- Born
- Birth nameIrving Rameses Rhames
- Height6′ (1.83 m)
- Strikingly featured and muscular American actor Ving Rhames was born Irving Rameses Rhames in Harlem, New York, to Reather, a homemaker, and Ernest Rhames, an auto mechanic. A good student, Ving entered the New York High School of Performing Arts, where he discovered his love of acting. He studied at the Juilliard School of Drama, and began his career in New York theater and in Shakespeare in the Park productions. He first appeared on Broadway in the play "The Winter Boys", in 1984. Also that year, he appeared in front of the cameras for the first time in the TV movie Go Tell It on the Mountain (1985), and was then quickly cast in minor roles in several popular TV shows, including Miami Vice (1984), Tour of Duty (1987) and Crime Story (1986). Ving continued his rise to fame through his work in soap operas.
His big break came in 1994 when Quentin Tarantino cast him as the merciless drug dealer Marsellus Wallace in the mega hit Pulp Fiction (1994). Not long after, director Brian De Palma cast Rhames alongside Tom Cruise as the ace computer hacker Luther Stickell in Mission: Impossible (1996). With solid performances in both these highly popular productions, his face was now well known to moviegoers and the work offers began rolling in more frequently. His next career highlight was playing the lead role in the HBO production of Don King: Only in America (1997). Rhames' performance as the world's most infamous boxing promoter was nothing short of brilliant, and at the 1998 Golden Globe Awards he picked up the award for Best Actor in a Miniseries. However, in an incredible display of compassion, he handed over the award to fellow nominee Jack Lemmon, as he felt Lemmon was a more deserving winner. Rhames then made an attention-grabbing performance in Bringing Out the Dead (1999), reprised his role as Luther Stickell in Mission: Impossible II (2000), contributed his deep bass voice for the character of Cobra Bubbles in Lilo & Stitch (2002), and played a burly cop fighting cannibal zombie hordes in Dawn of the Dead (2004). A keen fitness and weightlifting enthusiast, Rhames is also well known for his strong spiritual beliefs and benevolent attitude towards other people.
In a remarkable turn of events whilst filming The Saint of Fort Washington (1993) in New York, he was introduced to a homeless man who turned out to be his long-lost older brother, Junior, who had lost contact with the family after serving in Vietnam. The thrilled Rhames immediately assisted his disheveled brother in getting proper food and clothing and moved him into his own apartment.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous and firehouse44
- SpousesDeborah Reed(December 25, 2000 - present) (3 children)Valerie Scott(July 4, 1994 - February 9, 1999) (divorced)
- ChildrenReign Beau RhamesFreedom RhamesTiffany
- ParentsReather RhamesErnest Rhames
- RelativesJunior Rhames(Sibling)
- A deep, booming voice
- His characters often use metaphors to explain their opinions or feelings (such as: "a wave is crashing over me" from I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007) or "You are adrift in the sea of my patience" from Lilo & Stitch (2002)).
- His fully shaved head.
- Colorful, often oversized, and sometimes unusual hats of many styles and types.
- In 1993, during the filming of The Saint of Fort Washington in New York City, Rhames was unexpectedly reunited with his brother, Junior, a troubled, homeless Vietnam veteran who'd been estranged from the Rhames family for years.
- Was given the nickname he goes by, "Ving," by his one-time roommate Stanley Tucci, when together for a time at SUNY Purchase.
- Won a Golden Globe in 1998 for best actor in a TV miniseries for his performance in HBO's Don King: Only in America (1997). At the ceremony Rhames gave his award to Jack Lemmon, saying "I feel that being an artist is about giving, and I'd like to give this to you." Lemmon was clearly touched by the gesture, as was the celebrity audience, who gave Lemmon a standing ovation. Lemmon, who tried unsuccessfully to give the award back to Rhames, said it was "one of the sweetest moments I've ever known in my life." The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced later that they would have a duplicate award prepared for Rhames.
- Was considered for the role of John Coffey in The Green Mile (1999).
- He says people are often surprised that he isn't bigger in person, as he stands a little bit less than 6 feet tall and weighs a little over 200 pounds. He is, however, quite strong for his size, being able to bench press over 300 pounds.
- I bought a new house ... It's just a little, you know, I hate to say it, but even looking at the sort of money that they spend on films now, and looking at the problems that we have in the world, it's a little ridiculous ... I just think that the industry is out of hand and something's gonna give eventually.
- "I wouldn't say I'm a fan of it, because quite honestly, I'm more interested in films that deal with the human condition. Mission:Impossible is basically entertainment, and for what it is, it's fine. I don't think most actors become actors to do that type of film."
- On his role in the Mission: Impossible Franchise.
- "I'm not gay. I'm not homophobic. And I've never been raped. So it was acting. I look at it as the most powerful man in the movie being in one of the most vulnerable positions. And what that did was cause the audience to feel for him. It shows that no matter how hard-core you think you are, this could happen to you." - On his role as Marsellus Wallace in Pulp Fiction.
- I must say that some things some men are born to do. I think I was born to kick ass.
- My approach to the work is the same, whether I had the lead or a supporting role. I consider myself a character actor in the true sense of the word. Unless I'm doing my autobiography, I'm playing a character.
- Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) - $7,700,000
- Mission: Impossible III (2006) - $3,500,000
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content