In 1997, playing a South African exiled to America who returns 15 years later, Cube starred in the action thriller "Dangerous Ground", and had a supporting role in "Anaconda". In 1998, writing again, the director Ice Cube debuted in "The Players Club". In 1999, he starred alongside George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg as a staff sergeant in "Three Kings", set in the immediate aftermath of the Gulf War, whereby the United States attacked Iraq in 1990, an "intelligent" war comedy critically acclaimed. In 2002, Cube starred in Kevin Bray's "All About the Benjamins", and in Tim Story's comedy film "Barbershop".