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Gbenga Akinnagbe

Highest Rated: 100% Big Words (2013)

Lowest Rated: 9% Phantom Halo (2014)

Birthday: Dec 12, 1978

Birthplace: Washington, D.C., USA

Gbenga Akinnagbe is a film and TV character actor who became best known for his role as a murderous Baltimore drug dealer named Chris Partlow on HBO's "The Wire" (2002-08). The son of Nigerian parents, Akinnagbe was the first of his siblings to be born in the United States. He was born in Washington, D.C. on December 12, 1978, but grew up in the D.C. suburb of Silver Spring, Maryland. Although he always dreamt of being an actor, Akinnagbe spent the better part of his teens and early 20s as a star wrestler. He earned a wrestling scholarship to Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, where he studied Political Science and English. After graduating, however, Akinnagbe came to the realization that in order to pursue his dream of acting, he'd have to hang up his wrestling shoes for good. He then started acting in plays in and around Maryland, where he honed his craft while learning to perform in front of an audience. His true passion, however, was to act in film and on television. Then in 2003, Akinnagbe was granted the opportunity of a lifetime when he was asked to audition for the role of Chris Partlow on a new TV drama called "The Wire." Akinnagbe nailed the role and from seasons one to four he was one of the best-known recurring characters on the show. In 2008, as "The Wire" entered its fifth and final season, Akinnagbe was bumped up to series regular, which would prove to be the biggest break of his career. After his bump up to series regular on "The Wire," the roles started pouring in. Over the next few years, Akinnagbe landed supporting roles in "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" (2009), "Edge of Darkness" (2010), and "Red & Blue Marbles" (2011), to name a few. He also landed recurring parts on several television shows, like "Nurse Jackie" (Showtime, 2009-2015), "The Good Wife" (CBS, 2009-16), and "The Following" (Fox, 2013-15). Returning to movies in 2015, Akinnagbe landed a supporting part in the crime thriller "Phantom Halo." The film was the directorial debut of Antonia Bogdanovich, daughter of Oscar-nominated director Peter Bogdanovich.

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Highest rated movies

100% 79% Big Words
Watchlist
100% 40% Egg Watchlist 95% 60% Goldie Watchlist 91% 86% Passing Watchlist
89% 75% The Savages
Watchlist
88% 83% Home
Watchlist
83% 84% Fast Charlie Watchlist 82% 79% Detroit Watchlist 80% 81% The Thicket Watchlist
75% 66% Fort Bliss
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
80% 81% The Thicket Unknown (Character) - 2024
74% 94% Rob Peace Unknown (Character) $374.7K 2024
45% 55% Asphalt City Verdis (Character) $216.9K 2023
83% 84% Fast Charlie Beggar Mercado (Character) - 2023
91% 86% Passing Dave (Character) - 2021
95% 60% Goldie Richard (Character) $1.2K 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Pitch Black Panacea Carl (Voice) - 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet DC Noir Detective Mitch Brooks (Character),
Director
- 2019
52% 60% The Sun Is Also a Star Samuel Kingsley (Character) $4.9M 2019
100% 40% Egg Wayne (Character) - 2018
25% 25% All the Devil's Men Samuelson (Character) - 2018
No Score Yet 94% Heart, Baby! George (Character) - 2017
No Score Yet 30% Mindhack Sun Moon (Character) - 2017
82% 79% Detroit Aubrey Pollard Sr. (Character) $16.8M 2017
63% 42% Detour Michael (Character) - 2016
No Score Yet 80% Knucklehead Langston (Character),
Producer
- 2015
9% 43% Phantom Halo Roman (Character) - 2014
No Score Yet 34% Mall Michel (Character) - 2014
75% 66% Fort Bliss Sgt. Butcher (Character) - 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Children of the Wind Narrator - 2013
100% 79% Big Words James (Character) - 2013
88% 83% Home Jack Hall (Character),
Executive Producer
- 2013
71% 71% Newlyweeds Producer - 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Somnambulist Alex Chandler (Character) - 2010
No Score Yet 36% Overnight TMJ (Character) - 2010
34% 44% Lottery Ticket Lorenzo (Character) $24.7M 2010
54% 49% Edge of Darkness Det. Darcy Jones (Character) $43.3M 2010
51% 52% The Taking of Pelham 123 Wallace (Character) $65.5M 2009
89% 75% The Savages Jimmy (Character) $6.6M 2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet They're Made Out of Meat Merlin (Character) - 2005

TV

Credit
79% 69% The Old Man Julian Carson (Character) 2022 2024
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dr. Phil Guest 2023
91% 79% The Blacklist Boukman Baptiste (Guest Star) 2022
69% 66% Modern Love Unknown (Character) 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet Antiques Roadshow Guest 2021
No Score Yet 48% FBI: Most Wanted James Johnson (Guest Star) 2021
96% 86% Evil Lando Mutabazi (Guest Star) 2020
93% 86% The Deuce Larry Brown (Character) 2017-2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Film School Shorts Ndizeye (Character) 2017
No Score Yet 79% Madam Secretary Chris Santumari (Guest Star) 2016
58% 85% Limitless Quentin Walker (Guest Star) 2015-2016
58% 66% The Following Unknown (Guest Star) 2015
93% 90% The Good Wife Pastor Isaiah Easton (Guest Star) 2010-2011 2015
87% 87% 24 Erik Ritter (Character) 2014
78% 83% Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Father Biobaku (Guest Star) 2009 2012 2014
86% 85% Graceland Jeremiah Bello (Guest Star) 2013
95% 89% Elementary Jeremy Lopez (Guest Star) 2012
66% 75% A Gifted Man Dr. Leo "Bax" Baxter (Guest Star) 2011
81% 88% Nurse Jackie Kelly Slater (Guest Star) 2011
No Score Yet 81% Blue Bloods Pierre (Guest Star) 2011
90% 80% Fringe Akim (Guest Star) 2009
No Score Yet 95% Cold Case Unknown (Guest Star) 2008
94% 96% The Wire Chris Partlow (Guest Star) 2004 2006 2008
No Score Yet 93% Numb3ers Ben Ellis (Guest Star) 2007
22% 79% Conviction Unknown (Guest Star) 2006
64% No Score Yet Barbershop Unknown (Character) 2005