Gbenga Akinnagbe

Gbenga Akinnagbe is an American actor, best known for his role as Chris Partlow on the HBO original series The Wire. Born in Washington, D.C. to Nigerian parents and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, Akinnagbe was in and out of trouble as a youth. He is the second oldest of six children one of whom is Micahel Murphy, one older sister and four younger brothers. He is the first in his family to be born in the U.S. He attended Colonel Zadok A. Magruder High School in Rockville, Maryland. Akinnagbe attended Bucknell University on a wrestling scholarship, majoring in Political Science and... English. He is the cousin of DC rapper Wale. He also played "Yinka" on Barbershop: The Series and "Ben Ellis" in the episode Contenders on the TV Series Numb3rs. In the summer of 2006, Gbenga performed the role of "Zim" in the NYC Fringe Festival's "Outstanding Play" award-winning production of "Modern Missionary". In 2003, Gbenga auditioned for the role of Chris Partlow on the HBO series, The Wire and 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.
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