10.460 --> 00:17:12.839 Sun, that ER guest spot we talked about. Plus 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:15.140 his later series work. Right, House of Lies, 00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:18.029 Black Monday. and even his recent appearance 00:17:18.029 --> 00:17:19.829 in the Marvel series The Falcon and the Winter 00:17:19.829 --> 00:17:22.630 Soldier, nominations across decades, genres, 00:17:22.829 --> 00:17:24.630 formats. And don't forget the Golden Globes. 00:17:24.690 --> 00:17:26.930 He won two of those. Right. One for playing Sammy 00:17:26.930 --> 00:17:29.569 Davis Jr. in the Rat Pack, pure drama, and another 00:17:29.569 --> 00:17:31.789 one later for his comedy series House of Lies. 00:17:32.029 --> 00:17:34.329 So if you take one thing away from this period, 00:17:34.509 --> 00:17:36.690 it's not just that he's versatile, it's that 00:17:36.690 --> 00:17:38.910 he achieves excellence, recognized excellence, 00:17:39.170 --> 00:17:42.309 across almost every medium and genre imaginable. 00:17:42.869 --> 00:17:45.589 Biography, crime, comedy, franchise. It's systematic 00:17:45.589 --> 00:17:48.269 excellence. And that perfectly sets the stage 00:17:48.269 --> 00:17:51.109 for what comes next. Exactly. This sustained 00:17:51.109 --> 00:17:53.890 excellence, this ability to deliver across the 00:17:53.890 --> 00:17:56.690 board, it prepared him perfectly for the absolute 00:17:56.690 --> 00:17:59.289 global spotlight of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 00:17:59.609 --> 00:18:02.789 This is the decade he becomes James Rhodey Rhodes' 00:18:03.089 --> 00:18:06.890 war machine. And the way he entered the MCU is 00:18:06.890 --> 00:18:10.069 itself a fascinating story in strategic navigation. 00:18:10.809 --> 00:18:13.759 He took over the role in Iron Man 2. Back in 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:16.200 2010. Replacing Terrence Howard, who had played 00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:18.500 Rhodey in the first Iron Man. Right. And stepping 00:18:18.500 --> 00:18:20.240 into an established role like that, especially 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:23.400 in a franchise already blowing up. That's tricky. 00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:25.500 There's a lot of pressure. Oh, I remember the 00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:27.940 fan discussion, the articles. There was definitely 00:18:27.940 --> 00:18:29.960 noise around that recasting. He had to make the 00:18:29.960 --> 00:18:32.140 character his own immediately for an audience 00:18:32.140 --> 00:18:34.240 that already had an idea of Rhodey. And he did 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:36.740 it brilliantly, I think. He brought this grounded, 00:18:36.839 --> 00:18:39.940 serious, almost weary professionalism to Rhodey 00:18:39.940 --> 00:18:42.539 that was the perfect counterpoint to Tony Stark's 00:18:42.539 --> 00:18:44.559 brilliant chaos. Yeah, a believable military 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:47.559 man, a sense of duty and gravity amidst all the 00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:50.400 high -flying tech and aliens. Absolutely. And 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:52.579 just look at how central he became. The list 00:18:52.579 --> 00:18:55.160 of appearances is huge. Iron Man 2, Iron Man 00:18:55.160 --> 00:18:57.339 3, where he gets the Iron Patriot suit for a 00:18:57.339 --> 00:18:59.839 bit. Right. Avengers, Age of Ultron, Captain 00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:03.259 America, Civil War, Avengers, Infinity War, that 00:19:03.259 --> 00:19:05.440 quick cameo in Captain Marvel, and then the massive 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:09.240 finale, Avengers, Endgame. And he's still very 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:11.940 much part of the MCU fabric. He got an Emmy nomination 00:19:11.940 --> 00:19:14.819 for just a brief appearance in the Falcon and 00:19:14.819 --> 00:19:17.680 the Winter Soldier series on Disney Plus 4. Which 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:20.240 is kind of amazing. He also voiced Rhodey in 00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:22.720 the animated What If series and played a major 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:24.980 role in the recent Secret Invasion series in 00:19:24.980 --> 00:19:27.980 2023. And the commitment continues. He's set 00:19:27.980 --> 00:19:30.480 to lead his own Marvel project, the film Armor 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:33.140 Wars. Which is significant because that was originally 00:19:33.140 --> 00:19:35.920 announced as a Disney Plus series, but they upgraded 00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:38.690 it to a theatrical movie. That suggests Marvel 00:19:38.690 --> 00:19:41.289 really believes in his ability to anchor a big 00:19:41.289 --> 00:19:43.849 screen feature. So the MCU gives him this incredible 00:19:43.849 --> 00:19:46.789 global platform, financial security. Which you 00:19:46.789 --> 00:19:49.069 have to assume allows him the freedom to pursue 00:19:49.069 --> 00:19:52.049 those other, maybe less commercial passion projects. 00:19:52.230 --> 00:19:54.849 Yeah. It's that balance again. Totally. Because 00:19:54.849 --> 00:19:57.190 while he's literally saving the world in billion 00:19:57.190 --> 00:20:00.269 -dollar blockbusters, he's also starring in and 00:20:00.269 --> 00:20:03.410 winning awards for really sharp, complex comedy 00:20:03.410 --> 00:20:07.250 on premium cable. Right. From 2012 to 2016, he 00:20:07.250 --> 00:20:10.829 starred as Marty Kyan in House of Lies on Showtime. 00:20:11.269 --> 00:20:14.490 Ruthless management consultant. Super fast -talking, 00:20:14.490 --> 00:20:17.190 ethically dubious, incredibly charismatic. A 00:20:17.190 --> 00:20:19.500 completely different skill set. from War Machine 00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:22.000 or, you know, Paul Russo's vagina. High -speed 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:24.519 satire, breaking the fourth wall, navigating 00:20:24.519 --> 00:20:27.319 moral gray areas with this relentless energy. 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:29.640 And that pivot worked. He won the Golden Globe 00:20:29.640 --> 00:20:32.359 for Best Actor in a Comedy Series in 2013 for 00:20:32.359 --> 00:20:34.759 Marty Kine. Solidifying his place in that prestige 00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:37.279 cable comedy world. And he followed it up later 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:39.720 with Black Monday, another cable comedy from 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:43.079 2019 to 2021. Playing Maurice Monroe, that outlandish 00:20:43.079 --> 00:20:45.519 80s financial guru. Got more Emmy nominations 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:47.759 for that one, too. Yeah. The ability to just 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:51.259 shift gears from global tragedy in Hotel Rwanda 00:20:51.259 --> 00:20:54.339 to like Wall Street satire in Black Monday. Yeah. 00:20:54.380 --> 00:20:56.480 And be totally convincing in both. That's rare 00:20:56.480 --> 00:20:58.880 air. But throughout this whole. massive Marvel 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:01.740 comedy TV phase, there was one project bubbling 00:21:01.740 --> 00:21:04.279 under the surface, the big personal one. Miles 00:21:04.279 --> 00:21:08.500 Ahead, the Miles Davis film, released in 2016. 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:12.920 And this project really embodies his drive for 00:21:12.920 --> 00:21:15.680 creative control, for bringing a specific vision 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:18.000 to life. Because this wasn't just another acting 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:20.220 job. Our sources say he worked on this for a 00:21:20.220 --> 00:21:22.980 decade. At least, writing it. getting the funding, 00:21:23.140 --> 00:21:25.900 producing it, directing it, and starring as Miles 00:21:25.900 --> 00:21:28.920 Davis, he wore all the hats. Why did it take 00:21:28.920 --> 00:21:31.259 so long? What were the big hurdles? Well, creative 00:21:31.259 --> 00:21:33.480 vision was a big one. Apparently, Miles Davis' 00:21:33.660 --> 00:21:36.500 estate initially wanted a more traditional cradle 00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:38.700 -to -grave biopic. But Cheadle had a different 00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:41.000 idea. Yeah, he wanted something much more unconventional. 00:21:41.470 --> 00:21:44.569 Non -linear, impressionistic, focusing on a specific 00:21:44.569 --> 00:21:47.549 period, capturing the feel of Miles' music and 00:21:47.549 --> 00:21:50.470 personality, that restless energy, not just hitting 00:21:50.470 --> 00:21:52.309 the biographical bullet points. So he had to 00:21:52.309 --> 00:21:54.170 fight for that vision. And fight for the money. 00:21:54.910 --> 00:21:57.609 Independent film funding is always tough, especially 00:21:57.609 --> 00:21:59.309 for something that isn't a straightforward genre 00:21:59.309 --> 00:22:02.009 piece. He really had to use the clout he'd built 00:22:02.009 --> 00:22:04.390 up from Marvel, from House of Lies, to finally 00:22:04.390 --> 00:22:07.349 get Miles Ahead made the way he wanted. And as 00:22:07.349 --> 00:22:09.190 we mentioned, the soundtrack for that film earned 00:22:09.190 --> 00:22:11.809 him one of his Grammys. So the dedication paid 00:22:11.809 --> 00:22:14.369 off in multiple ways. Absolutely. Looking at 00:22:14.369 --> 00:22:16.569 his work just in the last few years, that strategic 00:22:16.569 --> 00:22:20.009 diversity just keeps going. 2021, he reunites 00:22:20.009 --> 00:22:22.289 with Soderbergh for No Sudden Move. Right, that 00:22:22.289 --> 00:22:25.410 period crime thriller. Playing a gangster in 00:22:25.410 --> 00:22:28.890 1950s Detroit. Kind of echoes back to Mouse Alexander 00:22:28.890 --> 00:22:31.630 in a way. Yeah, a return to those cool, dangerous 00:22:31.630 --> 00:22:34.890 characters. But then, same year. Completely different 00:22:34.890 --> 00:22:37.650 direction. He plays the main villain in Space 00:22:37.650 --> 00:22:41.920 Jam. A new legacy. Algyrhythm. The evil computer 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:45.500 algorithm. I mean, talk about range. From 1950s 00:22:45.500 --> 00:22:48.299 gangster to a digital bad guy opposite LeBron 00:22:48.299 --> 00:22:50.599 James and Bugs Bunny. And he even did voice work 00:22:50.599 --> 00:22:52.839 for the DuckTales reboot. Providing Donald Duck's 00:22:52.839 --> 00:22:54.940 temporary electronic voice box. It's just fun. 00:22:54.980 --> 00:22:56.819 Shows his willingness to play. And the future 00:22:56.819 --> 00:22:59.019 looks just as busy and varied. We've got Armor 00:22:59.019 --> 00:23:01.579 Wars coming in the MCU. But outside of Marvel, 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:04.400 he's in a new peacock crime drama miniseries 00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:07.000 called Fight Night. The million dollar heist. 00:23:07.289 --> 00:23:09.630 set around Muhammad Ali's comeback fight in 1970. 00:23:10.009 --> 00:23:12.970 That's coming to 2024. He also co -starred in 00:23:12.970 --> 00:23:16.069 a film called Unstoppable this year, a biographical 00:23:16.069 --> 00:23:19.250 drama about a wrestler. Playing the coach, Sean 00:23:19.250 --> 00:23:22.250 Charles. And maybe the most interesting upcoming 00:23:22.250 --> 00:23:25.329 project, bringing his career full circle. His 00:23:25.329 --> 00:23:29.130 Broadway debut. Planned for 2026, he's set to 00:23:29.130 --> 00:23:32.069 star in a revival of Proof, the Pulitzer Prize 00:23:32.069 --> 00:23:34.779 -winning play by David Auburn. Wow. After all 00:23:34.779 --> 00:23:37.240 the success in film and TV, he's still pushing 00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:39.819 himself, going back to the stage for a major 00:23:39.819 --> 00:23:42.480 challenging role. It's incredible. We've spent 00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:44.819 a lot of time on his incredible career path, 00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:48.220 the acting, the producing, the versatility. But 00:23:48.220 --> 00:23:50.279 you really can't talk about Don Cheadle without 00:23:50.279 --> 00:23:53.160 diving into his activism. It's arguably just 00:23:53.160 --> 00:23:55.799 as defining as his work on screen. I completely 00:23:55.799 --> 00:23:58.259 agree. It's not just, you know, occasional charity 00:23:58.259 --> 00:24:00.940 appearances. It's deep, sustained strategic engagement 00:24:00.940 --> 00:24:03.619 on major global issues, especially his work. 00:24:03.630 --> 00:24:05.910 around the genocide in Darfur and the aftermath 00:24:05.910 --> 00:24:08.549 in Rwanda, which was clearly spurred by his experience 00:24:08.549 --> 00:24:10.930 making Hotel Rwanda. It seems like that film 00:24:10.930 --> 00:24:13.410 was a catalyst. He realized the platform he had 00:24:13.410 --> 00:24:16.049 and felt a moral obligation to use it. Exactly. 00:24:16.150 --> 00:24:17.750 He didn't just lend his name. He got involved 00:24:17.750 --> 00:24:21.609 in policy. He spearheaded campaigns aimed at 00:24:21.609 --> 00:24:24.569 ending the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, really 00:24:24.569 --> 00:24:26.849 trying to mobilize international action. And 00:24:26.849 --> 00:24:28.829 this led him to actually co -author a book on 00:24:28.829 --> 00:24:31.849 the subject, right? Yeah. Not on our watch. The 00:24:31.849 --> 00:24:34.170 mission to end genocide in Jarfur and beyond. 00:24:34.390 --> 00:24:36.650 He wrote that with activist John Prendergast. 00:24:37.069 --> 00:24:39.529 But maybe even more significantly, he co -founded 00:24:39.529 --> 00:24:41.730 an organization. And not on our watch project. 00:24:41.970 --> 00:24:44.569 Right. The whole idea was to use high profile 00:24:44.569 --> 00:24:47.670 visibility to focus global attention and critically 00:24:47.670 --> 00:24:51.250 resources on preventing mass atrocities. Not 00:24:51.250 --> 00:24:53.789 just reacting, but trying to prevent them. And 00:24:53.789 --> 00:24:56.210 the co -founders list is basically a who's who 00:24:56.210 --> 00:24:58.309 of Hollywood power players who also cared about 00:24:58.309 --> 00:25:01.359 this. Seriously. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt 00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:03.680 Damon, producer Jerry Weintraub, human rights 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:06.119 lawyer David Pressman. That's immense collective 00:25:06.119 --> 00:25:08.420 star power. And the goal wasn't just fundraising, 00:25:08.619 --> 00:25:11.359 was it? It was about leverage. It was strategic 00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:14.279 leverage. Using their fame to force media coverage, 00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:16.799 to get politicians to pay attention to crises 00:25:16.799 --> 00:25:18.859 that might otherwise fly under the radar. And 00:25:18.859 --> 00:25:21.099 this work got recognized pretty quickly on a 00:25:21.099 --> 00:25:23.880 global stage. Oh, yeah. 2007 was a big year. 00:25:23.960 --> 00:25:27.160 He got the B .E. Humanitarian Award. And then 00:25:27.160 --> 00:25:29.829 alongside George Clooney. He received the Summit 00:25:29.829 --> 00:25:33.210 Peace Award, presented by Nobel Peace Prize laureates 00:25:33.210 --> 00:25:36.210 themselves in Rome, specifically acknowledging 00:25:36.210 --> 00:25:39.210 their work on Darfur. He even found ways to combine 00:25:39.210 --> 00:25:41.470 his activism with other interests like poker. 00:25:41.710 --> 00:25:44.329 Huh? Yeah. He co -organized that charity poker 00:25:44.329 --> 00:25:47.210 tournament, Anteep for Africa, with the poker 00:25:47.210 --> 00:25:50.170 pro Annie Duke, raising money for Darfur relief 00:25:50.170 --> 00:25:52.849 efforts. And he kept the policy focus going, 00:25:52.950 --> 00:25:54.990 too, writing a second book with Prendergast in 00:25:54.990 --> 00:25:58.339 2010. The Enough Moment. Fighting to end Africa's 00:25:58.339 --> 00:26:00.880 worst human rights crimes. He stayed committed. 00:26:01.140 --> 00:26:03.740 Deeply. And his activism wasn't limited to just 00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:06.599 humanitarian crises. He also took on environmental 00:26:06.599 --> 00:26:09.359 issues in a big way. Right. In 2010, he became 00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:11.680 a UN Environment Program Goodwill Ambassador, 00:26:12.039 --> 00:26:14.579 focusing on climate change. And that led to him 00:26:14.579 --> 00:26:17.000 co -creating that documentary series, Years of 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:18.980 Living Dangerously with Harrison Ford. That was 00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:21.059 a really effective series, wasn't it? Because 00:26:21.059 --> 00:26:23.480 it wasn't just statistics. No, it focused on 00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:26.529 the human impact. They had correspondence, including 00:26:26.529 --> 00:26:29.069 Cheadle himself, reporting from the front lines 00:26:29.069 --> 00:26:31.390 of climate change, showing how it affects real 00:26:31.390 --> 00:26:34.390 people's lives. He's also on the advisory board 00:26:34.390 --> 00:26:37.210 for the Citizens' Climate Lobby, still active 00:26:37.210 --> 00:26:39.559 in policy. And he's shown he's willing to make 00:26:39.559 --> 00:26:41.559 personal statements, too, like during his Saturday 00:26:41.559 --> 00:26:44.299 Night Live hosting gig in 2019. Yeah, wearing 00:26:44.299 --> 00:26:47.259 that T -shirt that said protect trans kids, using 00:26:47.259 --> 00:26:50.619 that huge platform for a very clear, specific 00:26:50.619 --> 00:26:53.819 message of support. OK, so beyond the activism, 00:26:54.059 --> 00:26:56.119 there's some really fascinating personal history 00:26:56.119 --> 00:26:58.160 that adds another layer to understanding him. 00:26:58.359 --> 00:27:01.279 His family background was explored in that PBS 00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:04.759 series African American Lives, too, back in 2008. 00:27:04.980 --> 00:27:07.480 And the findings were incredibly complex. Historically 00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:09.380 speaking, it turned out that some of Cheadle's 00:27:09.380 --> 00:27:11.599 ancestors were actually enslaved by members of 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:14.000 the Chickasaw Nation, not by white southerners. 00:27:14.140 --> 00:27:15.559 That's a part of American history that isn't 00:27:15.559 --> 00:27:18.740 widely discussed. Not at all. After the Civil 00:27:18.740 --> 00:27:21.400 War, the U .S. government required the so -called 00:27:21.400 --> 00:27:24.700 five civilized tribes, which included the Chickasaw, 00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:28.359 to free the people they had enslaved. These individuals 00:27:28.359 --> 00:27:31.119 became known as the freedmen, like the Chickasaw 00:27:31.119 --> 00:27:33.799 freedmen. But it wasn't straightforward emancipation, 00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:36.559 was it? No. The Chickasaw Nation resisted granting 00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:39.359 full citizenship rights to the freedmen for a 00:27:39.359 --> 00:27:42.319 long time. So Cheadle's ancestors, even after 00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:45.059 being freed around 1866, they didn't actually 00:27:45.059 --> 00:27:47.500 gain U .S. or Chickasaw citizenship until the 00:27:47.500 --> 00:27:49.819 1890s. Because of the Dawes Commission and all 00:27:49.819 --> 00:27:52.059 that complex federal negotiation with the tribes. 00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:55.900 Exactly. So think about that. For decades after 00:27:55.900 --> 00:27:58.720 the Civil War ended. His ancestors were essentially 00:27:58.720 --> 00:28:01.440 stateless, caught in this incredibly complicated 00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:04.619 intersection of tribal sovereignty, federal policy, 00:28:04.779 --> 00:28:07.400 and the legacy of slavery within indigenous nations. 00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:10.259 Knowing that history, that family struggle for 00:28:10.259 --> 00:28:12.900 basic rights and recognition, it definitely adds 00:28:12.900 --> 00:28:15.140 depth to understanding his passion for human 00:28:15.140 --> 00:28:18.180 rights advocacy today. It's personal. It has 00:28:18.180 --> 00:28:20.599 to be. The DNA tests from that show were also 00:28:20.599 --> 00:28:22.240 interesting. They showed Cameroonian ancestry. 00:28:22.500 --> 00:28:25.140 But more broadly, his African heritage traced 00:28:25.140 --> 00:28:28.200 back to regions from Senegal down to Liberia, 00:28:28.259 --> 00:28:31.240 the Congo -Angola area, and also western Nigeria 00:28:31.240 --> 00:28:34.480 and Benin. A real tapestry. And just to wrap 00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:36.420 up the personal side, that relationship with 00:28:36.420 --> 00:28:38.750 Bridget Coulter. Being together for 28 years, 00:28:38.809 --> 00:28:40.650 raising two children, and then getting married 00:28:40.650 --> 00:28:43.490 in 2020. It speaks volumes about stability, right? 00:28:43.549 --> 00:28:46.250 Having that solid personal foundation through 00:28:46.250 --> 00:28:48.529 all the chaos and demands of a Hollywood career. 00:28:49.430 --> 00:28:52.650 That kind of bedrock probably gave him the security 00:28:52.650 --> 00:28:54.829 and freedom to take the creative and political 00:28:54.829 --> 00:28:57.150 risks he's taken. It seems like a really crucial 00:28:57.150 --> 00:29:00.470 piece of the puzzle. Hashtag tag out UTRO. So 00:29:00.470 --> 00:29:02.009 let's try and bring this all together for you. 00:29:02.089 --> 00:29:04.630 We've traced Don Cheadle's journey, really a 00:29:04.630 --> 00:29:07.470 masterclass in strategic career building, starting 00:29:07.470 --> 00:29:10.230 with that diverse foundation mime jazz serious 00:29:10.230 --> 00:29:12.309 theater. Yeah, then breaking through critically 00:29:12.309 --> 00:29:14.869 with that unforgettable intensity, a devil in 00:29:14.869 --> 00:29:17.210 a blue dress, reaching that dramatic summit with 00:29:17.210 --> 00:29:19.730 Hotel Rwanda and the Oscar nomination. And then 00:29:19.730 --> 00:29:22.750 strategically leveraging that acclaim to gain 00:29:22.750 --> 00:29:25.210 power behind the camera, becoming an Oscar winning 00:29:25.210 --> 00:29:27.829 producer for Crash. And he used that hard won 00:29:27.829 --> 00:29:31.099 authority brilliantly. Yeah. Balancing the massive 00:29:31.099 --> 00:29:33.240 financial stability and global reach of being 00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:36.180 war machine in the MCU with the creative control 00:29:36.180 --> 00:29:38.539 needed to pour his heart into a decade -long 00:29:38.539 --> 00:29:41.680 passion project like Miles Ahead. His whole career 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:44.039 is just this stunning refusal to pick a lane. 00:29:44.180 --> 00:29:47.859 Excellence in comedy, drama, crime, blockbusters. 00:29:48.099 --> 00:29:50.660 And crucially, as we saw, he never walled off 00:29:50.660 --> 00:29:53.819 his art from his purpose. He consistently channels 00:29:53.819 --> 00:29:56.690 the fame. the platform, the capital from his 00:29:56.690 --> 00:29:59.430 acting career directly into serious systematic 00:29:59.430 --> 00:30:02.109 activism. Through, not on our watch, through 00:30:02.109 --> 00:30:05.210 his books, his UN work. It's clear he sees his 00:30:05.210 --> 00:30:08.109 career not just as a job, but as a tool for advocacy, 00:30:08.329 --> 00:30:10.549 for trying to make a tangible difference on issues 00:30:10.549 --> 00:30:12.789 he cares deeply about. Which brings us to our 00:30:12.789 --> 00:30:14.970 final provocative thought for you to mull over. 00:30:15.250 --> 00:30:17.930 We've established just how deeply Cheadle integrates 00:30:17.930 --> 00:30:19.970 his ethical perspective, his history of activism 00:30:19.970 --> 00:30:22.549 on things like genocide and climate change, into 00:30:22.549 --> 00:30:26.099 his life and work. So, Think about this. He's 00:30:26.099 --> 00:30:29.180 now preparing to lead a Marvel movie, Armor Wars. 00:30:29.740 --> 00:30:32.359 The core idea of that story is about advanced 00:30:32.359 --> 00:30:35.339 weapons technology specifically. Tony Stark's 00:30:35.339 --> 00:30:38.359 Iron Man tech falling into the wrong hands, potential 00:30:38.359 --> 00:30:40.819 for mass destruction, misuse of power. Right. 00:30:40.900 --> 00:30:43.779 Classic superhero stakes. But given who Don Cheadle 00:30:43.779 --> 00:30:46.339 is, the actor, the producer, the co -founder 00:30:46.339 --> 00:30:49.039 of Not On Our Watch, how might he approach that? 00:30:49.119 --> 00:30:51.299 How will his perspective influence that narrative? 00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:53.900 Could he bring a sharper, maybe more cautionary, 00:30:53.900 --> 00:30:56.700 ethical or even political layer to this story 00:30:56.700 --> 00:30:59.539 about dangerous tech proliferation? your typical 00:30:59.539 --> 00:31:01.920 blockbuster might explore. Will War Machine's 00:31:01.920 --> 00:31:04.559 next mission be as much about global ethics as 00:31:04.559 --> 00:31:06.859 it is about stopping bad guys? It's definitely 00:31:06.859 --> 00:31:08.500 something to think about. Something to consider 00:31:08.500 --> 00:31:09.539 until our next deep dive.