Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Yahya Abdul‑Mateen II is an American actor born on July 15, 1986 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the youngest of six children in a diverse household—his father was Muslim and his mother Christian—a dynamic that instilled in him “an appreciation for different cultures” +15+15+15. Growing up in the Magnolia Projects before moving to Oakland, California, he thrived as both an athlete and a self‑described geek, excelling in track and field, chess, and earning prom king honors at McClymonds High School +4+4Zoomboola+4.

After earning a degree in architecture from UC Berkeley and working as a city planner in San Francisco, he embraced his passion for acting by enrolling at the Yale School of Drama, where he earned an MFA +6+6+6. His breakthrough came with the Netflix series The Get Down in 2016, followed by key roles as Black Manta in Aquaman (2018), Cal Abar / Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen—a performance that earned him a Primetime Emmy Award in 2020—and as Morpheus / Agent Smith in The Matrix Resurrections (2021) WIRED+7+7+7.

Throughout his journey, Abdul‑Mateen has shared insightful reflections on identity and storytelling. For instance:

“My father was Muslim, and my mom is Christian, and we moved from New Orleans to Oakland, so I always had this appreciation for different cultures.” Zoomboola+9+9+9
He’s also observed:
“For the things that I’ve been involved in, most of it has really been – it’s been a mixture of action and then drama.” +2+2+2
And on his path into performing:
“Acting was always in the back of my head.” +1+1

Let me know if you'd like more quotes or deeper details on his filmography or personal views!