Channing Matthew Tatum (born April 26, 1980) is an American actor, film producer, dancer, and former model, best known for his roles in Step Up (2006), G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), Dear John (2010), The Vow (2012), 21 Jump Street (2012), and Magic Mike (2012). He has also appeared in films such as Coach Carter (2005), She's the Man (2006), A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006), Fighting (2009), and The Dilemma (2010). While mostly known for his dramatic performances in Dear John and The Vow, he has since ventured into more comedic roles.
Tatum was born and raised in Cullman, Alabama. His mother, Kay (née Faust), is an airline worker, and his father, Glenn Tatum, worked in construction. He has a sister named Paige, and his closest thing to a brother is his cousin, Ray Tatum. His ancestry includes Irish, French, German, and Native American. Tatum's family moved to Mississippi when he was six, and he grew up in the bayous near the Mississippi River, where he lived in a rural setting.
Tatum was athletic while growing up, playing football, soccer, track, baseball, and performing martial arts; he has said that "girls were always [his] biggest distraction in school." As a