He formed a production company, Amen-Ra Films, in 1991, and a subsidiary, Black Dot Media, to develop projects for film and television.[3][4] Snipes has been training in martial arts since the age of 12, earning a 5th danblack belt in Shotokan Karate and 2nd dan black belt in Hapkido.[5] Many of his action films have featured martial arts.[2] In 2017, Snipes made his debut as a novelist with the urban fantasysupernaturaladventureTalon of God.[6][7][8]
At the age of 23, Snipes was discovered by an agent while performing in a competition. He made his film debut in the 1986 Goldie Hawn vehicle Wildcats. Later that year, he appeared on the TV show Miami Vice as a drug-dealing pimp in the episode "Streetwise" (first aired December 5, 1986). In 1987, he appeared as Michael Jackson's nemesis in the Martin Scorsese–directed music video "Bad" and the feature film Streets of Gold. That same year, Snipes was also considered for the role of Geordi La Forge in the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation, but the role eventually went to LeVar Burton.[11] Snipes auditioned and lobbied hard for the role of Leroy Green in the 1985 cult classic movie The Last Dragon, but the role was given to Taimak instead.
Snipes's performance in the music video "Bad" caught the eye of director Spike Lee. Snipes turned down a small role in Lee's Do the Right Thing for the larger part of Willie Mays Hayes in Major League, beginning a succession of box-office hits for Snipes. Lee would later cast Snipes as the jazz saxophonist Shadow Henderson in Mo' Better Blues and as the lead in the interracial romance drama Jungle Fever. After the success of Jungle Fever, The Washington Post described Snipes as "the most celebrated new actor of the season".[12] He then played Thomas Flanagan in King of New York opposite Christopher Walken. He played the drug lord Nino Brown in New Jack City, which was written specifically for him by Barry Michael Cooper. He also played a drug dealer in the 1994 film Sugar Hill.
In 1997, Snipes won the Best Actor Volpi Cup at the 54thVenice Film Festival for his performance in New Line Cinema's One Night Stand. In 1998, Snipes had his largest commercial success with Blade, appearing in the title role, based on the Marvel Comicscharacter of the same name. Blade has grossed over $150 million worldwide. The film spawned a franchise. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and an honorary doctorate in humanities and fine arts from his alma mater, SUNY/Purchase.[14] In 2004, Snipes reprised his role in the third film, Blade: Trinity, which he also produced. In 2005, Snipes sued New Line Cinema and David S. Goyer, the film's studio and director, respectively. He claimed that the studio did not pay his full salary, that he was intentionally cut out of casting decisions, and that his character's screen time was reduced in favor of co-stars Ryan Reynolds and Jessica Biel. The suit was later settled, but no details were released.[15]
Snipes made a comeback performance in Brooklyn's Finest as Casanova "Caz" Phillips, a supporting character, it was his first theatrical release film since 2004. He also had to turn down the part of Hale Caesar in The Expendables because he was not allowed to leave the United States without the court's approval.[18] In 2014, he appeared in the sequel The Expendables 3. His comedic role-playing D'Urville Martin in Dolemite Is My Name has earned him positive reviews and a number of award nominations.
Other ventures
In the late 1990s, Snipes and his brother started a security firm called the Royal Guard of Amen-Ra, dedicated to providing VIPs with bodyguards trained in law enforcement and martial arts. Amen-Ra is also the name of his film company. In 1996, the first film produced by Amen-Ra was A Great And Mighty Walk – Dr. John Henrik Clarke.[19]
In 2000, the business was investigated for alleged ties to the United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors. It emerged that Snipes had spotted 200 acres (0.81 km2) of land near their Tama-Re compound in Putnam County, Georgia, intending to buy and use it for his business academy. Both Snipes's business and the groups used Egyptian motifs as their symbols.[19] Ultimately, Snipes and his brother did not buy the land, instead establishing their company in Florida, Antigua, and Africa.[19]
In 2005, Snipes entered into negotiations to fight Fear Factor host Joe Rogan on Ultimate Fighting Match, but the deal fell through.[20][21]
Snipes has been married twice, first to April Snipes (née Dubois), with whom he has a son Jelani, who had a cameo role in Snipes' 1990 film Mo' Better Blues. In 2003, Snipes married painter Nakyung "Nikki" Park Snipes, with whom he has four children. Snipes also has a son who resides in British Columbia, Canada.[30]
Snipes, who was raised a Christian, converted to Islam in 1978, but left Islam in 1988. During a 1991 interview, Snipes said "Islam made me more conscious of what African people have accomplished, of my self-worth, and gave me some self-dignity".[31]
In 2008, Snipes was convicted on misdemeanor charges of willful failure to file federal income tax returns, and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. After an unsuccessful appeal, he served 28 months in federal prison. He was released in April 2013.[32][33]
Charges
On October 12, 2006, Snipes, Eddie Ray Kahn, and Douglas P. Rosile were charged conspiring to defraud the United States and knowingly making or aiding and abetting the making of a false and fraudulent claim for payment against the US. Snipes was also charged with willfully failing to file timely federal income tax returns.[34] The conspiracy charge against Snipes alleged that he agreed with Kahn and Rosile to file false amended returns for 1996 and 1997, including false tax refund claims totaling over $11.3 million for the two years. The government alleged that Snipes, on Kahn's advice and with Rosile's assistance, attempted to obtain fraudulent tax refunds using a tax protester theory called the "861 argument" (an argument that the domestic income of US citizens and residents is not taxable). The government alleged that Snipes sent three fictitious "bills of exchange" for $14 million to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).[35]
The indictment also charged that Snipes failed to file tax returns for any of the years 1999 through 2004. Snipes responded to his indictment in a letter on December 4, 2006, declaring himself to be "a non-resident alien" of the United States; in reality, Snipes is a birthright U.S. citizen.[36] Such tactics are common of the "Freemen", "Sovereign Citizen", or "OPCA" (Organized Pseudolegal Commercial Argument) category of litigation strategy.[37]
Trial and sentencing
Following a jury trial, Snipes was acquitted on February 1, 2008, of the felony count of conspiracy to defraud the US and on the felony count of filing a false claim with the government. He was found guilty on three misdemeanor counts of failing to file federal income tax returns, and acquitted on three other failure-to-file charges. His co-defendants, Douglas P. Rosile and Eddie Ray Kahn, were convicted on the conspiracy and false claim charges.[38][39]
On April 24, 2008, Snipes was sentenced by Judge William Terrell Hodges to the maximum allowable term of three years in prison for the three misdemeanors counts.[40][41] Kahn was sentenced to ten years in prison and Rosile was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.[42] The US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed Snipes's convictions in a 35-page decision issued on July 16, 2010.[43][44]
On November 1, 2018, the United States Tax Court ruled that the IRS did not abuse its discretion in rejecting an offer in compromise made by Snipes and in sustaining the filing of a notice of federal tax lien in connection with approximately $23.5 million in federal tax liabilities for tax year 2001 and years 2003 through 2006.[52]
^Blue, R.; Naden, C.J. (2001). Wesley Snipes. New York, NY, USA: Chelsea House Publishers. p. 36. ISBN9780791058008. Wesley Snipes doctor Fine Arts SUNY.
^Fleming, Michael (October 2, 2007). "Luke replaces Snipes in 'Anna'". Variety. Snipes withdrew because it became too difficult for him to leave the U.S. and shoot in Italy while he fights federal tax-fraud charges.
^Collis, Clark. "Fall Movie Summer Preview, September: Miracle at St. Anna." Entertainment Weekly, Iss. #1007/1008, August 22/29, 2008, pg. 42–45.