Antoine McKay (born August 10, 1970) is an American actor, director and educator who appears as “Bunkie” in the hit TV primetime drama ''

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

'' and "Uncle Spike" in South Side.

Early life

McKay was born in

Inkster, Michigan Inkster is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2010 census, the city population was 25,369. History The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans. It was settled by non-indigenous people in 1825. A post offi ...

to Ivory and Jelena McKay. McKay, who was the second of four children, attended St. Aloysius Elementary and graduated from Wayne Memorial High School. McKay later attended

Eastern Michigan University Eastern Michigan University (EMU, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern), is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School, the school was the fourth normal school established in the United Sta ...

, where he studied theater.

Career

McKay developed an interest in performing early in life, but it wasn’t until he saw his older brother perform in a high school version of Oklahoma that he was finally inspired to pursue acting. McKay attended Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, MI, where he studied theatre. McKay performed on Second City’s Main Stages in Detroit and later relocated to Chicago where he performed alongside actors like

Keegan-Michael Key Keegan-Michael Key (born March 22, 1971) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. He co-created and co-starred alongside Jordan Peele in Comedy Central's sketch series ''Key & Peele'' (2012–2015) and co-starred in USA Netw ...

, Nyima Funk, Josh Funk and Marc Evan. McKay has also been a frequent performer and contributor to Chicago's

Under the Gun Theater Under the Gun Theater is a theater company located in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by Angie McMahon and Kevin Mullaney, Under the Gun is a sketch and improvisational comedy theater which opened in Chicago's Lake View community in 2014.Wachtler, Ma ...

, performing alongside Mishu Hilmy.Cutie, Jen
Review of A Series of Random

Chicago Reader The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative weekly newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. It was founded by a ...

. Retrieved on December 3, 2015.

Personal life

McKay is a long-time resident of

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

. He is a father of six children (Noah McKay, Bailey McKay, Zachary McKay, Sadie McKay, Hannah McKay, and Elijah McKay) .

Filmography

* ''

South Side (TV series) ''South Side'' is an American sitcom created by Bashir Salahuddin and Diallo Riddle. Filmed and set in the Englewood area of Chicago, it follows two friends (portrayed by Sultan Salahuddin and Kareme Young) who recently graduated from community ...

'' (2019, 2021-2022) * ''

Rogers Park Rogers Park is the first of Chicago's 77 community areas. Located from the Loop, it is on the city's far north side on the shore of Lake Michigan. The neighborhood is commonly known for its cultural diversity, lush green public spaces, early ...

'' (Movie) (2018) * ''

Keeping Up with the Joneses Keeping is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Charles Keeping (1924–1988), British illustrator, children's book author and lithographer * Damien Keeping (born 1982), Australian rules football coach * Frederick Keeping (1867– ...

'' (Movie) (2016) * He Sends Rain (Movie) (filming) (2015) * ''

Sense8 ''Sense8'' (a play on the word '' sensate'' ) is an American science fiction drama streaming television series created by Lana and Lilly Wachowski and J. Michael Straczynski for Netflix. The production companies behind ''Sense8'' included th ...

'' (TV Series) (2015) * 24/7 (Movie) (2015) * The Don't We Boys: Sketch Corp. (TV Movie) (filming) (2015) * Resurrecting McGinn(s) (2015) * ''

Empire (2015 TV series) ''Empire'' is an American Gesamtkunstwerk, musical drama television series created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong for Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox that ran from January 7, 2015 to April 21, 2020. It is a joint production by Imagine Television ...

'' (2015) * The Drunk (2014) *

Review (TV series) ''Review'' is an American mockumentary comedy television series starring Andy Daly as professional critic Forrest MacNeil, who provides reviews of real-life experiences. The series was developed by Daly, Jeffrey Blitz and Charlie Siskel, and is ...

(2014) *

Mind Games (TV series) ''Mind Games'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Kyle Killen that aired on ABC. The show is about two brothers who run a problem solving firm called Edwards and Associates that employs solutions based on psychological mani ...

(2014) * Cauliflower Man (2014) *

Boss Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, a ...

(TV Series) (2012) *

Detroit 1-8-7 ''Detroit 1-8-7'' is an American police procedural drama series about the Detroit Police Department's leading homicide unit, created by Jason Richman for ABC. It featured an ensemble cast of actors including Michael Imperioli and James McDaniel. ...

(TV Series) (2010) * Osso Bucco (2008) *

Sports Action Team ''Sports Action Team'' was a half-hour comedy television series that ran for two seasons in 2006–2007. It was aired by some affiliates of the NBC network and the high definition channel HDNet. It was a semi-improvisational mockumentary A mock ...

(TV Series) (2006, 2007) *

Prison Break ''Prison Break'' is an American serial (radio and television), serial drama television show, television series created by Paul Scheuring for Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox. The series revolves around two brothers, Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purce ...

(TV Series) (2005, 2006) *

I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With ''I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With'' is a 2006 American independent romantic comedy film written, produced, directed by, and starring Jeff Garlin, also featuring Sarah Silverman and Bonnie Hunt. Many improv veterans of Chicago's Second City a ...

(2006) * The Weather Man—Passing Pedestrian (2005) * Secrets of Fenville (2003) *

Standing in the Shadows of Motown ''Standing in the Shadows of Motown'' is a 2002 American documentary film directed by Paul Justman that recounts the story of The Funk Brothers, the uncredited and largely unheralded studio musicians who were the house band that Berry Gordy hand-pi ...

(Documentary) (2002)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McKay, Antoine 1970 births Male actors from Michigan Eastern Michigan University alumni Living people Male actors from Chicago People from Inkster, Michigan Comedians from Chicago