On this day, 31 July, in 1962, Wesley Trent Snipes was born.
Snipes is an American actor, director, film producer, author and martial artist.
He is well-known for starring in New Jack City, White Men Can’t Jump and Demolition Man.
In 1991, he formed a production company, Amen-Ra Films, and a subsidiary, Black Dot Media, to develop projects for film and television.
At the age of 12, he started training in martial arts, earning a 5th Dan black belt in Shotokan Karate and a 2nd Dan black belt in Hapkido.
In 2010, Snipes began serving a three-year prison sentence in Pennsylvania for failing to file his US federal income tax returns. He was released from prison in 2013.
Snipes has been married twice, first to April Dubois, then to painter Nakyung “Nikki” Park, with whom he has four children.
He has won numerous awards, including Image Awards and Black Reel Awards, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Other celebrities who were born on this day include author, JK Rowling, and actor, BJ Novak.
