Bio
Mike Epps is an American stand-up comedian, actor, film producer, writer and rapper best known for playing Day-Day Jones in Next Friday and its sequel, Friday After Next; and for his role as Black Doug in The Hangover.
He is also known for his role as L.J. in Resident Evil: Apocalypse and Resident Evil: Extinction.
He is best known to television viewers for his starring role as Uncle Julius in the Starz comedy series Survivor's Remorse. He also stars in the ABC comedy Uncle Buck.
He appeared on the BET show Being Mary Jane and the Universal feature Term Life, starring opposite Vince Vaughan and Hallie Steinfield, playing a dirty cop who is trying to frame Vaughan's character.
He was in the HBO bio-pic Bessie based on Bessie Smith, played by Queen Latifah. Epps played Richard Morgan, a bootlegger and romantic interest to Bessie Smith.
In 2011, he was awarded a Best Supporting Actor NAACP Image Award for for his role in the Sony Pictures film, Jumping the Broom. He continued to receive critical praise for his dramatic turn in 2012 with Sparkle, opposite Whitney Houston and Jordan Sparks.
He further pursued his dramatic side with two important roles: starring opposite Forest Whitaker and Anthony Mackie in the Lionsgate thriller, Repentance, followed by the independent Nina Simone biopic, Nina starring Zoe Saldana. In Nina, he plays the legendary Richard Pryor, who opened for the singer in the early 60's.
He completed his Live Nation national tour Mike Epps: After Dark at the end of 2014. In 2009, Mike headlined his hugely successful stand-up special, Mike Epps: Underrated and Never Faded, and in 2011 introduced the world to new comedic talent with, Mike Epps Presents..., both of which aired on Showtime.
He also released his first comedy rap album called Funny Bidness: Da Album, which featured Snoop Dogg, Kid Rock and Slim Thug. That year also marked the release of his comedy DVD Funny Bidness. With his undying love for hip-hop, Mike hosted the BET Hip-Hop Awards from 2009-2012.
Since 2000, Epps steadily climbed his way up the stand-up comedy ranks when he was recognised by a national audience in 1995 for appearing on HBO's Def Comedy Jam (which, years later, he would go on to host).
During a performance at LA's Comedy Store, Epps caught the attention of Ice Cube. This led to the first of three feature films they would do together: the cult hits Next Friday, Friday after Next and All About the Benjamins.
Other features include The Hangover franchise, Faster, Hancock, Lottery Ticket, Next Day Air, Roll Bounce, The Fighting Temptations, the Resident Evil franchise, Bait, How High, Dr.Dolittle 2, Talk to Me and Guess Who?.