Daniel Sunjata

DANIEL SUNJATA

Date of Birth: December 30, 1971

Daniel Sunjata was born in Evanston, Illinois, but raised by his adoptive parents in Chicago. After graduating from Mount Carmel High School, Daniel decided to attend Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee. He than transferred to the University of Louisiana, where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts. Feeling like there was more knowledge to be learned, Daniel went on to study at Tisch School of the Arts in New York and received his Masters in Fine Arts.

His career started on stage in the 1998 production of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. He then made his television debut on the WB political drama series D.C., where he played Lewis Freeman. Daniel had many other acting roles after that; however, his big break was when he was cast in the hit series Rescue Me in 2004 as Franco Rivera. Rescue Me ran for seven seasons, coming to an emotional end in 2011. Daniel also played a recurring role as nurse Eli in the popular series Grey's Anatomy from 2010 to 2011.

Followig a successful run in the Broadway play Take Me Out, for which he received a Tony award nomination, Daniel appeared in a number of movies on the big screen such as Brother to Brother (2004), Noel (2004) and Melinda and Melinda (2004) opposite Will Ferrell, but his big break came in when he played James Holt in The Devil Wears Prada (2006), starring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep. Roles following in The Bronx is Burning (2007), Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009), Lie to Me (2009), and Weakness (2010), as well as Ranger in the hit comedy film One for the Money (2012) starring Katherine Heigl. He also played Powers in Gone (2012) staring Amanda Seyfried and a GPD Special Operative in The Dark Knight Rises.

In 2003, Daniel, who is of African-American, Irish and German descent, was named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People."

Filmography:

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Gone (2012)
One for the Money (2012)
Weakness (2010)
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Melinda and Melinda (2004)
Brother to Brother (2004)