From club dancer to Hollywood leading man, Channing Tatum has built one of the most unlikely careers in modern cinema. Born in Alabama and raised between Mississippi and Florida, he traded construction sites and an exotic-dance stage for modeling gigs, then turned small-screen roles into a run of box-office hits — Step Up, 21 Jump Street and Magic Mike — that made him a household name.
2026 is shaping up to be a banner year for him: he headlines the Sundance-winning drama Josephine, and he returns as the mutant card-slinger Gambit in Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday. Below is everything you need to know about his age, early life, career, recent work and the facts fans keep searching for.
Early Life
Full name: Channing Matthew Tatum
Born: April 26, 1980, in Cullman, Alabama (age 46)
Parents: Kay Tatum (née Faust) and Glenn Tatum; he has a sister, Paige.
Tatum's family moved to Mississippi when he was six. He attended Tampa Catholic High School in Florida, graduating in 1998, and turned down a football scholarship to Glenville State. Before fame, he worked as a roofer, a construction worker and an exotic dancer. The dancing led him to Miami, where he modeled for brands including Armani and Abercrombie & Fitch.
Career
Tatum made his film debut in Coach Carter (2005), then broke through in 2006 with She's the Man and the dance drama Step Up, opposite Jenna Dewan. He went on to play Duke in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) and G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) — see the report on Duke in G.I. Joe — and headlined the comedies 21 Jump Street (2012) and 22 Jump Street (2014).
His most personal project is the Magic Mike trilogy — Magic Mike (2012), Magic Mike XXL (2015) and Magic Mike's Last Dance (2023) — inspired by his own early dancing days, and he produced all three films.
Other credits include the romance The Vow (2012), the Oscar-nominated drama Foxcatcher (2014), Logan Lucky (2017), The Lost City (2022) and Dog (2022), which he co-directed with Reid Carolin. He made his Marvel debut as Remy LeBeau / Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), opposite Ryan Reynolds (see the Ryan Reynolds biography).
In 2022, he was named to the Time 100 list. He co-authored the children's book The One and Only Sparkella (2021) and runs the production company Free Association with Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan.
Recent Work
Josephine (2026) is a Sundance double winner in which Tatum plays Damien, opposite Gemma Chan as Claire and Mason Reeves. The official trailer is out on Sumerian, and the film opens in limited release on November 20, going nationwide on December 4.
He then returns as Gambit in Avengers: Doomsday — his casting was confirmed in Marvel's May 2025 cast announcement — out December 18, 2026, directed by the Russo brothers, with fellow returnee Chris Evans (see the Chris Evans biography) in the ensemble.
Personal Life
Tatum met Jenna Dewan on the set of Step Up in 2006; the two married in 2009, separated in 2018, and finalized their divorce in September 2024. They share a daughter, Everly. His relationship and engagement with Zoë Kravitz ended in October 2024, per People. According to reports, he has been dating Australian model Inka Williams since February 2025, with the pair linked at a pre-Oscars party, on the 2026 Oscars red carpet and at the BFI screening of Roofman.
Watch the Official Video
Watch the Josephine official trailer — released on the SUMERIAN YouTube channel — below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Channing Tatum?
He is 46 years old, born on April 26, 1980, in Cullman, Alabama.
Was Channing Tatum a real dancer before acting?
Yes. Before Hollywood, he worked as an exotic dancer among other jobs, and the Magic Mike films were inspired by those early dancing days — he also produced all three.
Is Channing Tatum playing Gambit again?
Yes. After debuting as Remy LeBeau / Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), he returns in Avengers: Doomsday, which hits theaters on December 18, 2026.
When is Josephine releasing?
Josephine, in which he plays Damien, opens in limited release on November 20 before going nationwide on December 4, following its double win at Sundance 2026.
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