Gbenga Akinnagbe is an award nominated performer and philanthropist.

Gbenga began his career as a series regular on Showtime’s fan favorite Barbershop, but is probably best known for his breakout role as “Chris Partlow” on HBO’s widely acclaimed series The Wire. He went on to pivotal recurring roles on the Emmy-winning shows, The Good Wife, playing “Pastor Isaiah Easton”, and Showtime’s hit comedy, Nurse Jackie, play “Nurse Kelly Slater”. Having reocccured in the final season of the acclaimed hit, Damages, Gbenga has moved on to USA Network’s new show, Graceland as ‘Jeremiah Bello’.

Gbenga made his feature film debut in the Oscar-nominated independent film, The Savages, where he starred alongside Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney. Akinnagbe’s movie blockbusters include The Taking of Pelham 123 alongside John Travolta and Denzel Washington, The Edge of Darkness opposite Mel Gibson, and Warner Brother’s summer comedy Lottery Ticket, which included Terry Crews, Ice Cube and Bow Wow.

Akinnagbe has also graced some of the most-renowned stages including, the Intiman, The Flea, and The Public Theaters. After sharing the screen with Phillip Hoffman, Gbenga was invited to work with Hoffman’s theater company, the LAByrinth Theater Company. Though New York is his home, Gbenga’s career began in DC with such classic plays as Romeo and Juliet, Cyrano de Bergerac, and Sophocles’ Trilogy of Oedipus. In 2009 Akinnagbe originated, The Thin Place, a one-man-show at the Tony-award winning, Intiman Theater.

Currently splitting his time between Los Angeles and New York City, Gbenga remains close to his philanthropic interests. He’s been awarded the Trio Achiever Award by the Mid-Eastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel as distinguished alumni of the Upward Bound program. He sits on the board of such nonprofits as All for Africa, Rewired for Change and Shine on Sierra Leone. In his free time, Gbenga is a freelance writer, and has contributed articles to the New York Times, Israeli-news source Haaretz, and Russell Simmon’s digital media company, Global Grind.