Isaiah Mustafa, an American actor, was born on February 11, 1974, in Portland, Oregon, as the youngest of seven children to Shahidah Mustafa-Davis and John Wali Mustafa, who owned and operated a limousine service in Laguna Hills, California, in the early 1980s.
Mustafa's early life was marked by a strong interest in history, which led him to study the subject at Arizona State University. During his college years, he played football, participating in the 1997 Rose Bowl between the then-undefeated Sun Devils and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
After graduating, Mustafa initially planned to become a high school teacher, but a sports agent suggested he try out for NFL teams. He was signed by the Tennessee Oilers to their practice squad and later sent to NFL Europe's Barcelona Dragons in 1998.
In 1999, Mustafa spent time on the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns' practice squads before attending the Seattle Seahawks' training camp in 2000. Following his football career, Mustafa pursued his passion for acting, which was initially supported by a $47,000 windfall he won on The Weakest Link by correctly answering a question about Doctor Doom's first name.
With his newfound financial security, Mustafa was able to focus on his acting goals, eventually landing roles in popular TV shows and films, including Old Spice commercials, the fantasy series Shadowhunters, and the 2019 horror film It Chapter Two.
