Shemar Moore Actor and fashion model of American and Dutch descent Date of Birth: 20.04.1970 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Career
2. Breakthrough Role in "The Young and the Restless"
3. Television and Film Roles
4. Injury and Health Advocacy
5. Modeling and Personal Life

Early Life and Career

Shemar Moore was born on April 20, 1970, in Oakland, California, to an African-American father and a mother of Irish, French, and Canadian descent. His name, Shemar, is a combination of the first three letters of his parents' names. Moore lived in the Netherlands with his mother until he was ten, so his first language is Dutch. He did not speak English until he was around five or six years old.

Moore's mother, who holds a degree in mathematics, worked as a teacher in Bahrain and Denmark for several years. Moore lived in her hometown of Boston for a time and when they returned to California in the 1970s, settled in the city of Chico. After moving to Palo Alto, where Moore graduated from Gunn High School, he attended Santa Clara University.

Breakthrough Role in "The Young and the Restless"

Moore landed the role of Malcolm Winters in the soap opera "The Young and the Restless" in 1994. He played the character for eight years, becoming a fan favorite. In November 2004, he returned to the show, initially planning to leave the long-running series, but was later brought back on a recurring basis for several months before finally departing in September 2005.

Television and Film Roles

Moore became the host of the long-running music television show "Soul Train" from 1999 to 2003. He also starred as Detective Jesse Reese in the short-lived television series "Birds of Prey" from 2002 to 2003. Moore appeared in Craig Ross Jr.'s thriller "Motives" in 2004 alongside Vivica A. Fox and Golden Brooks, and played Orlando in Darren Grant's comedy "Diary of a Mad Black Woman." He also starred as a love interest in Nick Castle's romantic comedy "Seat Filler" opposite Kelly Rowland.

Injury and Health Advocacy

In August 2009, Moore broke his leg after being hit by a car while riding his bicycle. The injury forced him to miss several episodes of "Criminal Minds." Moore's mother suffers from multiple sclerosis. He and his castmates from "Criminal Minds" participate in the MS Bike Tour annually to raise funds for research into treating multiple sclerosis.

Modeling and Personal Life

Moore has a successful career as a high-fashion model, known for his shirtless and erotic photo shoots. He has a contract with DNA Model Management in New York City. Moore was featured in Toni Braxton's 1994 music video for "How Many Ways" and appeared in the March 2009 issue of Men's Fitness magazine.

In response to speculation about his sexuality, Moore has stated, "...I'm not gay. I love women. A woman is God's greatest creation."