Irving Rameses "Ving" Rhames (born May 12, 1959) is an American actor best known for his work in Pulp Fiction, Don King: Only in America, and the Mission: Impossible film series.

Early life

Rhames was born in New York City, New York to Reatha, a homemaker, and Ernest Rhames, an auto mechanic.Ving Rhames Biography (1959?-) He was named after the now deceased NBC journalist, Irving R. Levine,Newsmakers - Newsweek Entertainment - MSNBC.com and grew up in Harlem, Manhattan. A good student, Ving entered New York's School of Performing Arts, where he discovered his love of acting. After high school he studied drama at SUNY Purchase where he met fellow actor Stanley Tucci, who gave him his nickname "Ving". He later transferred to Juilliard, where he began his career in New York theater.Ving Rhames

Career

Rhames first appeared on Broadway in the play The Winter Boys in 1984. Ving continued his rise to fame through his work in soap operas. He found work as a supporting actor, and came to the attention of the general public by playing the role of Marsellus Wallace in Pulp Fiction (1994). Rhames also was getting public exposure on television as Peter Benton's brother-in-law on the medical drama ER, a recurring role he filled for 3 seasons. Not long after, Rhames was cast with Tom Cruise as the ace computer hacker Luther Stickell in Brian De Palma's Mission: Impossible (1996). With solid performances in two of these highly popular productions, his face was now known to moviegoers, and the work offers began rolling in more frequently. In 1997, Rhames portrayed the Character of Nathan 'Diamond Dog' Jones in the popular film Con Air.