Wesley Snipes' Children: Get To Know the 'Blade' Actor's Kids from His Two Marriages

Wesley Snipes is a proud father to five children from his marriages. Although they all live private lives, some information is known about the Snipes children, including their film cameos and name origin.

Wesley Snipes has been gracing the big screen since the '80s with his film debut in "Wildcats." His career furthered in the '90s when he landed a starring role in "Jungle Fever."

The same year, Wesley brought life to his most memorable character, Nino Brown from "New Jack City." His impressive career proved the actor's talent until it was cut short due to his three-year prison sentence.

Behind his successes were personal struggles as well, including a tax evasion scandal. Nevertheless, he had his family to keep him grounded and happy. Wesley is a loving husband to Nakyung "Nikki" Park, with whom he shares four children. He also had one child from his previous marriage to April DuBois.

JELANI ASAR SNIPES

Jelani Asar Snipes was born to Wesley and his first wife, April, in 1988. He was only a toddler when his parents separated in 1990. From then on, he lived a life away from the spotlight. However, Jelani once appeared in his father's movie, "Mo Better Blues," in 1990.

The Spike Lee-directed film was Jelani's only on-screen credit, where he appeared as one-year-old Miles. Not much is known about him, but according to his Linkedin, Jelani is working as the Chief Marketing Officer of Nuknga Metamarketing LLC.

AKEHNATEN KIHWA-T ANIPES

Akhenaten Kihwa-T Snipes is Wesley and Nikki's first child, who they welcomed a few years before tying the knot. Although he also lives a private life, like his brothers and sister, his name follows the same pattern as his other siblings – the middle names end in a "T."

Akhenaten, specifically, seems to be named after an Egyptian Pharoah from 1372 to 1335 BCE. His name is undoubtedly one of a kind.

ISET JUA-T SNIPES

Iset Jua-T Snipes is the only daughter of the actor and his wife, born shortly before tying the knot in 2001. Like her brother, Iset's name comes from elite roots. Iset translates to "She of the throne" in ancient Egypt.

As the only girl in the family, Wesley certainly keeps a close eye on his daughter. In 2018, the "Blade" star shared a video clip of dads protecting their children and giving them a helping hand, a trait he indeed has.

ALAAFIA JEHU-T SNIPES

Alaafia Jehu-T Snipes was born in 2004, a year after his parents married in 2003. He is also shielded from the spotlight by his parents, but even if his life is private, Alaafia's name was also well thought out.

News outlets reported that the actor allegedly filed fraudulent tax refund claims amounting to $12 million. He was also accused of failing to file tax refunds from 1999 to 2004.

His name was likely inspired by the Arabic word "Alafia," which means peace. It appears that Alaafia may have a cameo in his father's film "Coming 2 America." Wesley previously revealed in an interview:

"Here's a secret: My family is actually in it. We got them in as a cameo. We'll see if people can find them. They're all in one scene."

ALIMAYU MOA-T SNIPES

Alimayu Moa-T Snipes was born in March 2007. His name means "in honor of God" in Ethiopia, which is unique, much like the names of the rest of his siblings. Sadly, Alimayu's younger years were without a father as Wesley was convicted of tax fraud shortly after his son's birth.

During his time behind bars, Wesley realized how important time was to spend with loved ones. He said in an interview:

"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."

WESLEY SNIPES' WIVES: ALL WE KNOW ABOUT THE MOTHERS OF THE ACTOR'S CHILDREN

Wesley first walked down the aisle to marry April in 1985. However, their marriage only lasted five years before ending. It took a few years before Wesley started dating Nikki, the daughter of Park Cheol, a South Korean entertainment executive.

Park was born on September 1, 1977, in South Korea and has been accustomed to the entertainment industry since her younger years. Her father served as Munhwa broadcasting Corporation's director, helping create television shows in the '80s through to the '90s.

It wasn't until she moved to the US that she earned her moniker, Nikki. Wesley's wife is a painter, a profession she has been interested in since her younger years. Her first painting was of a yellow sunflower using oil pastel.

She married Wesley on March 17, 2003, during a small Hackensack, New Jersey, ceremony. Aside from their children, she and her husband are also parents to a dog named Timbit.

Nikki has always been supportive of her husband, especially when he was behind bars. According to a source, Nikki penned a six-page letter defending her husband from the conviction, noting that he was "wronged" by the system.

Wesley's lawyers appeared to the court but were turned down. On December 9, 2010, Snipes started his sentence at the McKean Federal Correctional institution, Pennsylvania.

She described her husband as a "warrior husband still standing strong." She wanted to say something "For the sake of our five wonderful children" and for "my man's integrity and dignity." Nikki said it was "more than obvious that the government has been abusing" its power as Wesley was sentenced for a crime he did not commit.

Wesley's legal battle began in October 2006, when he got charged with tax fraud and conspiracy in Tampa, Florida. News outlets reported that the actor allegedly filed fraudulent tax refund claims amounting to $12 million. He was also accused of failing to file tax refunds from 1999 to 2004.

Although his fraud and conspiracy charges were absolved, he was still found guilty of failing to file tax refunds. Wesley's lawyers appeared to the court but were turned down. On December 9, 2010, Snipes started his sentence at the McKean Federal Correctional institution, Pennsylvania.

In April 2014, Wesley was finally able to go home to his family. However, he spent three months under house arrest in his New York residence.

Wesley Snipes has undoubtedly learned many things during his time in prison. "People on the inside know that they're in prison. Right? So, there's no illusion there. So, then they model their lives based on the value of time that they've learned," he said.

Aside from pausing his life with family, prison also paused his career. Fortunately, he was able to re-start after his release and was offered roles to help pay for his family's needs. He joined the "The Expendables 3" cast in 2014 alongside Antonio Banderas, Harrison Ford, Sylvester Stallone, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

He also appeared in "What We Do in the Shadows" and "The Player." Wesley may just have more on-screen appearances for fans to watch.