Mekhi Phifer

Mekhi Phifer ( ; born December 29, 1974) is an American actor. Beginning his career in the mid-1990s, Phifer was known for a few notable roles in films including Clockers, Soul Food, High School High and I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. He also appeared in the 1998 music video for "The Boy Is Mine" by Brandy and Monica. In 2002, he had a co-starring role opposite rapper Eminem in the feature film 8 Mile. His most notable television role is that of Dr. Greg Pratt, whom he portrayed from 2002 to 2008 on NBC's long-running medical drama ER (1994–2009). From July to October 2011, he played the role of CIA officer Rex Matheson in the British–American science fiction television show, Torchwood: Miracle Day. In 2013, he became a recurring cast member during season three on the Showtime drama House of Lies. Phifer starred in the action feature film Long Gone Heroes, with Frank Grillo and Andy Garcia, in 2024.

Early life

Phifer was born on December 29, 1974, in Harlem, New York City. He grew up in a single-parent household with his mother, Rhoda Phifer, an elementary school teacher. He never met his father.

Career In 1994, while attending Columbia University to study electrical engineering, 19-year-old Phifer attended an open-casting call for director Spike Lee's Clockers, beating over a thousand others to get the lead role as a narcotics dealer embroiled in a murder cover-up.

Among Phifer's other big-screen credits are Soul Food, The Biography of Spud Webb, Hell's Kitchen, NYC, Tears of a Clown, O (as the titular character Odin a.k.a. O), and the thriller Uninvited Guest (as Silk). He appeared in Impostor as well as Paid in Full, an urban classic, that has given him notorious recognition as he portrayed Mitch and director Curtis Hanson's 8 Mile, opposite Eminem. He is mentioned in the lyrics of the Grammy and Academy Award winning song "Lose Yourself" by Eminem.

In June 2011, Phifer starred alongside John Barrowman and Eve Myles as CIA agent Rex Matheson in Torchwood: Miracle Day, the fourth series of the BBC/Starz Entertainment TV show Torchwood. In December of that year, he also starred on Broadway in Lydia Diamond's Stick Fly.

Phifer starred as Agent Collins in the fourth season of White Collar.

He made a guest appearance on the sitcom series Husbands in its second season.

In fall 2016, he joined the TV show Frequency as a series regular.

Personal life Phifer has a son with his former wife, actress Malinda Williams. His second son was born to Oni Souratha in Los Angeles in 2007. On March 30, 2013, Phifer married his longtime girlfriend Reshelet Barnes in Beverly Hills, California.

Political views In October 2023, at the start of the Gaza war, Mekhi Phifer, along with other 700 notable Hollywood figures, signed an open letter, written by Creative Community for Peace (CCFP), in support of Israel.

Other activities Phifer was the winner of the Celebrity Poker Showdown's fourth tournament, defeating Matthew Perry, Dennis Rodman, Kevin Nealon and Neil Patrick Harris in the Championship game. Phifer plays on the World Poker Tour in the Hollywood Home games for the Love Our Children USA charity. Phifer is chairman of the board of trustees of The Vine Group USA. a non-profit organization established in 2000 to provide educational resources to universities in Africa. He has signed up with Full Tilt Poker. He has his own well on the poker forum 2+2.

Phifer is an owner of a number of Athlete's Foot athletic shoe-store franchises in California. The stated mission of the company is to provide an environment for filmmakers to showcase their work to entertainment representatives, acquisition executives, and other key-industry professionals.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1995 The Tuskegee Airmen Lewis Johns Television film Clockers Ronald 'Strike' Dunham 1996 Girl 6 Himself High School High Griff McReynolds Sureshot Kevin 1997 SUBWAYStories: Tales from the Underground Man in Hallway Television film Soul Food Lem Van Adams Hav Plenty Harold 1998 Hell's Kitchen Johnny I Still Know What You Did Last Summer Tyrell Martin 1999 A Lesson Before Dying Jefferson Television film Uninvited Guest Silk 2000 Shaft Trey Howard 2001 Carmen: A Hip Hopera Derek Hill Television film O Odin "O" James Impostor Cale Brian's Song Gale Sayers Television film Head Games John Ambrose, Jr. 'John John' 2002 The Other Brother Martin Paid in Full Mitch 8 Mile David "Future" Porter 2003 Honey Chaz 2004 Dawn of the Dead Andre 2005 Slow Burn Isaac Duperde 2006 Puff, Puff, Pass Big Daddy 2007 This Christmas Gerald 2008 Nora's Hair Salon 2: A Cut Above Dr. Terry 2009 A Day in the Life King Khi 2010 Tenement Tyrese Harris 2011 Flypaper Darrien Last Man Standing Jeremy Davis Television film 2013 The Suspect The Suspect The Love Section James Johnson 2014 Divergent Max A Day Late and a Dollar Short Lewis Television film 2015 The Divergent Series: Insurgent Max 2016 Pandemic Gunner The Divergent Series: Allegiant Max 2017 Chocolate City: Vegas Strip Best Valentine 2018 A Talent for Trouble Mekhi Phifer Canal Street Prosecutor A.J Canton 2019 Obsession Sonny 2024 Lights OutMax Bomer The Supremes At Earl's All-You-Can-EatJames HenryLong Gone HeroesMoreao The Silent Hour Mason Lynch New Jersey's FinestSteve SugarPre-production10-13Dave Harris

Television YearTitleRoleNotes 1995 Models Inc. Model #2 Episode: "By Crook or by Hook" 1995–96 New York Undercover Dion Broat / Sekou 2 episodes 1996–98 Homicide: Life on the Street Nathaniel Lee "Junior Bunk" Mahoney 3 episodes 2002–08 ER Dr. Gregory Pratt Recurring cast: season 8, main cast: season 9–14, guest: season 15 2004 Punk'd Himself Episode: "Episode #3.6" 2005 Curb Your Enthusiasm Omar Jones Recurring cast: season 5 2008 The Black Poker Stars Invitational Himself TV series 2009–11 Lie to Me Ben Reynolds Recurring cast: season 1, main cast: season 2 2011 Torchwood Agent Rex Matheson Main cast: season 4 2012 Psych Drake Episode: "Let's Doo-Wop It Again" White Collar Kyle Collins Episode: "Wanted" & "Most Wanted" Husbands Mark Episode: "The Straightening" 2014 House of Lies Andrew "Dre" Collins Recurring cast: season 3 2015 Key & Peele Cousin Episode: "Hollywood Sequel Doctor" 2016 Roots Jerusalem Episode: "Part 4" Secret City US Ambassador to Australia Moreton Main cast: season 1 2016–17 Frequency Satch Reyna Main cast 2017 Match Game Himself/Celebrity Panelist TV series 2018 Chicago P.D. Joe Baker Episode: "Captive" The Bobby Brown Story Tommy Brown 2 episodes 2019–23 Truth Be Told Markus Killebrew Main cast 2020–22 Love, Victor Harold Brooks Recurring cast 2025 Law & Order Lyman Ross Episode: "Greater Good" 2025 High Potential Arthur Ellis Season 2, Recurring

Music videos 1994: "Flava in Ya Ear" by Craig Mack 1996: "Wu Wear" by RZA Feat. Method Man & Cappadonna 1996: "So Many Ways" by The Braxtons 1996: "Nobody" by Keith Sweat featuring Athena Cage 1996: "Don't Let Go (Love)" by En Vogue 1998: "The Boy Is Mine" by Brandy and Monica 1999: "BOOM" by Royce da 5'9" 2002: "Lose Yourself" by Eminem 2003: "Many Men (Wish Death)" by 50 Cent 2004: "Just Lose It" by Eminem