Michael Jace is an American actor who spent more than 20 years working in the film and television industries in his native country. His most well-known performance was probably in the drama series, The Shield on FX. The sad circumstances surrounding his personal life, such as his arrest and conviction for the murder of his wife, April Jace, cast a shadow over his acting career. Scroll down below to know how he destroyed his life.
Who Is Michael Jace?
Michael Jace was born on July 13, 1962, in Paterson, situated in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Jennifer Bitterman and Jace were previously married, but they divorced in 2002. After that, in 2003, he wed April Jace, and the two of them were together for 11 years until he killed her. Along with two sons from his late wife, he also had a son named Jordan from a previous marriage.
April was a counsellor at Biola University, and the school named a scholarship in her honour after she passed away. The grants are given to “underrepresented students serving or planning to serve in an urban context who have experienced or witnessed violence in their home or neighbourhood.”
Michael Jace’s Controversy
One of Jace’s biggest scandals was the 2014 murder of his wife, April Jace. The media gave the high-profile case extensive coverage, and more attention was paid to Jace’s subsequent trial and conviction for second-degree murder. Jace informed 911 that he had shot his wife on May 19, 2014. April Jace was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds by the time police arrived at the Los Angeles home of the couple.
Jace’s defence team contended during his trial that at the time of the shooting, he was dealing with mental health problems, such as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. They further asserted that Jace had been under stress as a result of marital and financial issues.
The prosecution countered that Jace was upset with his wife over their ongoing divorce and custody dispute and that the shooting was planned. They provided proof that Jace had been practising at a shooting range and had bought a gun two months prior to the shooting.
In a November 1997 divorce file, Jace’s ex-wife Jennifer Bitterman allegedly stated that he had threatened to kill her if they got into a “fight over his visiting rights to their kid.”
In May 2016, Jace was found guilty of second-degree murder in connection with the passing of his spouse, April Jace. He received a sentence ranging from 40 years to life in prison.
Michael Jace’s Career
Jace’s acting career spanned more than two decades in both film and television. Early in the 1990s, he made appearances as a guest star on television programmes including “Law & Order,” “NYPD Blue,” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Additionally, he starred in films like Boogie Nights and Forrest Gump.
Jace was cast as “Officer Julien Lowe” in the drama series The Shield on FX in 2002. Critics praised his performance in the series, and he received a nomination for a 2007 Screen Actors Guild Award for “Best Performance by an Ensemble” in a Dramatic Series.
Jace kept up his television career after “The Shield” concluded, making appearances in series like “Southland,” “Private Practise,” and “Burn Notice.” In addition, he starred in films and TV shows like Planet of the Apes, Private Practise, The Replacements, State of Play, and The Terminal.
Unfortunately, Jace’s personal life and legal issues overshadowed his acting career at a time when he was rising in prominence in Hollywood.
