Wesley Snipes may be celebrated for his iconic roles in Hollywood, but away from the cameras, he is a dad to his five children: Jelani, Akhenaten, Iset, Alaafia and Alimayu.
The Blade star’s eldest son, Jelani Asar Snipes, was born in 1988 during his first marriage to April Dubois, which lasted from 1985 to 1990. After their divorce, Snipes began dating Nakyung “Nikki” Park — a well-known Korean painter — whom he married in 2003. Together, they have four kids: sons Akhenaten Kihwa-T Snipes, Alaafia Jehu-T Snipes and Alimayu Moa-T Snipes, and a daughter Iset Jua-T Snipes.
In a 2021 interview with Fatherly shortly after the release of Coming 2 America, Snipes reflected on how his sons and daughter inspired his acting in the film.
“General Izzi is a reflection of my children and their influence and impact on me,” he said. “The timing, humor, the way they played things, the nuances. What you’re seeing in my joy is a reflection of them and their effect on me.”
Snipes’ kids have even occasionally appeared beside him on-screen. “My family is actually in [Coming 2 America]. We got them in as a cameo. We’ll see if people can find them,” he shared with the outlet, revealing that all five of his children had a scene in the film.
Here’s everything to know about Wesley Snipes’ children: Jelani, Akhenaten, Iset, Alaafia and Alimayu.
Jelani Asar Snipes
Snipes and his first wife, Dubois, welcomed their son Jelani Asar Snipes in 1988.
He was a toddler when his parents separated in 1990.
That same year, Jelani made a brief appearance in one of his father’s films as 1-year-old Miles in the 1990 Spike Lee-directed drama, Mo’ Better Blues. His dad played a sax player in the movie alongside Denzel Washington as a jazz trumpeter.
Many years later, in 2021, Jelani acted alongside his dad again in Coming 2 America.
Akhenaten Kihwa-T Snipes
Snipes and his wife Nikki welcomed their son Akhenaten Kihwa-T Snipes around 2000.
The “T” at the end of Akhenaten’s middle name appears to be a distinct naming tradition that Snipes and Nikki have carried on with all four of their children.
However, much of Akhenaten’s life has been kept private. Like his siblings, he has mostly stayed out of the limelight, except for a brief cameo in his father’s 2021 film Coming 2 America.
Iset Jua-T Snipes
Snipes and Nikki welcomed their daughter Iset Jua-T Snipes around 2001.
Iset has not made many public appearances but was spotted with her dad and siblings in New York City in April 2008.
Snipes was photographed alongside four of his five children during the outing, including Iset, marking a rare public family appearance. Akhenaten, Alaafia and Alimayu were also present in the pictures.
In 2021, Iset made a cameo alongside her siblings in Snipes’ movie Coming 2 America.
Alaafia Jehu-T Snipes
Snipes and Nikki welcomed their son Alaafia Jehu-T Snipes around 2004, a year after the couple married.
Alaafia was spotted on the red carpet at Spike Lee’s 20th Anniversary Celebration Benefit in 2006, along with his father and two other siblings, Akhenaten and Iset.
In his motion, the actor argued that turning himself in “in the middle of the holiday season” would be disruptive to his family. Despite his request, the court ordered him to report to prison as scheduled, CBS News reported.
Reflecting on the experience, Snipes later spoke about how his time away reinforced the value of family.
In a 2020 interview with The Guardian, Snipes shared, “The biggest thing I got from it was learning the value of time and how we often squander it. I understand that very clearly now, having been away from my family and loved ones for two and a half years.”
The following year, Alimayu appeared in his dad’s film Coming 2 America.
Source: People
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