Shavar Malik Ross (born 1971), is an American actor, film director, screenwriter, film producer, editor, photographer, author, online retail entrepreneur, and spiritual mentor and teacher. He is known for his recurring television role as Dudley Johnson, Gary Coleman's best friend in the NBC sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, Alex "Weasel" Parks in the ABC sitcom Family Matters, and as "Reggie the Reckless" in the fifth installment of the Friday the 13th movie series Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985). Biography Ross was born in New York City in the South Bronx. His parents separated when he was seven years old. His mother took Shavar and his sister to Macon, Georgia, while his father went to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. In 1979, while visiting his father in California during his school's Christmas vacation, Shavar was discovered by top children's agent Evelyn Shultz. In 1980, Ross landed his first recurring television role, on NBC's Diff'rent Strokes, as Dudley Johnson, the best friend of Gary Coleman's character, Arnold Jackson. Also in 1980, Shavar appeared in the TV film Scout's Honor, also with Gary Coleman. Two years later, Ross became a voice actor for Hanna-Barbera and voiced Our Gang kid Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas from the animated TV series version of The Little Rascals. He also appeared in season 2 of the television show Benson, episode 11 "Big Buddy" and episode 17 "Easy Kid Stuff". Ross also had a recurring role on the series Family Matters as "Weasel". Ross has appeared in over 100 film and episodic television projects throughout his career, including such films as the fifth installment of the Friday the 13th movie series Friday the 13th: A New Beginning in 1985 as "Reggie A.K.A. Reggie the Reckless" and as Bryant Calvin, T.C.'s (Roger E. Mosley) son (from 1986 to 1988) in the television series Magnum, P.I. Additionally, in 1996, after completing four years of Bible School at The Ministry Training Institute, an auxiliary of Crenshaw Christian Center, Ross founded The Alive Church, a non-denominational Christian church in Los Angeles, and was its pastor for four years. Shavar is founder and CEO of Tri-Seven Entertainment, Inc., a film, television and online retail company which produces, develops, acquires and distributes inspirational products for a global audience. As a director, his first short film, Soul to Take (2003), garnered him an Internet distribution deal with Russell Simmons' media company Simmons/Lathan Media Group. His