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Quick Facts
Biography
Gbenga Akinnagbe (born December 12, 1978) is an American actor and writer, best known for his role as Chris Partlow on the HBO series The Wire.
Early life
Akinnagbe was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Nigerian parents. He was raised in Silver Spring, Maryland. He is the second oldest of six children, with one older sister and four younger brothers, and the first in his family to be born in the United States. He attended Colonel Zadok A. Magruder High School in Rockville, Maryland. He attended Bucknell University on a wrestling scholarship, majoring in Political Science and English.
Career
Acting
Akinnagbe played Ben Ellis in the episode Contenders on the TV series Numb3rs. In the summer of 2006, Akinnagbe performed the role of "Zim" in the NYC Fringe Festival's "Outstanding Play" award-winning production of Modern Missionary. In 2003, Akinnagbe auditioned for the role of Chris Partlow on the HBO series The Wire and starting in 2004 began a frequent recurring role. In 2008 during the show's fifth and final season, he was promoted to a series regular. In 2007, Akinnagbe appeared in the film The Savages with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laura Linney, and Philip Bosco. He appeared in the remake of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, which was released by Sony in June 2009. Akinnagbe made a guest appearance on a Season 10 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode entitled "Hell" as Elijah Okello, a former Ugandan child soldier living in New York, facing deportation. Akinnagbe's former The Wire cast mate Robert Wisdom also appeared in that episode as Father Theo Burdett. In 2010 in Seattle, Washington Akinnagbe starred in world premiere play The Thin Place at The Intiman Theatre. He was also in the movie Lottery Ticket and is currently in The Good Wife as Pastor Isiah Easton. His former co-star from the The Wire, Frankie Faison, portrayed his father on the show in several episodes. He also starred as Kelly Slater, a nurse in the 3rd season of the Showtime series Nurse Jackie. He also starred in leading roles for two Independent films, as Jack in "Home", directed by Jono Oliver, and as James in "Big Words", directed by Neil Drumming. He is currently playing a drug lord in the USA series Graceland and starred as Tom in The Following. He also starred as CIA Agent Erik Ritter in 24: Live Another Day. Since October 2016 he is acting in the production Starbright, a feature film to be released end of 2017.www.imbd.com
Writing
Gbenga has had two articles published in The New York Times, one detailing a trip to Nepal to climb the Himalayas, and the other outlining the medical procedures he underwent to correct his severely flat feet.
Personal life
Akinnagbe is the cousin of rapper Wale and they both have Nigerian roots.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2005 | They're Made Out of Meat | Merlin | Short film |
2007 | Man-Up | Q | Short film |
2007 | The Savages | Jimmy | |
2009 | The Taking of Pelham 123 | Wallace | |
2010 | Edge of Darkness | Darcy Jones | |
2010 | Overnight | TMJ | |
2010 | Lottery Ticket | Lorenzo | |
2011 | Clap (One Day) | Police Officer | Short film |
2013 | Fort Bliss | Sgt. Butcher | |
2013 | Big Words | James | |
2013 | Home | Jack Hall | |
2014 | Render to Caesar | Dipo | |
2014 | Mall | Michel | |
2016 | Detour | Michael | |
2016 | Independence Day: Resurgence | Agent Travis | |
2016 | Crown Heights | Sampson | Post-production |
2016 | Knucklehead | Langston | Also producer |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2004–2008 | The Wire | Chris Partlow | 30 episodes |
2005 | Barbershop | Yinka | 10 episodes |
2006 | Conviction | Calvin | 1 episode |
2006 | Conviction | Gary Wade | 1 episode |
2007 | Numb3rs | Ben Ellis | Episode: "Contendors" |
2008 | Cold Case | Victor Nash '05/'08 | Episode: "Street Money" |
2009 | Fringe | Akim | Episode: "The No-Brainer" |
2009 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Elijah Okello | Episode: "Hell" |
2009 | Dark Blue | Dante Rollings | Episode: "August" |
2009 | Maggie Hill | Elliot Springer | Television film |
2010 | The Good Wife | Pastor Isaiah Easton | 5 episodes |
2011 | Blue Bloods | Pierre | Episode: "All That Glitters" |
2011 | Nurse Jackie | Kelly Slater | 8 episodes |
2012 | Damages | Walid Cooper Ellen's Investigator | 4 episodes |
2012 | Elementary | Jeremy Lopez | Episode: "The Leviathan" |
2012 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Father Biobaku | Episode: "Dreams Deferred" |
2013 | Graceland | Bello | 8 episodes |
2014 | 24: Live Another Day | Erik Ritter | 11 episodes |
2015 | The Following | Tom | 11 episodes |
2015 | Limitless | Quentin Walker | Episode: "Arm-ageddon" |