Mike Colter — Movies, TV Shows & Roles

Actor

1976-08-26 · United States · Male

27 series in the catalog

Mike Colter (born August 26, 1976) is an American actor best known for his role as Luke Cage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2015, including in the series Luke Cage (2016–2018).
He has also appeared as David Acosta in the CBS/Paramount+ series Evil (2019–2024), Lemond Bishop in the television series The Good Wife (2010–2015) and The Good Fight (2018–2019), Malcolm Ward in Ringer (2011–2012), and Agent J's father in Men in Black 3 (2012), and Jameson Locke in the Halo franchise (2014–2015).
Early life
Colter is a graduate of Calhoun County High School. In his senior high school yearbook, his senior superlative as voted by the class was "most ambitious." Colter spent a year at Benedict College before transferring to the University of South Carolina, receiving a bachelor's degree in theater in 1999. He obtained an MFA degree in acting from the Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts.
Career
Colter's first role was in the film Million Dollar Baby as boxer Big Willie Little. He also guest starred on Law & Order: Trial By Jury, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Good Wife, ER, and The Parkers as well as several television films. He starred in the series Ringer.
In 2012, Colter appeared in Men in Black 3 as Agent J's father.
In 2014, Colter began portraying the role of Agent Jameson Locke in the Halo franchise. Colter starred in the series Halo: Nightfall and provided the motion capture for Locke in Halo 5: Guardians, with Ike Amadi voicing the character.
Colter co-starred as Luke Cage / Carl Lucas in Jessica Jones on Netflix. The first season was released online on November 20, 2015. This was followed by a solo series, Luke Cage, with the first season being released on September 30, 2016. The second season release followed on June 22, 2018. In between the two seasons, Colter also appeared as Cage in The Defenders.
Colter starred in the 2018 alien invasion film Extinction.
Colter was announced as the male lead in the CBS drama pilot, Evil as David Acosta, a Catholic seminarian who assesses unexplained phenomena for supernatural or scientific explanations.
In 2020, Colter starred in the Netflix anthology series Social Distance.
In 2023, Colter and Gerard Butler starred in the film Plane by Lionsgate Play. Colter was expected to headline a sequel titled Ship, but the film was cancelled before production commenced.
Colter reprised his role as Luke Cage in the second season finale of the Marvel Studios' Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again and is set to return in the third season.
Personal life
Colter met his future wife, Iva, at Rutgers University in New Jersey, where they were both graduate students. The couple married in 2002. They have two daughters. Colter is a second cousin of actress Viola Davis. He resides in Los Angeles.
In 2019, Colter played for the "home" roster during the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at the Bojangles' Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The roster was made up of celebrities with Carolina roots.