Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Biography: Age, Siblings, Spouse, Children, Net Worth, Height, Movie, Awards

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is a proud American actor and architect whose talent shines brightly in Hollywood, making his country proud.

His Emmy-winning role as Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen showed his incredible range, while his Broadway debut in Topdog/Underdog earned him a Tony nomination.

Yahya’s journey from the Magnolia Projects to the big screen is a true American success story, fueled by hard work and passion.

Profile

• Full Name: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
• Stage Name: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
• Born: July 15, 1986
• Age: 38 years old
• Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Actor, Architect, Producer
• Height: 6’3” (1.91 m)
• Religion: Non-practicing
• Parents: Yahya Abdul-Mateen I, Mary Louise Abdul-Mateen
• Siblings: Cali Din, Nikki Abdul-Mateen, Dorothy Mae Abdul-Mateen, Khadijah Abdul-Mateen, Zakiyyah Abdul-Mateen
• Spouse: None
• Children: None
• Relationship: Single
• Net Worth:$2 million to $5 million

Early Life & Education

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was born on July 15, 1986, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The youngest of six children, he was raised by his Muslim father, Yahya Abdul–Mateen I, a construction worker who passed away in 2007, and his Christian mother, Mary Louise, in the Magnolia Projects.

His ethnicity is African-American, and he grew up exposed to both Islam and Christianity, fasting during Ramadan and attending church teen nights. However, he no longer strictly follows either faith.

Yahya attended McClymonds High School in Oakland, California, where he served as prom king and was an avid chess enthusiast.

He studied architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, earning a bachelor’s degree and competing as a hurdler for the California Golden Bears.

A friend suggested that he take a theater class, which helped him overcome his stutter and ignited his passion for acting.

After working as a city planner in San Francisco and getting laid off, he pursued acting full-time, earning a Master of Fine Arts from Yale School of Drama in 2015.

He was also accepted to NYU and Harvard but chose Yale, showing his commitment to excellence and making America proud.

Career

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II began his acting career in 2012 with a minor role in the short film Crescendo.

His breakout came in 2016 as Clarence “Cadillac” Caldwell in Netflix’s The Get Down, where he spent seven hours a day learning disco dancing.

In 2017, he played Duane in The Vanishing of Sidney Hall, Sgt. Garner Ellerbee in Baywatch, and W.D. Wheeler in The Greatest Showman, alongside Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron.

He gained fame as Black Manta in Aquaman (2018) and its sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023).

In 2019, he starred in Us, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Black Mirror, and won an Emmy for playing Cal Abar/Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen. In 2020, he portrayed Bobby Seale in The Trial of the Chicago 7 and starred in All Day and a Night.

In 2021, he played Morpheus/Agent Smith in The Matrix Resurrections and Anthony McCoy in Candyman.

His Broadway debut in Topdog/Underdog (2022–2023) earned a Tony nomination. Upcoming projects include Wonder Man (2025) and Man on Fire for Netflix, showing his unstoppable American spirit.

Awards & Nominations

• Won: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie (Watchmen, 2020)
• Won: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture (The Trial of the Chicago 7, 2021)
• Nominated: Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play (Topdog/Underdog, 2023)
• Nominated: Black Reel Awards, Chicago Indie Critics Awards, and others for various roles

Social Media

• Instagram handle: @yahya
• Twitter handle: @yahya

Personal Life

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, 38, is single and keeps his romantic life private.

He stands at 6’3” (1.91 m), with black hair and eyes, and a fit build from his days as a hurdler and fitness enthusiast.

He’s nicknamed “Bug” and doesn’t own a permanent home, having lived in eight places since graduating from Yale in 2015.

Net Worth

Yahya Abdul–Mateen II’s net worth is estimated at $2 million to $5 million.

His income comes from acting in films such as Aquaman, The Greatest Showman, and The Matrix Resurrections, as well as TV roles in Watchmen and The Get Down, and his Broadway work.

He also earns from brand endorsements and his production company, House Eleven10, which has a partnership with Netflix. His success reflects the American dream of rising through talent and hard work.

Filmography

• Crescendo (2012, short) – Supporting role
• The Vanishing of Sidney Hall (2017) – Duane
• Baywatch (2017) – Sgt. Garner Ellerbee
• The Greatest Showman (2017) – W.D. Wheeler
• First Match (2018) – Darrel
• Boundaries (2018) – Serge
• Aquaman (2018) – David Kane/Black Manta
• Us (2019) – Russel Thomas/Weyland
• Sweetness in the Belly (2019) – Aziz
• All Day and a Night (2020) – Big Stunna
• The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) – Bobby Seale
• Candyman (2021) – Anthony McCoy
• The Matrix Resurrections (2021) – Morpheus/Agent Smith
• Ambulance (2022) – Will Sharp
• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) – David Kane/Black Manta
• Emergency Contact (upcoming) – Supporting role
• The Get Down (2016–2017) – Clarence “Cadillac” Caldwell
• The Handmaid’s Tale (2018) – Guest role
• Black Mirror (2019) – Karl
• Watchmen (2019) – Cal Abar/Doctor Manhattan
• Wonder Man (2025) – Simon Williams/Wonder Man
• Man on Fire (upcoming) – Supporting role
• Twelfth Night (2010) – Supporting role (Town Hall Theatre, Lafayette, CA)
• Topdog/Underdog (2022–2023) – Broadway debut