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Gbenga Akinnagbe

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Gbenga Akinnagbe
Akinnagbe in 2012
Born
Olugbenga Enitan Temitope Akinnagbe

(1978-12-12)December 12, 1978(age 45)
Washington, D.C.,U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • writer
Years active2002–present
RelativesWale(cousin)

Olugbenga Enitan Temitope Akinnagbe(/ˈbɛŋɡəəˈkiːnəbeɪ/ⓘBENG-gə ə-KEEN-ə-bay;born December 12, 1978) is an American actor and writer, best known for his roles asChris Partlowon theHBOseriesThe Wire[1]and as Larry Brown on theHBOseriesThe Deuce.[2]

Early life

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Akinnagbe was born inWashington, D.C.,[3]the son ofYorubaNigerianparents,[4][3]and was raised inSilver 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 theUnited States.He attendedColonel Zadok A. Magruder High SchoolinRockville, Maryland.He attendedBucknell Universityon a wrestling scholarship, and graduated in 2000 with a degree in Political Science and English. Akinnagbe's cousin is rapperWale.[5]

Career

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Akinnagbe played Ben Ellis in the episode "Contenders" on the TV seriesNumb3rs.In the summer of 2006, Akinnagbe performed the role of "Zim" in the NYC Fringe Festival's "Outstanding Play" award-winning production ofModern Missionary.[6]In 2003, Akinnagbe auditioned for the role ofChris Partlowon the HBO seriesThe Wireand 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 filmThe SavageswithPhilip Seymour Hoffman,Laura Linney,andPhilip Bosco.He appeared in theremakeofThe Taking of Pelham One Two Three,which was released by Sony in June 2009. Akinnagbe made a guest appearance on aseason 10Law & Order: Special Victims Unitepisode entitled"Hell"as Elijah Okello, a former Ugandan child soldier living in New York, facing deportation. Akinnagbe's formerThe WirecastmateRobert Wisdomalso appeared in that episode as Father Theo Burdett. In 2010 in Seattle, Washington Akinnagbe starred in the world premiere playThe Thin Placeat The Intiman Theatre.[7]

He was in the movieLottery Ticketand appeared onThe Good Wifeas Pastor Isiah Easton.[3]His former co-star fromThe Wire,[1]Frankie Faison,portrayed his father onThe Good Wifein several episodes.[3]He also appeared as Kelly Slater, a nurse in the third season of the Showtime seriesNurse Jackie.[8]

He starred in leading roles in two independent films, as Jack inHome,directed by Jono Oliver, and as James inBig Words,directed by Neil Drumming. He appeared as a drug lord in the USA seriesGracelandand starred as Tom inThe Following.He also starred as CIA Agent Erik Ritter in24: Live Another Day.[9]In October 2016 he began shooting the feature filmStarbright.

In March 2020, Akinnagbe was cast inThe Old Man.[10]

Other ventures

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Akinnagbe is the owner of Enitan, a Brooklyn-based furniture business that he designs vintage furniture with upholster fabrics.[11]

Personal life

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Gbenga has had two articles published inThe New York Times,one detailing a trip toNepalto climb theHimalayas,and the other outlining the medical procedures he underwent to correct his severelyflat feet.[12]

Akinnagbe filed a criminal complaint alleging that British female journalistLola Adesioyehad grabbed his buttocks on two occasions in 2020.[13]The journalist was arrested on May 26, 2021, jailed for 28 hours, and charged withforcible touching,sexual abuse, and harassment. The journalist's attorney described Akinnagbe's allegations as "a blatant, brazen lie".[14]In October 2021, the case was dismissed.[15]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2005 They're Made Out of Meat Merlin Short
2007 The Savages Jimmy
Man-Up Q Short
2009 The Taking of Pelham 123 Wallace
2010 Edge of Darkness Darcy Jones
Lottery Ticket Lorenzo
2011 Red & Blue Marbles Cabal
2012 Overnight TMJ
Paranormal Abduction Alex Chandler
2013 Big Words James
Home Jack Hall
Sweet, Sweet Country Ernesto Short
2014 Render to Caesar Dipo
Fort Bliss Sgt. Butcher
Mall Michel
Phantom Halo Roman
2015 Knucklehead Langston
2016 Detour Michael
Independence Day: Resurgence Agent Travis
2017 Crown Heights Sampson
Detroit Aubrey Pollard Sr.
Mindhack Sun Moon
Heart, Baby George
2018 Egg Wayne
All the Devil's Men Samuelson
2019 Goldie Richard
Rogers and Tilden Marcus Short
DC Noir Detective Mitch Brooks
The Sun Is Also a Star Samuel Kingsley
2020 16 Bars Deacon
Pitch Black Panacea Carl (voice) Short
2021 Passing Dave Freedland
2023 Fast Charlie Beggar Mercado
TBA The Thicket TBA Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2004–08 The Wire Chris Partlow Recurring cast (seasons 3-4), main cast (season 5)
2005 Barbershop Yinka Main cast
2006 Conviction Gary Wade/Calvin 2 episodes
2007 Numb3rs Ben Ellis Episode: "Contenders"
2008 Cold Case Victor Nash '05/'08 Episode: "Street Money"
2009 Fringe Akim Episode: "The No-Brainer"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Elijah Okello Episode: "Hell"
Dark Blue Dante Rollings Episode: "August"
Maggie Hill Elliot Springer TV movie
2010–15 The Good Wife Pastor Isaiah Easton Recurring cast (seasons 1-2, 5)
2011 Blue Bloods Pierre Episode: "All That Glitters"
Chase John Macon Episode: "The Man at the Altar"
Brooklyn Shakara Emeka Nwandu Episode: "Pilot"
A Gifted Man Dr. Leo 'Bax' Baxter 2 episodes
2011–12 Nurse Jackie Kelly Slater Recurring cast (seasons 3-4)
2012 The Unknown Vincent Episode: "Life Sentence"
Damages Walid Cooper Recurring cast (season 5)
Elementary Jeremy Lopez Episode: "The Leviathan"
2012–14 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Father Biobaku 2 episodes
2013 Graceland Jeremiah Bello Recurring cast (season 1)
The Funtime Gang Inmate TV movie
2014 24: Live Another Day Erik Ritter Main cast
2015 The Following Tom Reyes Recurring cast (season 3)
2015–16 Limitless Quentin Walker 2 episodes
2016 Madam Secretary Chris Santumari Episode: "Desperate Remedies"
2017 Mercy Street Saga Episode: "House of Bondage"
2017–18 The Deuce Larry Brown Main cast
2020 Evil Lando Mutabazi Episode: "Justice x 2"
2021 FBI: Most Wanted James Johnson Episode: "Criminal Justice"
Modern Love Jordan Episode: "The Night Girl Finds a Day Boy"
2021–23 Wu-Tang: An American Saga Mook Recurring cast (season 2)
2022 The Blacklist Boukman Baptiste Episode: "Boukman Baptiste (No. 164)"
The Old Man Julian Carson Main cast
2023 Power Book II: Ghost Ron Samuel Jenkins Recurring cast (season 3)

Theater

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 The Oedipus Plays Soldier
2002 Romeo and Juliet Ensemble
2002 Cyrano de Bergerac Le Bret
2003 Henry V A French Messenger
2005 The Controversy of Valladolid A Black Servant
2006 Modern Missionary Zim
2007 A View From 151st Street Dwight
2008 Lower Ninth Lowboy
2010 A Thin Place Isaac
2013 The Rainmaker Bill Starbuck
2015 Fulfillment Michael
2018 To Kill a Mockingbird Tom Robinson

References

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  1. ^abBale, Miriam (21 November 2013)."A Place, and Prescription, of One's Own".New York Times.Retrieved21 December2013.
  2. ^Berkowitz, Joe (15 September 2017)."Here's Everybody From 'The Wire' Who Now Works on 'The Deuce'".Fast Company.Retrieved1 November2018.
  3. ^abcdKim, Jae-Ha (24 May 2011)."Celebrity Traveler: Nigeria to Mexico, actor finds charm".Chicago Tribune.Retrieved21 December2013.
  4. ^Lakin, Max (March 19, 2019)."The 'Deuce' Actor Who Also Reupholsters Vintage Chairs".The New York Times– via NYTimes.com.
  5. ^Drake, David (25 June 2013)."20 Things You Didn't Know About Wale".Complex Music.Retrieved21 December2013.
  6. ^He also featured in limitlessModern Missionary
  7. ^Berson, Misha (17 May 2010)."Actor Gbenga Akinnagbe stars in Intiman Theatre's 'The Thin Place'".The Seattle Times.Archived fromthe originalon 24 December 2013.Retrieved21 December2013.
  8. ^Ausiello, Michael (21 October 2010)."Exclusive: 'The Wire' grad Gbenga Akinnagbe joins 'Nurse Jackie'".Entertainment Weekly.Retrieved21 December2013.
  9. ^Andreeva, Nellie (20 December 2013)."24: Live Another Day Adds 2 New Regulars".Deadline.Retrieved21 December2013.
  10. ^Andreeva, Nellie (March 7, 2020)."Gbenga Akinnagbe To Star In 'The Old Man'; Bill Heck Joins FX On Hulu Series In Recasting".
  11. ^Owens, Mitchell."Meet The Wire Star Turned Design Impresario".
  12. ^Steed, Munson (19 July 2013)."'Big Words' Actor Gbenga Akinnagbe finds comfort in the uncomfortable ".Rolling Out.Retrieved21 December2013.
  13. ^"'The Wire' actor alleges sex abuse by journalist, who calls contact consensual ".2021-07-20.Retrieved2023-10-06.
  14. ^Goldberg, Noah (2021-07-19)."'The Wire' actor accuses NYC journalist of groping him — she says it happened during consensual relationship ".New York Daily News.Retrieved2023-10-06.
  15. ^Adams, Biba (November 19, 2021)."Lola Adesioye speaks after charges she sexually abused actor Gbenga Akinnagbe are dropped".TheGrio.
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