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Actor Gbenga Akinnagbe is well known for his performance as hitman "Chris Partlow" on the legendary HBO series THE WIRE. He also appeared as “Larry Brown” on HBO’s THE DEUCE, and originated “Tom Robinson” on Broadway in Aaron Sorkin’s Tony-winning TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. He has portrayed “Julian Carson” in FX’s THE OLD MAN with Jeff Bridges, "Tom" in Fox's THE FOLLOWING with Kevin Bacon, "Pastor Isiah Easton" in CBS's THE GOOD WIFE, and "Kelly Slater" on Showtime's hit series NURSE JACKIE. In 2014, he starred as "Erik Ritter" opposite Kiefer Sutherland' on Fox's 24: LIVE ANOTHER DAY. Gbenga also enjoys a successful career in feature films, including the critically acclaimed THE SAVAGES (Fox Searchlight) in the role of "Jimmy" opposite Laura Linnea and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Gbenga appeared in THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1-2-3 (Sony) with John Travolta and Denzel Washington. In other theater appearances Gbenga starred in the world premiere of the one-person play titled THE THIN PLACE at Seattle's Tony award winning Intiman Theatre. He also produced THE MAD BROOKLYNITE, the adaptation of novelist Jonathan Lethem’s work of the same name, also directed by Ben Bowman, at the 45th Street Theater in New York.
Amari Cheatom can be seen starring in the feature Newlyweeds, written and directed by Shaka King, Django Unchained for director Quentin Tarantino, and Night Catches Us for director Tanya Hamilton with Anthony Mackie and Kerry Washington. He has guest starred on Detroit 1-8-7 (ABC), Chase (NBC), Numb3rs (CBS) and Georgetown (ABC).
Amari is a graduate of The Juilliard School Drama Division, where he played such roles as 'King Leontes' (The Winters Tale), 'Bynum Walker' (Joe Turner's Come and Gone), 'Edmund The Bastard' (King Lear), 'Shaun' (Beau Willimon's War Story) and 'Banner' (Bryan Tucker's St. James Infirmary).
Among Cheatom’s notable theatrical credits are, On the Levee (Lincoln Center), Dutch Masters (Berkshire Theatre Festival) The Book of Grace (The Public Theatre), Zooman and the Sign (Signature Theatre), The Lower Ninth (Acorn Theatre), A Ballad of Sad Young Men (Cherry Lane Theatre), Origin Story (Sundance Theatre Festival), and When January Feels like Summer (Sundance Theater Festival) as well as a recent performance in the New York Public Radio production of Jitney, directed by Rueben Santiago Hudson.
ALFRE WOODARD
Alfre Woodard’s work as an actor has earned her an Oscar nomination, four Emmy Awards and seventeen Emmy nominations, three SAG Awards and a Golden Globe.
Woodard’s body of work includes her Oscar nominated performance in Martin Ritt’s CROSS CREEK; 12 YEARS A SLAVE, which won the 2013 Oscar for Best Picture; HBO’s MANDELA, where she was honored with an ACE award for her portrayal of Winnie Mandela; Lawrence Kasdan’s GRAND CANYON; John Sayles’ PASSION FISH; Joseph Sargent’s MISS EVERS’ BOYS, for which she won an Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe Award; Spike Lee’s CROOKLYN; Gina Prince-Bythewood’s LOVE AND BASKETBALL; along with Kathy Bates, in THE FAMILY THAT PREYS (Lionsgate). She received her last Emmy nomination for playing Betty Applewhite in ABC’s DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES; and Ruby Jean Reynolds, mother to Lafayette Reynolds, on HBO’s TRUE BLOOD. On the small screen she currently stars as POTUS in the NBC drama series, STATE OF AFFAIRS.
In addition to her acting career, Woodard is a longtime activist. She co-founded Artists for a New South Africa, a nonprofit working to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS and further the cause of democracy and human rights in South Africa. In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed her to the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. As part of her work on the Committee, Woodard has adopted several high- poverty and under-performing public schools around the country.