Born in Brooklyn, New York on April 4, 1973, Blaine was inspired by his mother Patrie White, a gypsy, to practice magic. His interest further peaked at the young age of four, when Blaine witnessed a subway performer which led him to practice his own card tricks. By the age of ten, Blaine's mother remarried and the family moved from New York to New Jersey. During his teen years, Blaine took regular trips back to New York to pursue acting. He was fortunate enough to land some commercials and appearances on daytime dramas. When Blaine turned 17, he moved back to the city and took residence in the notorious Hell's Kitchen. In 1994, Blaine's mother, died of ovarian cancer. The loss did not stifle his burning desire to perform. Blaine continued with his plan to be the best at what we was able to do best.
Blaine's name began circulating when he began performing at celebrity parties. Confident in his entertaining abilities, Blaine decided to venture out to greater heights by sending a tape of his craft to ABC studios. The response he received was overwhelming and immediately an interview was requested. In 1997, ABC aired "David Blaine: Street Magic." "Street Magic" introduced the world to Blaine's talent, ability and charm. It was after this television special that Blaine's life story was optioned by Robert DeNiro's production company, Tribeca, for a big screen treatment. In 1999, David directed, with the help of director Harmony Korine, his second ABC special "David Blaine: Magic Man." Unlike "Street Magic,” "Magic Man" was shot like a movie and took his show to a whole new level. Then in April 1999, Blaine overcame a fear that Houdini had always possessed—a fear of being buried alive. He conquered this fear by burying himself underground at the Trump Place in New York City, without food and water. He emerged, after seven days, emaciated and weak. In November 2000, Blaine performed what was known as the greatest feat ever. He froze himself in a 6-ton block of ice in New York City's Times Square. Close to one million people watched him emerge from the block of ice 61 hours later on a live television special called "David Blaine: Frozen In Time.”
Blaine took his act outside of the U.S. in December 2000. He released his first video in the United Kingdom, which was a compilation of "Street Magic" and "Magic Man." The video titled "Mystifier" blew the United Kingdom viewers away. Blaine "mystified" the U.K. and as a result, they nominated him for a BVA award (British Video Association) as well as a HEW (Home Entertainment Weekly) award. In November 2001, Blaine released "Showman," his second video in the U.K. The video showed his "Frozen In Time" special in addition to unseen footage dating back to his first street performance.
Blaine's next feat was on May 2002 when he hoisted himself on top of a 83-foot pillar in New York City’s Bryant Park. He balanced on the pillar for 35 hours, apparently with no safety nets, before jumping off and landing on a 12 foot-high pile of boxes. While some have described his performances as stunts, Blaine eschewed such descriptions of his antics, preferring instead to call what he does “art pieces.” Whether or not putting one’s self into mortal jeopardy can be deemed artistic, Blaine has provoked reactions—both positive and negative—from audiences. While some have marveled at his outrageous feats, calling him courageous, others have shook their heads in confusion and asked if Blaine was just barking mad. Meanwhile in November 2002, he released his first book, Mysterious Stranger, a combination of autobiography, how-to for illusionists and history of magic.
For his next trick, Blaine crossed the Atlantic to London where in September 2003 he suspended himself above the Thames river in a clear 7ft by 7ft by 3ft case and starved himself for 44 days. Some Londoners, however, failed to embrace Blaine’s presence—many hurled taunts and insults, while some threw eggs or launched golf balls from a nearby course. A few even cooked hamburgers underneath his suspended cage, letting the delicious smells of grilled beef waft upwards to the starving artist. Despite the scorn, Blaine survived the ordeal, even giving doctors a rare test case of long-term starvation for research purposes. Doctors discovered that Blaine had lost a quarter of his original body weight while showing signs of liver impairment. He also had vitamin B1 and B6 deficiency, highly elevated B12 levels and very low levels of insulin—all signs of serious starvation. Blaine received liquid meals and intravenous nutritional supplements his first three days in hospital. His appetite increased after receiving an infusion of metabolic hormones which allowed him to begin eating solid foods. He left the hospital’s care after five days.
With each new stunt, Blaine has had the compulsion to one-up himself. Over the years, he has talked with friends and the media about his dream stunt—getting shot in the shoulder, pulling the bullet out of his body and getting up to walk away. People get shot and survive all the time, he reasoned. Why not him? As absurd as it may have sounded, Blaine had yet to satisfy what some have called a death wish. Meanwhile, he prepared for his next stunt, submerging himself underwater for seven days and seven nights, then attempting to break the record for holding one’s breath underwater. He prepared by going on a severe workout regimen that included training with the Navy SEALS and confinement inside a prison cell. Then on May 1, 2006, Blaine was submerged inside a giant sphere filled with water at Lincoln Center in New York City and spent the next week underwater with the aide of a breathing tube. He fasted prior to entering the tank to avoid dispensing solid waste. Liquid food went into Blaine via feeding tubes and came out through a catheter. After several days underwater, Blaine began complaining of joint pain and an earache, while his hands and feet were shriveled to the point of looking like wet cement.
On May 8th, Blaine prepared to emerge from the tank, but not before attempting to break the world’s record for holding his breath underwater. To make matters more interesting, Blaine was handcuffed several times by a New York City police officer, setting himself up for a greater challenge than even he anticipated. ABC carried a live two-hour special, “David Blaine: Drowned Alive” (2006), which spent a majority of its airtime showing Blaine’s preparations and highlights from previous feats of endurance. A large crowd gathered at Lincoln Center to see whether or not he would break the record and as the big moment neared, the officer entered the tank and bound Blaine in chains. Then Blaine held his breath for several minutes while removing the cuffs with a key. Though he got the chains removed, his body began convulsing around the seven minute mark and a rescue team dove into the sphere and pulled him out. Revived and coherent, an emotional Blaine was removed from the tank waving to adoring fans. But the record stood at 8 minutes, 58 seconds. Meanwhile, Blaine’s body suffered from harsh punishment—he had liver damage, loss of sensation, rashes, and a pins and needles feeling in his badly wrinkled hands and feet.