Quick Facts
Biography
Columbus Keith Short, Jr. (born September 19, 1982) is an American choreographer, actor, and singer. He choreographed Britney Spears's Onyx Hotel Tour and worked with Brian Friedman (of So You Think You Can Dance fame). He is best known for his roles in the films Stomp the Yard, Cadillac Records, Armored, and The Losers. He previously starred as a series regular in the ABC drama Scandal, as Harrison Wright. On April 26, 2014, it was announced that Short would leave Scandal after three seasons with the show.
Early life and education
Short was born in Kansas City, Missouri, to a family he has described as "musical". His mother, Janette, has a talent management company. He has two brothers, John Rancipher and Chris Staples. Short relocated to Los Angeles when he was five years old and immediately began working in a youth theater. He attended Marcos De Niza High School in Tempe, Arizona, as well as El Segundo High School and the Orange County High School of the Arts, before leaving to join the Broadway tour of Stomp.
Career
Short's acting debut came as a dancer in You Got Served and he later appeared in Accepted, starring Justin Long. He then took lead roles in the direct-to-DVD movie Save the Last Dance 2 alongside Izabella Miko and Stomp the Yard. He has also appeared twice in the Disney Channel Original Series That's So Raven as Trey, a member of the fictional boy band "Boyz n' Motion". Other TV appearances include ER and Judging Amy.
In 2006, he appeared in NBC's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip as novice show-writer Darius Hawthorne. He was among the presenters at the 2007 NAACP Image Awards.
In 2007, Columbus appeared in the movie This Christmas also starring Chris Brown and Lauren London.
In 2008, Short appeared in the movie Quarantine, co-starring Jay Hernandez and Jennifer Carpenter, and played the part of musician Little Walter in Cadillac Records, with Jeffrey Wright, Beyoncé Knowles, and Oscar-winner Adrien Brody. In 2010, he played "Pooch" in the film The Losers, based on the graphic novel, co-starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chris Evans, and Zoe Saldana, and directed by Sylvain White (Stomp The Yard).
Personal life
Short was married to Brandi Short, but split from her in 2003. They have one son together. He was married to dancer Tanee McCall in 2005. In September 2013, she filed for divorce, and again filed for divorce in April 2014. They have one daughter, Ayala, together.
As part of a no-jail plea deal in 2014, Short pleaded guilty to misdemeanor domestic violence. Short also avoided jail by pleading no contest to a felony assault charge after throwing a punch at his in-law. Short says he was being taunted and acted in self-defense, and his in-law admitted he had removed his jersey and was prepared to fight Short. In an interview with Access Hollywood Live, Short said that substance abuse, both alcoholism and cocaine use due to the stress of family issues and personal loss, led to his departure from Scandal.
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | ER | Loose | TV series; episode: "Skin" |
| Judging Amy | Thomas McNab | TV series; episode: "The Paper War" | |
| 2005–2006 | That's So Raven | Trey | TV series; 2 episodes |
| 2006–2007 | Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip | Darius Hawthorne | TV series; 10 episodes |
| 2012–2014 | Scandal | Harrison Wright | TV series; 46 episodes |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | You Got Served | Dancer | |
| 2005 | War of the Worlds | Soldier | uncredited |
| 2006 | Accepted | Hands Holloway | |
| Save the Last Dance 2 | Miles Sultana | ||
| 2007 | Stomp the Yard | DJ Williams | |
| This Christmas | Claude Whitfield | ||
| 2008 | Quarantine | Officer Danny Wilensky | |
| Cadillac Records | Little Walter | ||
| 2009 | Whiteout | Deify | |
| Armored | Ty Hackett | ||
| 2010 | Death at a Funeral | Jeff Barnes | |
| The Losers | Pooch | ||
| Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming | DJ Williams | ||
| 2015 | The Girl Is in Trouble | August | |
| 2016 | Mr. Right | Michael | |
| 2016 | Lucky Girl | Dillon | |
| True to the Game | Quadir Richards | Filming |
Awards and nominations
- Black Reel Awards
- 2008, Best Ensemble: Cadillac Records (Winner)
- 2008, Best Breakthrough Performance: Cadillac Records (Nominated)
- Image Awards
- 2009, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: Cadillac Records (Winner)
- 2008, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture: Stomp the Yard (Nominated)
- MTV Movie Awards
- 2007, Breakthrough Performance: Stomp the Yard (Nominated)
- 2007, Best Kiss: Stomp the Yard w/ Meagan Good (Nominated)
- Teen Choice Awards
- 2007, Best Dance: Stomp the Yard (Nominated)