- Name: Daren Dukes
- Date of birth: June 22, 1972
- Age: 52
- Place of birth: Los Angeles, California, USA
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: African-American
- Wife: Shanola Hampton
- Height: 6 feet 3 inches (192cm)
- Occupation: Actor, writer, producer
- Years active: 2007 – present
- Net worth: Est. $300,000
Daren Dukes is a successful Hollywood producer, actor, and writer who has appeared in movies such as The Hanged Man (2007), Hot and Bothered (2012), and The Marriage Tour (2013. He is also the husband of famous Hollywood actress, Shanola Hampton, who herself has appeared in quite a sizable number of movies, most notably the 2002 romantic comedy, Love and Basketball as Sarah. She also most recently appeared as Veronica Fisher in Showtime’s Shameless. Shanola Hampton’s life and career have been well documented, but not much has been said about the man she married. Let’s take you through Daren Dukes’ rise to Hollywood stardom.
Early life and family background
Daren Dukes was born on June 22, 1972, in Los Angeles, California, United States of America. The identity of his birth parents is not public knowledge, as well as information regarding any other member of his birth family, including siblings.
One thing is certain about the ethnicity of the Hollywood star though. He was born to and raised by African-American parents and this effectively confirms his ethnic heritage as African-American.
The entertainer’s academic qualifications
Dukes spent practically all of his early years in Los Angeles, California, and while the records to show his educational background and qualifications have been withheld from the public, the 6 feet 3 inches tall actor presumably had his pre-school, middle school, and high school education in his home state of California.
It is also assumed that a man of Daren Dukes’ considerable skill and talent must have gotten a form of formal higher education and training although like every other aspect of his education, there are no available records to support this assumption.
Daren Dukes has been in the movie industry for almost 15 years now
While he has gone on to expand his artistic horizon, Daren Dukes entered the Hollywood scene as an actor and a line producer. At first, he assisted in the job of hiring the crew, evenly distributing resources for a movie, effectively managing time and budget for movie production companies.
This was all happening in 2007, which also happened to be the first time he appeared as an actor in a movie. His first movie role came in the 2007 thriller, The Hanged Man. After a decent movie debut, Dukes continued to get involved in movie productions without any notable screen appearance.
Things began looking up for him again as an actor when he appeared as the brother of Alex in the 2012 comedy short film Hot and Bothered. Jenn Korbee, Adam Chambers, and Chrishell Stause were some of his co-actors in the movie.
His first real shot at production came in the TV series Static. The series aired from 2012 to 2013 and Daren Dukes was a major part of the franchise. The role of a truck driver followed in the 2013 drama series, Criminal Minds. He played a more prominent role as Kyle in yet another TV series, The Marriage Tour, which ran from 2013 to 2015.
Since his debut in Hollywood almost 15 years ago, Daren has had a hand in the creation of really good movies and TV series and since he has chosen not to place a limit on himself, he has also been involved in a game franchise. The use of his facial structure in the game Grand Theft Auto V earned him some more money.
List of Daren Dukes’ movies/TV shows and games
- 2007 – The Hanged Man
- 2012 – Hot And Bothered
- 2012/13 – Static
- 2013 – Criminal Minds
- 2013 – Grand Theft Auto V
- 2013-2015 – The Marriage Tour
Daren Dukes has an estimated net worth of $300k
Success in an industry that is regarded as one of the biggest in the world doesn’t come cheap and while the 49-year-old star has most certainly paid his dues in Hollywood, his movie endeavors have only helped him to accumulate a relatively comfortable and estimated $300, 000 in net worth.
This figure, which takes into account his primary source of income as an actor and a producer in Hollywood, as well as other business deals, is relatively small when compared to that of his actress wife, Shanola, who is worth an estimated $1 million.
The 47-year-old actress who was born on May 27, 1977, is an accomplished movie star with a lot more movie credits to her name when compared directly to her husband Daren. Born and raised in South Carolina, the star actress is renowned for her masterful portrayal of Veronica Fisher in the TV series, Shameless.
Having begun her acting career in the early part of the 21st century, the 5ft 2in tall mother of 2 has more than 20 movie and television credits to her name. Her screen appearances include but are not limited to Criminal Minds, The Hangman, Miami Medical, and Hot and Bothered, where she played the part of her husband’s character’s sister, Alex.
Her work as an actress received further recognition when she was awarded the title of Best Actor in the 2013 American Black Film Festival for her excellent portrayal of a woman who had to find the courage and strength to break away from her abusive husband in the movie Things Never Said.
Like her husband Daren, Shanola has also been a part of a game franchise after her face was used as the model behind the character of Rochelle in the game Left 4 Dead 2.
Inside Daren Dukes and Shanola’s marriage
Daren Dukes and Shanola Hampton image source
The couple who celebrated their 21st anniversary in March 2021, tied the knot on March 11, 2000, in a very private ceremony that was attended by only close friends and family members. The union has been characterized by mutual respect and love for each other. They are also incredibly supportive of each other’s careers and show it constantly on their social media pages and posts.
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Daren is a hands-on father
Daren, who has been a wonderful husband, has also shown that he is a terrific father. The couple, who only experienced the joy and fulfillment that comes with being parents about 7 years ago, are parents to 2 lovely children. Why it happened for them after nearly 14 years of marriage is anyone’s guess.
Their first child, a daughter named Cai MyAnna Dukes, was born on January 20, 2014. At the time, Daren was almost 42 while his wife Sharon was approaching her 36th birthday. They didn’t have to wait too long for their second child, a son they named Daren O.C. Dukes. Daren Jr., to join the now family of four on May 9, 2016, just over 2 years after their daughter was born.