Michael Ealy was born Michael Brown in Silver Spring, Maryland on August 3, 1973. He became known for his role on Showtime's terrorism-themed series Sleeper Series. He grew up in the suburban Maryland neighborhood of Stonegate and was educated at Springbrook High school, and later at the University of Maryland in College Park.
Ealy made his acting debut in the late 1990s with a number of appearances in off-Braodway stage productions. His first film roles were in Fast Company and Kissing Jessica Stein. His breakout role would come some years later in 2002 with playing a reformed street thug named Ricky Nash in Barbershop. He reprised the role in the sequel two years ago in Barbership 2: Back in Business. He was also in the second installment of the Fast and the Furious film franchise called 2 Fast 2 Furious. He was also on the music video of Maria Carey called Get Your Number.
Ealy ventured into film in 2005 with a telefilm version of Their Eyes Were Watching God, a production produced by Oprah Winfrey and Quincy Jones and starring Berry. His other screen credits include the independently produced feature Jellysmoke. He was nominated for Golden Globe Award in 2006 for his role on the second season of Sleeper Cell for Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television.
In 2011, Ealy has been cast as one of the lead stars on the USA Network series Common Law where he plays an LAPD detective who can't stand his partner.
2006: Black Reel Award - Best Actor - Television for: Their Eyes Were Watching God
2012: Common Law - Travis Marks
2011: Firebird - Joe Bradford
2010: The Good Wife (TV series) - Derrick Bond
2010: For Colored Girls - Beau Willie
2010: Takers - Jake Attica
2009-2010: FlashForward (TV series) - Marshall Vogel
2009: Hawthorne (TV series) - Dr. Phillips
2008: Seven Pounds - Ben's Brother
2008: Miracle at St. Anna - Sergeant Bishop Cummings
2007: Put It in a Book (short) - Akmed
2007: Suspect (TV movie) - Det. Marcus Tillman
2005-2006: Sleeper Cell (TV series) - Darwyn Al-Sayeed
2005: Jellysmoke - Jacob
2005: Their Eyes Were Watching God (TV movie) - Tea Cake
2004: Barbershop 2: Back in Business - Ricky
2004: Never Die Alone - Michael
2004: November - Jesse
2003: 2 Fast 2 Furious - Slap Jack
2003: Justice - Woody
2002-2003: ER (TV series) - Rick Kendrick/Ryan Kendrick
2002: Barbershop - Ricky Nash
2002: Bad Company - G-Mo
2001: Kissing Jessica Stein - Greg
2001: Soul Food (TV series) - Steve
2000: Madigan Men (TV series) - Runner
2000: Law & Order (TV series) - Pvt. Nelson
2000: Metropolis (TV movie) - Calvin McDade
2000: The Lush Life (short) - Isaac Youngblood
"I love to act because it's the only aspect of my life beside God and family that I am truly passionate about on a daily basis. I thank God for not only the gift of creative expression but also surrounding me with others who both possess the gift and support it to the fullest."