Mykelti Williamson Biography: Age, Wife, Children, Forrest Gump, Movies, Net Worth, Instagram

Mykelti Williamson, born Michael T. Williamson, is an American actor, director, and screenwriter who gained worldwide recognition for his memorable portrayal of Private Benjamin Buford “Bubba” Blue in the Academy Award-winning film Forrest Gump.

His emotionally grounded performance in the movie transformed him into one of the most recognizable supporting actors of the 1990s and established his place in mainstream Hollywood cinema.

Beyond this career-defining role, he became widely known for appearances in acclaimed productions such as Heat, Con Air, Ali, Justified, Chicago P.D., and Law & Order: Organized Crime.

His long-standing career has been defined by his ability to portray disciplined authority figures, emotionally layered characters, and powerful dramatic personalities across film and television for several decades.

Mykelti Williamson
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Michael T. Williamson
Stage Name:	Mykelti Williamson
Born:	March 4, 1957 (age 69 years old)
Place of Birth:	St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Nationality:	American
Ethnicity:	African-American
Height:	1.87 m
Religion:	Christianity
Parents:	Elaine Williamson
Siblings:	N/A
Spouse:	Sondra Spriggs
Relationship:	Married
Children:	Phoenix Williamson, Nicole Skye Williamson, Maya Williamson
Occupation:	Actor, Director, Screenwriter
Net Worth:	$2,000,000

Early Life and Education

Michael T. Williamson, professionally recognized as Mykelti Williamson, is now at the age of 69 years old and was born on March 4, 1957.

He spent much of his early childhood under the care of his mother, Elaine Williamson, who worked professionally as a certified public accountant.

His biological father, who served as a Non-commissioned Officer in the United States Air Force, reportedly left the family during his infancy, leaving his mother to raise him independently.

During his younger years, the family relocated across several American cities before eventually settling in Los Angeles, California.

Mykelti Williamson grew up within an African-American household where Christianity served as an important foundation throughout his upbringing.

Sports played a major role during his adolescence, and he excelled in football and basketball while attending school in Los Angeles.

He completed his secondary education at Crenshaw High School in 1975, where he balanced athletics with a growing passion for acting and performing arts.

He later pursued higher education at Los Angeles City College, choosing to study television and film to strengthen his understanding of storytelling and screen production.

Determined to improve his acting skills, he also audited specialized acting classes at the University of Southern California under the supervision of Dr. Frank X. Ford.

He eventually transferred to the Gene Evans Motion Picture School in San Jose, California, where he completed professional training in cinematography and film production.

Personal Life

Mykelti Williamson has experienced three marriages and remains a devoted father to three daughters.

His first marriage was to actress Olivia Brown in 1983.

The relationship was relatively short-lived, and the couple divorced in 1985 after personal differences emerged.

Following the end of his first marriage, Michael T. Williamson later married Cheryl Chisholm in 1989.

Their union resulted in the birth of his first daughter, Phoenix Williamson, before the marriage officially ended in divorce in 1991.

Despite the separation, both parties reportedly maintained cooperative co-parenting responsibilities.

Mykelti Williamson eventually found long-term stability in his relationship with actress Sondra Spriggs, whom he married on April 26, 1997.

Their marriage has remained intact for nearly three decades, and together they welcomed two daughters, Nicole Skye Williamson and Maya Williamson.

Outside his entertainment career, he enjoys restoring classic American cars and participating in rodeo-related activities while living with his family in Los Angeles, California.

Career

Mykelti Williamson began his professional career during childhood by appearing in commercials and small television roles.

During his teenage years, he briefly worked as a dancer and toured alongside the popular street-dance group The Lockers before transitioning fully into acting.

His early television appearances included roles in series such as Starsky & Hutch, Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice, and China Beach.

Michael T. Williamson achieved his major breakthrough in 1994 when director Robert Zemeckis cast him as Bubba in Forrest Gump alongside Tom Hanks.

To fully transform into the character, he wore a specially designed lower-lip prosthetic that altered his appearance significantly.

The role became culturally iconic and remains the performance most associated with his career.

Following the success of Forrest Gump, Mykelti Williamson secured major supporting roles in high-profile Hollywood productions throughout the 1990s.

He appeared in Heat with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, portrayed Baby-O in Con Air, and starred in the television adaptation of 12 Angry Men.

In 2001, he portrayed legendary boxing promoter Don King in the biographical drama Ali.

Mykelti Williamson expanded his television career during the 2000s with prominent performances in series such as Boomtown and 24.

From 2012 to 2015, he earned critical praise for his role as Ellstin Limehouse in Justified.

He later reprised his Broadway role as Gabriel Maxson in Fences alongside Denzel Washington.

His later career includes recurring appearances in Chicago P.D. and Law & Order: Organized Crime, while also remaining active in independent film productions.

Awards

• Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (2017) – Nomination
• Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor (2017) – Nomination
• Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actor (1995) – Nomination
• MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance (1995) – Nomination
• Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor (1995) – Nomination

Net Worth

Mykelti Williamson has an estimated net worth of approximately $2,000,000.

His earnings have primarily been generated through decades of consistent work in Hollywood films, television productions, and independent acting projects.

Controversy

In 1998, Mykelti Williamson became involved in a highly publicized legal dispute in Los Angeles, California, after he was arrested on allegations involving stalking and assault with a deadly weapon connected to an altercation with his former wife Cheryl Chisholm and another individual.

The incident received significant media attention at the time and proceeded to criminal trial proceedings.

He ultimately denied the accusations brought against him, and after reviewing testimonies and evidence presented during the trial, the jury acquitted him of the criminal charges.

Following the court decision, he returned to focusing on his acting career without serving prison time.

Social Media

• Instagram: @mykeltiwmson
• X: @mykeltiwmson

Filmography

• Wildcats (1986)
• Number One with a Bullet (1987)
• Miracle Mile (1988)
• The First Power (1990)
• Free Willy (1993)
• Forrest Gump (1994)
• Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)
• Heat (1995)
• Waiting to Exhale (1995)
• How to Make an American Quilt (1995)
• Soul of the Game (1996)
• Truth or Consequences, N.M. (1997)
• Con Air (1997)
• 12 Angry Men (1997)
• Double Tap (1997)
• Primary Colors (1998)
• Species II (1998)
• Gideon (1998)
• Three Kings (1999)
• Ali (2001)
• The Inexplicable Logic of My Life (2002)
• The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004)
• Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2005)
• Lucky Number Slevin (2006)
• Atlantis (2006)
• August Rush (2007)
• Black Dynamite (2009)
• The Final Destination (2009)
• High School (2010)
• Ball Don’t Lie (2011)
• Convergence (2015)
• The Purge: Election Year (2016)
• Fences (2016)
• Run the Race (2019)
• Don’t Let Go (2019)
• Butter (2020)
• The Clean Up (2021)
• North of the 10 (2022)
• The Last Rodeo (2025)
• Is God Is (2026)