Cleavant Derricks: Cleavant Derricks. Actor: Sliders. Cleavant Derricks was born on 15 May 1953 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Sliders (1995), Moscow on the Hudson (1984) and Dreamgirls (2006). He has been married to Portia Derricks since 24 June 1986. They have four children.