Michael Beach's credits span the worlds of film, television and theater. A graduate of Juilliard, Beach has worked with acclaimed directors such as Tony Scott, Morgan Freeman and Mike Figgis.

Beach recently starred opposite Lela Rochon in the Disney telefilm "The Ruby Bridges Story," a true story about desegregation in public schools.

In 1997 he was in the hit film "Soul Food" about a family dealing with death and survival starring Vanessa Williams and Vivica A. Fox. Directed by George Tillman and produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, the film received rave reviews from critics.

In what many consider to be his breakout film role, Beach starred in "Waiting To Exhale" opposite Angela Bassett and Whitney Houston. He also starred in "A Family Thing" with Robert Duvall and James Earl Jones. Other film credits include "White Man's Burden," "True Romance," "One False Move," "Internal Affairs," "Lean On Me" and "The Abyss."

On television, Beach had a recurring role on NBC's award-winning drama "ER." Beach portrayed Jeanie Boulet's (played by Gloria Reuben) husband who had contracted the HIV virus and passed it on to her. Beach also starred opposite Don Cheadle in the HBO movie "Rebound," directed by Eriq La Salle (NBC's "ER"), and in the 22-minute short, "Fortunate Son." The project was brought to his attention by a young man, Sidney Quashi, who stopped Beach on the street in Los Angeles with a script that intrigued him. The film was eventually produced and made its debut in 1998 during Black History Month on Showtime.

Beach has also been seen as the nephew to Cicely Tyson's Scrooge in "Ms. Scrooge," the USA Network's update of Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol."

Born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, Beach has been acting since high school when a friend talked him into auditioning for a school play. He trained for the theater at The Juilliard School and performed in over eighteen plays while writing and directing numerous others. He has performed off-Broadway, in regional theater and in Los Angeles theater in such productions as "Much Ado About Nothing" and "Ascension Day." In addition to Beach's current projects, he also teaches acting to "stay in touch with the passion of my art form."

Beach and his wife Tracey reside in Los Angeles with their four children. His birthday is October 30.