Barbershop : About The Cast

ICE CUBE (Calvin) is a dynamic force in both film and music. As the head of his own production company, Cube Vision, he has written, produced and starred in three features: the cult hit Friday, its successful sequel Next Friday, and The Players Club, with which he made his directorial debut. A phenomenal success, Next Friday opened as a number one box office hit and later debuted as number one in its home video release. The film, which featured Cube and an NWA reunion on its soundtrack, enabled a franchise and to date has grossed over $100 million with combined theatrical, home video, and DVD revenues. Cube recently completed production on the third film in the series, Friday After Next, scheduled for release November 27, 2002.
Cube made his highly regarded motion picture debut in John Singleton's Academy Award®-nominated Boyz in the Hood. For the role, he won the Chicago Film Critics Award for "Most Promising New Actor. " Later Ice Cube starred in the critically acclaimed Three Kings with George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg. He received excellent reviews for his performance, while Time, Newsweek and the National Board Review picked the film as one of the Ten Best of 1999. Other film credits include John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars, Anaconda with Jennifer Lopez and Jon Voight, Trespass, The Glass Shield, Higher Learning and Dangerous Ground.
In addition to his movie career, Cube continues to be one of the most recognized hip-hop artists in the recording industry. As a solo artist, Cube recorded such hit albums as "Lethal Injection," "Bootlegs & B-Sides," "The Predator" and "Amerikkka's Most Wanted. " Collaborating with Mack-10 and WC (Westside Connection), Cube produced the platinum-plus album "Bow Down. " Priority Records released a collection of his greatest hits featuring two new songs in December 2001, and his thriving music career also includes the double-platinum success of his double album "War and Peace. "

ANTHONY ANDERSON (J. D. ) is taking Hollywood by storm. He was recently nominated for a NAACP Image Award for his work in the battle-of-the-sexes comedy Two Can Play That Game, and over the past few months, blockbuster producers like Joel Silver and Jerry Bruckheimer have placed Anderson at the center of their tentpole films. He plays a lead role opposite Jet Li and DMX in Silver's next action film, Cradle to the Grave, which began shooting in March. Anderson also finished principal photography as the lead in Bruckheimer's upcoming action-comedy Down and Under, and comedy maestro Bob Simonds has tapped Anderson to executive produce a starring vehicle.
Raised near Los Angeles, Anderson is the son of a career film extra and her entrepreneur husband. As a toddler he accompanied his mother to several film sets. By the time he was four, he knew acting was his destiny. While attending the High School for the Performing Arts, Anthony earned first place in the NAACP's ACTSO Awards performing the classic monologue from The Great White Hope. His dedication and talent earned him a dramatic arts scholarship to Howard University.
In early 1996, Anderson landed his first gig as a series regular in NBC's long-running kids' series Hang Time. Anderson followed this success with guest star turns in prime time shows including J. A. G. and NYPD Blue. His breakout feature film roles include Life with Eddie Murphy, Big Momma's House with Martin Lawrence, Me, Myself and Irene with Jim Carrey, and Romeo Must Die with Jet Li. He also starred in Kingdom Come and Exit Wounds. David E. Kelley was so impressed with Anderson that he tailor-made a two-episode arc for him on the hit series Ally McBeal.

SEAN PATRICK THOMAS (Jimmy) Since receiving his MFA from New York University, Thomas has proven himself as one of Hollywood's fastest rising young stars. Most recently, Sean starred in the box office smash Save the Last Dance opposite Julia Stiles. His portrayal earned the 2001 MTV Movie Award for Male Breakout Performance and Best Kiss, as well as the Male Standout Performance Award at the 2001 Movieline Magazine Young Hollywood Awards. Currently he works on the CBS hit drama The District opposite Craig T. Nelson. The District begins its second season this fall.
In addition, Thomas stars in two animated web pictures: The Day I Saved America with Jason Priestly, Amanda Bynes and Todd Louiso, and Herschel Hooper, which has attracted more than 100,000 viewers without any advertising.
Thomas first garnered attention as a young marine in Ed Zwick's Courage Under Fire. He then starred in the hit film Cruel Intentions with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Reese Witherspoon. Most recently, Thomas worked on Dimension Films' Dracula 2000 opposite Jonny Lee Miller, Christopher Plummer, Omar Epps and Jennifer Esposito, and Can't Hardly Wait opposite Jennifer Love Hewitt and Seth Green. His additional film credits include Picture Perfect and The Conspiracy Theory. Thomas' numerous theatre credits include "Timon of Athens" at the New York Shakespeare Festival and the lead in "Six Degrees of Separation" at the Hanger Theatre.
Thomas was raised in Wilmington, DE, and received a BA in English from the University of Virginia before pursuing an MFA from New York University.

EVE (Terri) In 2001 she "blew your mind" with her "scorpion" sting. In 2002, the world is witnessing the evolution of Grammy-winner Eve as she takes a pivotal step from music to movies in two high profile feature films: Barbershop and XXX. She will also release her third album, "EVE-OLUTION," featuring guest stars Alicia Keyes and Dr. Dre.
Eve's multi-dimensional talents include singer, songwriter, actress, and stylish trendsetter. Her critically acclaimed debut album, "Eve: Ruff Ryders' First Lady," topped the pop, urban and rap charts, selling two million albums. Eve received a Grammy nomination in 2002 for "Best Rap Album" for her sophomore release, "Scorpion. "
Born Jihan Jeffers, Eve landed the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Top 200 with "Scorpion," a combination of her bold, no-holds-barred attitude and charisma. Critics named the sensational artist "Best Female Rapper" at the BET 2001 Music Awards. The hair-raising second single from the album, "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" (feat. Gwen Stefani), garnered Eve the first-ever Grammy award for "Best Rap Sung Collaboration" in 2002.
As a result of her undeniable style, Eve will debut her new clothing line, Fetish, at the 2002 MAGIC Conference in August. Now in studio finishing her third album, Eve is set to record with some of hip-hop's hottest producers, including Dr. Dre, Seven and Irv Gotti. The lead off single, "Gangsta Love," features fellow Grammy winner Alicia Keys.

TROY GARITY (Isaac) When Troy Garity garnered the opportunity to portray his father, Senator Tom Hayden, in the Abbie Hoffman biopic Steal This Movie alongside Vincent D'Onofrio and Janeane Garofalo, he may not have "stolen" the show, but he did pave the way to an additional three features.
In MGM's Bandits, Garity, whose mother is Jane Fonda, created his own niche within an acclaimed acting family, starring for director Barry Levinson alongside Bruce Willis, Cate Blanchett, and Billy Bob Thornton.
Garity will soon travel to Toronto to star in Soldier's Girl - the true story of a soldier (Barry Winchell) murdered by his company members for falling in love with a transsexual. He also appeared in Michael Rymer's recent Sundance entry Perfume, an improvisational look into the fashion industry, as well as the independent feature Milwaukee, Minnesota, in which he portrays an idiot savant ice fisherman alongside Bruce Dern and Randy Quaid.
Over the years, Garity has honed his craft, having spent his childhood performing comedia del arte at The Laurel Springs Camp for the Arts in Santa Barbara. Later, he moved to New York to train at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Eventually, he became an Academy Repertory Company Player, appearing in nearly a dozen stage productions.
Garity briefly switched gears to direct his first music video. The video premiered at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival. His additional feature credits include Richard Donner's Conspiracy Theory with Julia Roberts and Mel Gibson, as well as the lead in director Rafal Zelinski's Bohemia.
Like his parents, Garity is a staunch political activist. He founded the Peace Process Network, a worldwide gang violence prevention coalition.

MICHAEL EALY (Ricky) is having a breakout year in 2002. In addition to his lead role in Barbershop, Michael also appeared in this year's hit Kissing Jessica Stein and Jerry Bruckheimer's Bad Company, directed by Joel Schumacher.
After leaving his hometown of Silver Spring, Maryland, with a degree in English, Michael headed off to New York where he performed in several stage productions, including the Off-Broadway hits "Joe Fearless" and "Whoa-Jack. "
Immediately after moving to Los Angeles, Michael landed one of lead roles in Barbershop after a friend informed him of the auditions. He then traveled to Miami to begin production on a pilot for the new HBO series Baseball Wives from the Levinson/Fontana Company. Baseball Wives is scheduled to air in spring 2003. Other television credits include guest starring roles on Showtime's hit series Soulfood and NBC's Law and Order.

LEONARD EARL HOWZE (Dinka) is one of the newest young actors to burst onto the big screen. He will next be seen in Denzel Washington's highly anticipated directorial debut, The Antwone Fisher Story, opening this November.
A native of Los Angeles, Howze recently returned home from the Conservatory of Acting at the State University of New York in Purchase. After completing his studies, he made an impressive transition into the industry by landing a series of commercials.
Since his return to Los Angeles, Howze has been unstoppable. He instructs drama students at a Performing Arts High School in California and has made two feature films. Howze has received many accolades for his dramatic talent, including the Presidential Scholar Award in 1995. After receiving the award, he became an advisor to the Presidential Scholar program during the Clinton administration.

KEITH DAVID (Lester) Keith David's combination of full-bodied baritone, regal presence and solid theatrical training always results in an impressive performance.
Keith recently fulfilled a life long ambition by portraying "Othello" at the New York Shakespeare Festival. Currently, he plays a recurring character on the Dennis Leary series The Job for ABC. His recent credits include Novocaine, Requiem for a Dream, and Pitch Black. Keith was featured in There's Something About Mary and Armageddon. He received a daytime Emmy nomination for his work in Showtime's The Tiger Woods Story. He has also appeared in Dead Presidents and Spike Lee's Clockers.

Keith is proud to have narrated Ken Burns' millennium project, Jazz, for PBS, and he was nominated for an Emmy for his work. He narrated Burns' most recent work as well - Mark Twain - which aired on PBS in January. Keith played the lead character in the animated version of the comic book Spawn for HBO, as well as the lead in the Disney animated series Gargoyles. Keith can be heard commercially on behalf of AT&T, UPS, the U. S. Navy and Gatorade.
Keith attended New York's famed High School of the Performing Arts. Later, at Julliard, he studied under such voice and speech teachers as Robert Williams and Edith Skinner. Immediately after his graduation from Julliard, he was hired as an understudy for the role of Tullus Aufidius in Shakespeare's "Coriolanus" at Joseph Papp's New York Public Theatre. Ironically, ten years later, he co-starred in the same role opposite Christopher Walken and received the Actor's Equity St. Claire Bayfield Award.

In 1992, Keith was nominated for a Tony for best supporting actor in a musical while co-starring with Gregory Hines in the Broadway production of "Jelly's Last Jam. " Several years later he starred on Broadway in August Wilson's "Seven Guitars. " Keith also performs his jazz/cabaret act at New York's legendary Hotel Delmonico and the venerable Cinegrill in Los Angeles.
Keith gained wide attention in 1986 for his role as King in the Oscar®-winning film Platoon. He starred with Gene Hackman and Sharon Stone in The Quick and the Dead and with Richard Gere and Kim Basinger in Final Analysis. Keith has also worked for notable directors including Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg, and John Carpenter.

CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER (Eddie), the popular actor and comedian, is best known as one of the headlining stars of the hit film The Original Kings of Comedy, MTV's documentary feature directed by Spike Lee. A viewing audience of over 144 million also witnessed Cedric nab the #1 commercial spot ("The Date") for Anheuser-Busch's Bud Light during the broadcast of the 2002 Super Bowl. (USA Today dubbed him "Madison Avenue's Most Valuable Player. ") During the 2002 game, Cedric's new Bud Light commercial landed in the #3 spot.
Additionally, Cedric has won a record-breaking four consecutive NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal of the lovable Coach Cedric Robinson on the WB's #1-rated sitcom The Steve Harvey Show.
From 1997 through 2000, Cedric traveled across the country as one of the headliners of the super successful "Kings of Comedy Tour," the top grossing comedy tour in history, sharing the marquee with fellow funnymen Steve Harvey, D. L. Hughley and Bernie Mac. The Original Kings of Comedy is based on this tour.

Cedric made his 1992 television debut on It's Showtime at the Apollo, and has appeared on The Tonight Show, The Chris Rock Show, Politically Incorrect, Hollywood Squares, HBO's Def Comedy Jam, and BET's Comic View, which he hosted during the 1994-95 season. In 1994, he received the Richard Pryor Comic of the Year Award from Black Entertainment Television. Currently, he is developing his own series for Fox Television Network.
On the big screen, Cedric made his film debut in the 1998 comedy Ride and appeared in Martin Lawrence's box office smash Big Momma's House. In spring of 2001 he appeared opposite Whoopi Goldberg in Kingdom Come, and he can be heard as the voice of a zoo bear in Eddie Murphy's Dr. Doolittle 2. He's also the voice of Carl the Rhino in the hit animated feature Ice Age. Additionally, Cedric is seen co-starring with Matthew Perry and Elizabeth Hurley in the comedy Serving Sara. Cedric will soon star in and produce a family comedy feature for Fox Searchlight Pictures. Lastly, Cedric has written his first comedy book, Grown-Ass Man (Ballantine Books), released in bookstores January 2002.

Cedric's national comedy tour, The Bud Light Cedric "The Entertainer" Comedy Revue, kicked off in May 2001 and ended August 4th in New York to a sold out crowd at Madison Square Garden. As host of that tour, he put the spotlight on new talent, giving young comics nationwide the exposure they need to build their careers.
Cedric's philanthropic endeavors are far-reaching. He recently founded the Cedric "The Entertainer" Charitable Foundation, INC. , which contributes financial aid to inner city youth and families in his hometown of St. Louis through scholarships and outreach programs.