Michael Ealy – Actor Biography, Filmography, and Net Worth

Michael Ealy is an American actor who has spent more than two decades moving between romantic comedies, thrillers, and dramatic television. Born Michael Brown on August 3, 1973, in Silver Spring, Maryland, he remains best known for a string of film and television roles that began in the early 2000s.

He first attracted wide attention as Ricky Nash in Barbershop (2002) and went on to appear in 2 Fast 2 Furious, Seven Pounds, Takers, and Think Like a Man. On television, he starred in Sleeper Cell and later joined the Power universe through Power Book II: Ghost.

Ealy has been married to entrepreneur Khatira Rafiqzada since October 2012, and the couple has two children. His parents are not publicly documented, and his net worth figures remain estimates rather than official records.

Who Is Michael Ealy? Background and Parents

Ealy was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, and as of October 15, 2026, he is 53 years old. He is commonly listed at approximately 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall. Both details are documented on Wikipedia and in the biographical records collected by MediaMass.

Several points define his public profile:

• Michael Ealy broke through as Ricky Nash in Barbershop (2002) and returned in the sequel Barbershop 2: Back in Business.
• His career spans comedy, drama, and action, including Think Like a Man, The Perfect Guy, Seven Pounds, and Underworld: Awakening.
• On television, he plays Detective Don Carter in Starz’s Power Book II: Ghost.
• He has been married to Khatira Rafiqzada since October 2012; the couple has two children.
• Sleeper Cell and Almost Human brought him particular recognition as a television lead.
• Net worth estimates vary, but published figures commonly center around $4 million.

Reliable public biographies do not provide substantial verified information about Ealy’s parents, including their names or occupations. Most published profiles focus on his Maryland upbringing, education, and acting career rather than his family background.

Ealy attended Springbrook High School and graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1996 with a degree in English, according to his Apple TV biography page. After college, he moved to New York, studied acting, attended workshops and auditions, and worked as a waiter for several years before obtaining professional roles. His early stage work reportedly included the off-off-Broadway production Whoa-Jack! in 1999, at a time when he used the name Michael D. Brown.

Is Michael Ealy Married? Who Is His Wife?

Ealy married Khatira Rafiqzada, an Afghan-American entrepreneur, in October 2012, after a four-year relationship. Public biographies and his IMDb FAQ record both the marriage and the couple’s two children.

Who Is Khatira Rafiqzada?

Rafiqzada is described in published biographies as an Afghan-American entrepreneur. Reliable profiles do not provide substantial detail about her professional background; coverage focuses on her marriage to Ealy.

Children

The couple has two children, a son and a daughter. One publicly identified child is Elijah Brown. Other details about the children are not widely documented in reliable public sources.

What Are Michael Ealy’s Most Popular Movies and TV Series?

Notable Film Roles

Ealy’s feature-film debut came in Kissing Jessica Stein (2001). He gained wider attention as Ricky Nash in Barbershop (2002), with follow-up appearances in 2 Fast 2 Furious, Sleeper Cell, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Seven Pounds, Takers, and Think Like a Man. His best-known film credits, according to sources including his Prime Video profile, are Barbershop, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Seven Pounds, Takers, Think Like a Man, The Perfect Guy, and Underworld: Awakening.

Television Career

Ealy received particular recognition for Sleeper Cell, in which he played an undercover FBI agent, and for Almost Human, where he portrayed Dorian, an android police officer. His television work, documented across databases such as Kino-TV, includes the following series:

Is Michael Ealy in the Power Series?

Ealy is associated with the Power television universe through Power Book II: Ghost, not the original Power series. He plays Detective Don Carter, a determined NYPD detective. The role appears in later-season listings for the spin-off, according to Elcinema and other entertainment databases.

The series page on Starz places the show within the broader Power franchise.

Related: Power Book II Ghost Season 4 Guide

Did Michael Ealy Appear in Underworld?

In Underworld: Awakening (2012), Ealy played Detective Sebastian, a human police detective who becomes involved in the conflict between vampires and Lycans. The film stars Kate Beckinsale as Selene and is the fourth installment in the principal Underworld film series. His casting is noted in databases such as The Names Dictionary.

Can I Watch Michael Ealy Movies on Netflix?

Ealy has appeared in productions that may be available on Netflix depending on country and licensing, but Netflix’s catalog changes by territory. Notable credits associated with Netflix include:

• The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (2022)
• The Intruder (2019), available on Netflix in some regions
• The Perfect Guy (2015), available on Netflix in some regions

Underworld: Awakening, Think Like a Man, and other films may also appear on Netflix periodically, but availability should be checked against the current catalog in the relevant country.

What Is Michael Ealy’s Net Worth?

Ealy’s exact net worth has not been publicly verified through audited financial records or an official statement. Online celebrity-wealth estimates vary and should be treated as speculative rather than confirmed. Figures commonly cited range between $3 million and $5 million, with $4 million frequently repeated in entertainment media.

His long-running film and television career, including lead roles and executive-producing work, is the basis typically cited for such estimates. Without an official disclosure, any specific dollar figure remains an estimate.

What Does Michael Ealy’s Career Timeline Look Like?

1. 1996: Graduates from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a degree in English.
2. 1999: Appears in the off-off-Broadway production Whoa-Jack!, credited as Michael D. Brown.
3. 2001: Makes his feature-film debut in Kissing Jessica Stein.
4. 2002: Breaks through as Ricky Nash in Barbershop.
5. 2005–2006: Stars as Darwyn Al-Sayeed, an undercover FBI agent, in Sleeper Cell.
6. 2012: Appears in Underworld: Awakening and Think Like a Man; marries Khatira Rafiqzada.
7. 2013–2014: Plays Dorian, an android police officer, in Almost Human.
8. 2015: Appears in the thriller The Perfect Guy.
9. 2019–2020: Appears in the drama series Stumptown.
10. 2022–present: Appears in the legal drama Reasonable Doubt.

More recent credits include The Terminal List: Dark Wolf (2025) and The Greatest, listed as a 2026 series credit. Ealy also plays Detective Don Carter in Power Book II: Ghost, a role that appears in later-season listings for the spin-off.

Which Details About Michael Ealy Are Established, and Which Remain Unclear?

Some facts about Ealy are firmly documented, while others depend on estimates and sources that change over time.

Why Does Michael Ealy’s Career Matter?

Ealy is one of the few Black actors to maintain a continuous leading-man presence in Hollywood since the early 2000s. He has been a consistent figure in African American cinema and television, moving between ensemble comedies, romantic leads, and action-driven dramas.

His recent prominence in Power Book II: Ghost has introduced his work to a new generation of viewers. Across his career, he has been described as one of Hollywood’s leading young actors, with a reputation for versatility and on-screen presence.

Where Can You Find Reliable Information About Michael Ealy?

Public profiles from IMDb and Ealy’s official Instagram account are useful starting points for verifying his credits and following current projects.

Ealy has described his approach to choosing roles in comments preserved on his Mubi cast page:

“I tend to look for roles that have impact. I paid my dues, early on, where I was just happy to be in the show or movie.”

— Michael Ealy

Biographical databases echo that trajectory:

“Michael Ealy quickly rose through the ranks as one of Hollywood’s leading young actors after his breakout roles in Barbershop and Barbershop 2.”

— CSFD.cz biography

What Is the Quick Takeaway About Michael Ealy?

Michael Ealy has built one of the most durable acting careers of his generation, moving from Barbershop to leading roles across film and television. His marriage to Khatira Rafiqzada, his two children, and his recent work as Detective Don Carter in Power Book II: Ghost make up the public outline of his life. His net worth remains a matter of estimate, but his standing as a consistently working actor does not.

See also: Top 10 Barbershop Cast Members

Frequently Asked Questions About Michael Ealy