Famous for dangerous roles like Lorenzo in last summer’s box office hit Lottery Ticket or Chris from HBO’s popular drama series The Wire, Gbenga Akinnagbe proves that no matter the part he is up for the challenge. This fall he is taking on the role of a neurosurgeon’s best friend in a CBS television series called A Gifted Man. Found out how 32 year old Gbenga went from aspiring actor to movie star!
Reporting by Lathleen
Talent must run in the genes of Gbenga’s family being that he is related to DC rapper Wale who has worked with big names like Lady Gaga, Melanie Fiona and Pharrell. “That’s my little cousin, I always smile when I walk by and hear his music, I remember holding him as a baby. His hustle was strong, his music was good, and he rose to the top,” said Gbenga. Wale isn’t the only one who has worked with big names Gbenga has a list of A-listers whom he has worked with, Denzel Washington, John Travolta and Bow Wow.
Gbenga as "Yinka" in Barbershop, 2005
Born in Washington DC and raised in Maryland nothing was handed to Gbenga, after dealing with the everyday struggles and issues of society, he channeled his anger through wrestling. “I loved wrestling and it happened to get me a scholarship {to college}.” After successfully graduating, like every graduate Gbenga found a job with the federal government and worked there for several years before resigning to pursue an acting career.
“It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy {with the federal government} it was more so I didn’t like my time being owned like that. So someone mentioned acting, but I didn’t perceive it as a career. I looked it up online {and bought books} to see what acting was all about. As I was doing this more information started coming my way.” Gbenga’s curiosity booked him a role as an extra on The Wire. With persistence and drive, Gbenga’s talent brought him from an extra on set to a permanent role.
Gbenga Akinnagbe as Chris Paltrow on HBO's The Wire
Citing Phylicia Rashad as one of his inspirations, Gbenga started his career training himself not only by purchasing acting books but also watching theatrical plays each day after work. Fast forward a few years later he has a long resume which includes Nurse Jackie, Cold Case and Law & Order. With his expertise and professionalism, he weighs in on some of the problems in the acting world.
5 Questions with Gbenga Akinnagbe
Do you think its hard for black actors in Hollywood?
“It’s challenging for actors in general. Now if you’re black or Asian, the statistics are even more difficult because the roles are may mostly be for white people because white people write most of the content, and then when they write it, it’s mostly for people that look like them or sound like them. Now we’re getting to a place in the industry where {things} are more diverse. So, I think things are changing, things have become a lot more diverse.”
So would you say we need more black directors/producers?
“Yes but more importantly I would say we need to have our art influence our reality, instead of our reality being influenced by our art by watching television and then going out and acting the way we think we’re suppose to [based on what we just watched]. For example, what does it mean to be a young black male or female, all you have to do is watch BET, that’s what young black people do, we watch BET (I’m not bashing BET at all) and we get who we are from the mediums around us, and it needs to be the other way around, we would create these shows from the experiences we have. We need to take control of our art again.”
Gbenga Akinnagbe on the red carpet premiere of Lottery Ticket, Wearing a leg cast after foot surgery
What do you like least about acting?
“There’s not much that I don’t like about it, it’s afforded me to do a lot of things I’m interested in.”
Do you think it’s ever too late to start an acting career?
“You can start at any age, as long as you have a passion for it. You can pretty much start anything if you have a passion for it and you’re willing to learn it.”
What do you think about Tyler Perry vs Spike Lee?
“When we make art for the masses we put it out there to be judged, people don’t have to like my stuff. If Spike says {something} (I’m not defending what spike said, but I am defending his right to say it) if Tyler makes a movie and he puts it out there it will be criticized, looked at, enjoyed, whatever. Same thing for Spike as artists we put ourselves out there to be criticized, but making it personal though, I don’t know how productive that is if we take it personal. But I can see the perspective from both sides.”
Gbenga Akinnagbe currently resides in New York, apart from acting he has traveled to Israel and written articles for The New York Times.
Here’s a clip from Gbenga Akinnagbe’s upcoming TV series that will debut on CBS September 23, 2011.
Lathleen is an entertainment reporter and freelance writer, she spends most of her time freelancing and traveling the country.
Leave a Reply