Nate Parker born November 18, [ 1 ] is an American actor. Parker was born in Norfolk, Virginia , to Carolyn Whitfield, a year-old single mother. Although Parker's mother did not marry his biological father, Parker had a relationship with his father until his father died from cancer when Parker was Parker's mother's first husband gave Parker his surname. At the age of 14, after problems at home with his stepfather, Parker moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia to live with his maternal uncle, Jay Combs.
He then attended Churchland High School and continued on their wrestling team, before moving to Great Bridge High School before attending Penn State University on a wrestling scholarship in Parker placed third in the Virginia High School League state wrestling championships as a junior while attending Churchland High School.
Parker's mother moved to the Great Bridge High School district so Parker could participate in its wrestling program. He was a member of the β98 state champion Great Bridge wrestling team and was a state champion pound 61 kg wrestler who placed third in the High School National Wrestling Championships, while becoming a high school All-American. Parker earned a full scholarship to wrestle at Penn State University.
After transferring to the University of Oklahoma , Parker continued to be ranked as a redshirt junior pound 64 kg wrestler. Following his fifth-place finish, he was ranked second nationally as a redshirt senior.
Parker, who was working as a computer programmer, was discovered by Los Angeles talent manager Jon Simmons while attending an event in Dallas with a model friend. Parker's title character, a modern day Romeo , was a Compton youth. The character was based on the real-life debater Henry Heights, from Wiley College.
