Gbenga Akinnagbe

Gbenga Akinnagbe is an American actor who will star in 24: Live Another Day as CIA agent Erik Ritter, described as a "strong, sharp, arrogant and ambitious" field operative.

Akinnagbe was born in Washington, D.C. to Nigerian parents, the second oldest of six children and the first in his family to be born in the United States. Raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, he attended Zadok A. Magruder High School and graduated from Bucknell University, majoring in Political Science and English. In addition to acting, Akinnagbe is a published writer, with columns published in The New York Times. His cousin is the D.C. rap artist Wale.

Akinnagbe is best known for his role as drug dealer Chris Partlow in the HBO drama The Wire from 2004 to 2008, his first acting role, in which he co-starred with Michael Hyatt, Jim Klock, Domenick Lombardozzi, Manny Oliverez, and Jeffrey Wincott. His television appearances since have included recurring roles in Barbershop (2005-2006, with Terrell Clayton, Carl Gilliard and John Rubinstein), Numb3rs (2007, with Steven Culp, Roman Mitichyan and Philip Moon), Fringe (2009, with Kirk Acevedo, Michael Gaston and John Noble), The Good Wife (2010-2011, with Zach Grenier), Nurse Jackie (2011-2012, with Paul Schulze), Damages (2012), Elementary (2012, with Freda Foh Shen), and Graceland (2013, with Hector Luis Bustamante, Vanessa Ferlito, Vincent Laresca, and Mia Kirshner). Akinnagbe also appeared as two different characters in episodes of Law and Order: SVU, co-starring Tamara Tunie.

In film, Akinnagbe has had prominent roles in The Savages (2007), The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), and Edge of Darkness (2010).