Nate Parker
Encyclopedia
Nate Parker is an American actor and musical performer who has appeared in The Secret Life of Bees
, The Great Debaters
, and Pride
. In his recent roles, he has performed alongside Denzel Washington
, Forest Whitaker
and Terrence Howard
. Parker has overcome turbulence and turmoil in his life both as a youth and a collegian. He was raised in both Virginia
and Maine
, but blossomed as a wrestler in his later high school years in Virginia. Parker was an All-American wrestler in both high school and at the University of Oklahoma
. Parker has been active in charitable work, donating his time both as a volunteer wrestling coach and a political activist.
, to Carolyn, a 17 year-old mother at the time. His mother never married his biological father, but did wed the man who gave Parker his last name. Parker has four younger sisters. During Parker's time in middle school, Carolyn fell in love with Walter Whitfield, who was stationed in Bath, Maine
in the United States Air Force
. Although his mother married Whitfield and moved to Maine, Parker, despite the physical distance after the move, remained close to his biological father emotionally. His father died when Parker was eleven, however. Parker became involved in classroom fights and home power struggles with his stepfather, Whitfield. Parker moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia
to stay with his maternal uncle Jay Combs, a former wrestler, at age 14. Nate's great-grandmother got sick and his mother moved back to Hampton Roads, Virginia and lived in the Churchland High School
zone, where Nate joined her.
As a sophomore at Pennsylvania State University
in 1999, he and a teammate were accused of having had non-consensual sex with a woman who had passed out, but when she admitted during the trial to having had consensual sex with Parker the day before the alleged rape, Parker was acquitted in 2001. Parker married Erie, Pennsylvania
-native Sarah DiSanto, whom he met while they were attending Penn State, in Erie's Frontier Park during the summer of 2007. He is a University of Oklahoma alumnus.
. Parker placed third in the Virginia High School League
state wrestling championships as a junior while attending Churchland after reuniting with his mother. Carolyn Whitfield moved to the Great Bridge High School
district so Parker could participate in its powerhouse wrestling program. He was a member of the 1997–98 state champion Great Bridge wrestling team and was a state champion 135 pounds (61.2 kg) wrestler who placed third in the High School National Wrestling Championships, while becoming a high school All-American. He earned a full scholarship
to wrestle at Penn State University.
At Penn State, Parker was nationally ranked as a freshman. After transferring he continued to be ranked as a redshirt
junior 141 pounds (64 kg) wrestler. In 2002, he placed fifth at the National Collegiate Athletic Association
wrestling championships and became an All-American at Oklahoma. Following his fifth place finish, he was ranked second nationally as a redshirt senior. In 2003, he earned an undergraduate degree in computer programming
from Oklahoma. After graduating from Oklahoma, he worked as a computer programmer until he was noticed at a modeling
convention in Dallas, Texas
, while accompanying a model friend.
Jon Simmons noticed Parker at the convention and talent search while Parker was waiting for his friend to finish her audition
. Simmons felt Parker had "the look" and inquired about whether Parker was an actor or a model. After Parker denied both, he asked Parker to read a monologue
from The Fast and The Furious
. He then asked Parker to videotape himself doing lines from Antwone Fisher
and Parker delivered a video within a week. Simmons told him to move to Los Angeles, California
right away. Parker packed his clothes and computer and moved to sleep on another aspiring actor's couch. He quickly landed a part in a television commercial
. Bit parts and guest appearances followed. He has been working with acting coach Cary Anderson since arriving in Los Angeles. As of early 2008, Parker continued to live in North Hollywood, California with his wife, mother and three of his sisters in a 650 square feet (60.4 m²) one-bedroom apartment.
Parker played the male lead in Rome and Jewel, a hip-hop take on Romeo and Juliet
in 2006. He had a smaller role in Pride, about an African American swim team, but one that allowed him to display his athletic physique.
Denzel Washington
directed The Great Debaters and selected Parker for the role of Henry Lowe. Parker heard Washington requires biographies of the characters that he directs. He wrote a 100-page biography of the Henry Lowe character. To prepare for his role and write a character biography, he read the works of James Joyce
, D.H. Lawrence, W.B. Yeats, Countee Cullen
and Langston Hughes
. The character was based on the real-life debater, Henry Heights. Parker's character is the love interest of Jurnee Smollett
's character and has a bad-boy streak. Parker also performed on the soundtrack
. Parker, and co-stars Forest Whitaker
, and Denzel Whitaker
were nominated for the 2008 NAACP Image Awards in the best supporting actor
category, which Denzel Whitaker won.
In The Secret Life of Bees he is the love interest of Alicia Keys
' character. The movie co-stars Queen Latifah
, Dakota Fanning
, Jennifer Hudson
, Alicia Keys, and Sophie Okonedo
.
through the 100 Men of Excellence Initiative. He has been a supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs of America as well as a program called Peace4Kids, which is a program for foster youths and underprivileged youth in South Los Angeles, California where kids are involved in daily activities that stimulate and nurture creativity and intelect. . Parker also coaches a wrestling team of 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds at Rosemead High School
and he assists in coaching wrestling at Rio Hondo College
. Parker was an active supporter of and volunteer for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign
.
The Secret Life of Bees (film)
The Secret Life of Bees is a 2008 American drama film, adapted from the novel of the same name by Sue Monk Kidd. The film was directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and produced by Will Smith, with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, as executive producer. The film is noted for Queen Latifah's critically...
, The Great Debaters
The Great Debaters
The Great Debaters is a 2007 American biopic period drama film directed by and starring two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington and produced by Oprah Winfrey and her production company, Harpo Productions...
, and Pride
Pride (2007 film)
Pride is a 2007 biopic drama feature film released by Lionsgate Entertainment on March 23, 2007. Loosely based upon the true story of Philadelphia swim coach James "Jim" Ellis, Pride stars Terrence Howard, Bernie Mac, and Kimberly Elise, and was directed by Sunu Gonera.Pride is a film that depicts...
. In his recent roles, he has performed alongside Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
, Forest Whitaker
Forest Whitaker
Forest Steven Whitaker is an American actor, producer, and director. He has earned a reputation for intensive character study work for films such as Bird and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, and for his recurring role as ex-LAPD Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh on the gritty, award-winning television...
and Terrence Howard
Terrence Howard
Terrence Dashon Howard is an American actor. Having his first major role in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus, which subsequently led to a number of roles in films and high visibility among African American audiences. Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of well-reviewed television...
. Parker has overcome turbulence and turmoil in his life both as a youth and a collegian. He was raised in both Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, but blossomed as a wrestler in his later high school years in Virginia. Parker was an All-American wrestler in both high school and at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
. Parker has been active in charitable work, donating his time both as a volunteer wrestling coach and a political activist.
Background
Parker was born in Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, to Carolyn, a 17 year-old mother at the time. His mother never married his biological father, but did wed the man who gave Parker his last name. Parker has four younger sisters. During Parker's time in middle school, Carolyn fell in love with Walter Whitfield, who was stationed in Bath, Maine
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. Although his mother married Whitfield and moved to Maine, Parker, despite the physical distance after the move, remained close to his biological father emotionally. His father died when Parker was eleven, however. Parker became involved in classroom fights and home power struggles with his stepfather, Whitfield. Parker moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
to stay with his maternal uncle Jay Combs, a former wrestler, at age 14. Nate's great-grandmother got sick and his mother moved back to Hampton Roads, Virginia and lived in the Churchland High School
Churchland High School
Churchland High School is a public high school located in Portsmouth, Virginia. It is administered by Portsmouth City Public Schools. The school colors are black, orange, and white...
zone, where Nate joined her.
As a sophomore at Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
in 1999, he and a teammate were accused of having had non-consensual sex with a woman who had passed out, but when she admitted during the trial to having had consensual sex with Parker the day before the alleged rape, Parker was acquitted in 2001. Parker married Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
-native Sarah DiSanto, whom he met while they were attending Penn State, in Erie's Frontier Park during the summer of 2007. He is a University of Oklahoma alumnus.
Athletic career
Because Parker looked up to Combs, Combs was able to get Parker started in Wrestling at Princess Anne High SchoolPrincess Anne High School
Princess Anne High School is one of 11 high schools in the Virginia Beach City Public School System. Opened in 1954, it is the oldest remaining high school in Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States...
. Parker placed third in the Virginia High School League
Virginia High School League
The Virginia High School League is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unlike similar organizations in many other states, private or religious schools are prohibited from joining. Non-public schools belong to other organizations,...
state wrestling championships as a junior while attending Churchland after reuniting with his mother. Carolyn Whitfield moved to the Great Bridge High School
Great Bridge High School
Great Bridge High School is a public secondary school in Chesapeake, Virginia, United States. It is part of Chesapeake City Public Schools and is located at 301 West Hanbury Road.-History:...
district so Parker could participate in its powerhouse wrestling program. He was a member of the 1997–98 state champion Great Bridge wrestling team and was a state champion 135 pounds (61.2 kg) wrestler who placed third in the High School National Wrestling Championships, while becoming a high school All-American. He earned a full scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to wrestle at Penn State University.
At Penn State, Parker was nationally ranked as a freshman. After transferring he continued to be ranked as a redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
junior 141 pounds (64 kg) wrestler. In 2002, he placed fifth at the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
wrestling championships and became an All-American at Oklahoma. Following his fifth place finish, he was ranked second nationally as a redshirt senior. In 2003, he earned an undergraduate degree in computer programming
Computer programming
Computer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
from Oklahoma. After graduating from Oklahoma, he worked as a computer programmer until he was noticed at a modeling
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
convention in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, while accompanying a model friend.
Acting career
Los Angeles talent managerTalent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
Jon Simmons noticed Parker at the convention and talent search while Parker was waiting for his friend to finish her audition
Audition
An audition is a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performing artist.Audition may also refer to:* The sense of hearing* Adobe Audition, audio editing software...
. Simmons felt Parker had "the look" and inquired about whether Parker was an actor or a model. After Parker denied both, he asked Parker to read a monologue
Monologue
In theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media...
from The Fast and The Furious
The Fast and the Furious (2001 film)
The Fast and the Furious is a 2001 street racing action film starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster. Directed by Rob Cohen, The Fast and the Furious was the first mainstream film to feature the Asian automotive import scene in North America. It is the first film...
. He then asked Parker to videotape himself doing lines from Antwone Fisher
Antwone Fisher
Antwone Quenton Fisher is an American director, screenwriter, author and film producer. His 2001 autobiographical book Finding Fish is a New York Times Best Seller...
and Parker delivered a video within a week. Simmons told him to move to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
right away. Parker packed his clothes and computer and moved to sleep on another aspiring actor's couch. He quickly landed a part in a television commercial
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
. Bit parts and guest appearances followed. He has been working with acting coach Cary Anderson since arriving in Los Angeles. As of early 2008, Parker continued to live in North Hollywood, California with his wife, mother and three of his sisters in a 650 square feet (60.4 m²) one-bedroom apartment.
Parker played the male lead in Rome and Jewel, a hip-hop take on Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
in 2006. He had a smaller role in Pride, about an African American swim team, but one that allowed him to display his athletic physique.
Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
directed The Great Debaters and selected Parker for the role of Henry Lowe. Parker heard Washington requires biographies of the characters that he directs. He wrote a 100-page biography of the Henry Lowe character. To prepare for his role and write a character biography, he read the works of James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
, D.H. Lawrence, W.B. Yeats, Countee Cullen
Countee Cullen
Countee Cullen was an American poet who was popular during the Harlem Renaissance.- Biography :Cullen was an American poet and a leading figure with Langston Hughes in the Harlem Renaissance. This 1920s artistic movement produced the first large body of work in the United States written by African...
and Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes
James Mercer Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry. Hughes is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance...
. The character was based on the real-life debater, Henry Heights. Parker's character is the love interest of Jurnee Smollett
Jurnee Smollett
Jurnee Diana Smollett-Bell is an American actress. She is best known for the role of Jess Merriweather on the critically acclaimed television series Friday Night Lights...
's character and has a bad-boy streak. Parker also performed on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
. Parker, and co-stars Forest Whitaker
Forest Whitaker
Forest Steven Whitaker is an American actor, producer, and director. He has earned a reputation for intensive character study work for films such as Bird and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, and for his recurring role as ex-LAPD Lieutenant Jon Kavanaugh on the gritty, award-winning television...
, and Denzel Whitaker
Denzel Whitaker
Denzel Dominique Whitaker is an American actor, playing key roles in the films The Great Debaters and Training Day, as well as TV shows ER, Brothers & Sisters and The War At Home. He later went on to be a featured cast member during the tenth and final season of the Nickelodeon sketch-comedy...
were nominated for the 2008 NAACP Image Awards in the best supporting actor
Supporting actor
A supporting actor is an actor who performs roles in a play or film other than that of the leads.These roles range from bit parts to secondary leads. They are sometimes but not necessarily character roles. A supporting actor must also use restraint not to upstage the main actor/actress in the...
category, which Denzel Whitaker won.
In The Secret Life of Bees he is the love interest of Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
' character. The movie co-stars Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
, Dakota Fanning
Dakota Fanning
Hannah Dakota Fanning , better known as Dakota Fanning, is an American actress. Fanning's breakthrough performance was in I Am Sam in 2001. As a child actress, she appeared in high-profile films such as Man on Fire, War of the Worlds, and Charlotte's Web...
, Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol coming in seventh place...
, Alicia Keys, and Sophie Okonedo
Sophie Okonedo
Sophie Okonedo, OBE is a British actress, who has starred both in successful British and American productions. In 1991, she made her acting debut in the British critically acclaimed coming-of-age drama, Young Soul Rebels...
.
Public charity
Parker aspires to provide scholarships to youth between the ages of 17 and 25 at Wiley CollegeWiley College
Wiley College is a four-year, private, historically black, liberal arts college located on the west side of Marshall, Texas. Founded in 1873 by the Methodist Episcopal Church's Bishop Isaac Wiley and certified in 1882 by the Freedman's Aid Society, it is notable as one of the oldest predominantly...
through the 100 Men of Excellence Initiative. He has been a supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs of America as well as a program called Peace4Kids, which is a program for foster youths and underprivileged youth in South Los Angeles, California where kids are involved in daily activities that stimulate and nurture creativity and intelect. . Parker also coaches a wrestling team of 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds at Rosemead High School
Rosemead High School
Rosemead High School is a secondary school located at 9063 East Mission Drive in Rosemead, California, in the ZIP Code 91770. It is a secondary school in the El Monte Union High School District...
and he assists in coaching wrestling at Rio Hondo College
Rio Hondo College
Rio Hondo College is a community college located in the city of Whittier, California, United States, named after the Rio Hondo. It was founded in 1960 and mainly serves the cities of Whittier, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, El Monte, and South El Monte...
. Parker was an active supporter of and volunteer for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign
Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008
Barack Obama, then junior United States Senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States in Springfield, Illinois, on February 10, 2007. On August 27, 2008, he was declared nominee of the Democratic Party for the 2008 presidential election...
.
2008
- FelonFelon (film)Felon is a 2008 American drama film about a family man who ends up in state prison after he kills an intruder. The film was written and directed by Ric Roman Waugh, and stars Stephen Dorff, Val Kilmer and Harold Perrineau...
- Tunnel Rats1968 Tunnel Rats1968 Tunnel Rats is a war film directed by Uwe Boll. The film is based on the factual duties of tunnel rats during the Vietnam War...
- The Secret Life of BeesThe Secret Life of Bees (film)The Secret Life of Bees is a 2008 American drama film, adapted from the novel of the same name by Sue Monk Kidd. The film was directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and produced by Will Smith, with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, as executive producer. The film is noted for Queen Latifah's critically...
Award/Nominations
- Black Reel Award
- 2009, Nominee: Best Ensemble The Secret Life of Bees
- Image Awards
- 2009, Nominee: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture The Secret Life of Bees
- 2008, Nominee: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture The Great Debaters
External links
- Parker archive at Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....