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Mario Van Peebles is one of the actors of A Million Little Things, portraying the role of Ronald.

Biography[]

Early life[]

Van Peebles was born on January 15, 1957 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. He is the son of writer, director, actor and musician Melvin Van Peebles and actress and photographer Maria Marx. He travelled often with his parents between Europe and USA.

Van Peebles majored in economics at Columbia College, the undergraduate division of Columbia University. He was invited to speak as the Class Day Speaker as part of the annual commencement exercises in 2021.

Career[]

Van Peebles' first screen appearance was in 1968, in the soap opera One Life to Live. In 1971, he appeared in the film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, Melvin Van Peebles directed and played the lead role and Mario played his father's character as a child. The film became a hit and a historical American film, because it was widely credited with showing Hollywood that a viable black audience existed and thus influenced the creation of the Blaxploitation genre. That year, Mario acted in a TV movie called Crosscurrent.

In 1981, Van Peebles acted in the miniseries The Sophisticated Gents. He appeared in the action film Exterminator 2 (1984), as the main villain against its protagonist, played by Robert Ginty. When the production wrapped, the producers were unhappy and wanted a re-shoot. They replaced the original director, but the main star was no longer available so they made Van Peebles' character more central.

That same year, Van Peebles appeared as a dancer in Francis Ford Coppola's movie The Cotton Club. In 1985, he landed his first leading role in the film Rappin' as Rappin' John Hood, an ex-convict who attempts to save his neighborhood from developers and hoodlums. In 1985, he played in the comedy Delivery Boys, was one of the central characters in the action drama South Bronx Heroes, and acted in the dramatic TV film Children of the Night and one episode of The Cosby Show. In 1986, he acted in the urban action film 3:15, the comedy Last Resort, the TV film D.C. Cops, four episodes of L.A. Law, and the Clint Eastwood military film Heartbreak Ridge based on the United States Marine Corps. In 1987, he played in the sport film Hotshot, the TV film The Facts of Life Down Under, and Jaws: The Revenge, the fourth installment of the Jaws franchise.

In 1988, Van Peebles played the lead in the short-lived detective show Sonny Spoon. The show ran for two brief seasons, both of which aired in 1988 before the series was canceled. The show would mark his directorial debut, for which he tackled the task for one episode. That same year, he also acted in the TV film The Child Saver. In 1989, he directed for the show Top of the Hill, three episodes of 21 Jump Street, two of which he acted in, and an episode of the TV series Wiseguy. He also acted in one episode of American Playwrights Theater: The One-Acts, and the film Identity Crisis directed by his father. At the beginning of the 1990s he performed in the TV film Blue Bayou and one episode of In Living Color.

Van Peebles directed Malcolm Takes a Shot, a 1991 CBS Schoolbreak Special about an aspiring high-school basketball star whose obstacles include epilepsy and his own arrogance. Van Peebles appeared in the special in a cameo appearance as the main character's doctor. He was nominated for a DGA Award by the Directors Guild of America for "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Shows".

Van Peebles made his feature film directorial debut in 1991 with the black gangster film New Jack City, in which he also co-stars. Other lead actors are Wesley Snipes, Ice-T and Judd Nelson. That same year, he directed one episode of Gabriel's Fire, and acted in the TV film A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story. In 1992, he acted in two TV films: In the Line of Duty: Street War and Stompin' at the Savoy. In 1993, he starred in and directed the black Western Posse. That same year, he played in the science fiction crime film Full Eclipse. In 1994, he collaborated twice with actor Christopher Lambert; they played the side by side leads in the action film Gunmen, and he was the main villain in Highlander III: The Sorcerer, the third installment of the Highlander film series. He also acted in a film called In the Living Years.

In 1995, Van Peebles directed and co-starred in Panther based on a screenplay adapted by his father, Melvin Van Peebles, from his novel of the same name portraying the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. In 1996, he acted in one episode of Living Single and one episode of HBO's Strangers. He also played the lead in the science fiction action film Solo. His directorial release that year was Gang in Blue, in which he stars and co-directs with his father who also has a role in the film. In 1997, he acted in one episode of X-Files, and in the films Stag, Riot, and Los Locos, the first American film directed by Jean-Marc Vallée. In 1998, he directed and starred in Love Kills. He also appeared in the mini series Mama Flora's Family, Valentine's Day, and Killers in the House. In 1999, he acted in Judgement Day, and Raw Nerve.

In 2000, Van Peebles acted in one episode of Martial Law and 20 episodes of Rude Awakening. In 2001, he starred in a film called Guardian, and co-starred in the Michael Mann film Ali. In 2002, he acted in 10,000 Black Men Named George, two episodes of Robbery Homicide Division, and the TV movie Fiona. In 2003, he acted in the film The Hebrew Hammer, 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out, Gang of Roses, and The Street Lawyer. His 2003 docudrama Baadasssss!, also known as How to Get the Man's Foot Outta Your Ass, opened at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film describes the making of his father's seminal film, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. Mario directed the film as well as portraying his father in the lead role.

In 2004, he was a lead in the TV film Crown Heights and acted in one episode of Soul Food. In 2005, he acted in Carlito's Way: Rise to Power. In 2006, he directed and co-starred in the film Hard Luck. In 2007, he acted in an episode of Law & Order and the film Sharpshooter. That year, he returned to directing for television starting with three episodes of Damages, in which he also had recurring role until 2009. In 2008, he acted in his father's film Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha and 43 episodes of the soap opera All My Children. He returned to Law & Order as a director for three episodes. In 2009, Van Peebles and his family starred in the reality TV show Mario's Green House. He also acted in the film A Letter to Dad.

In 2010, Van Peebles acted in two films Multiple Sarcasms and Across the Line: The Exodus of Charlie Wright. He directed one episode of Lost, the documentary Fair Game?, and the film Redemption Road. In 2011, he directed the sport drama All Things Fall Apart, starring rapper/actor 50 cent in the title role. He started to direct for the TV series Boss, directing five episodes until 2012. In 2012, he wrote, directed, and acted in We the Party. In 2013, he directed one episode NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, one episode of Monday Mornings, one episode of Zero Hour, and some episodes of Nashville.

In 2014, Van Peebles wrote, directed, and acted in Red Sky. He also directed three episodes of Once Upon a Time, and that year, he acted in two other films Mantervention and Drumline: A New Beat. In 2015, he directed one episode of The Last Ship, one episode of Chicago P.D., and two episodes of Empire. In 2016, he directed another episode of Empire and two episodes of Being Mary Jane. That year, he also directed the film USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage. In 2017, he directed two additional episodes of Being Mary Jane and one episode of Hand of God. He also acted in the feature For Justice and in four episodes of Bloodline. That year, he created and produced the TV series Superstition, directed eight episodes, and acted in ten, and in some of them he performed both roles.

In 2021, Van Peebles was cast as Ronald on A Million Little Things.[1]

Personal life[]

Van Peebles is the father of five children, including Mandela Van Peebles.

Appearances[]

External links[]

References[]

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