Daniel Sunjata, a University of ÃÞ»¨ÌÇÖ±²¥ at Lafayette graduate, debuts tonight in his latest acting gig, as FBI agent Paul Briggs on the new television series, Graceland.
The hour-long drama premieres at 9 p.m. on the USA Network.
The actor earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in 1995. He appeared in productions such as A Soldier’s Story and The Crucible while enrolled at the University, where he was known by his full name, Daniel Sunjata Condon.
Graceland revolves around a group of undercover federal agents from the FBI, DEA and U.S. Customs. The agents live together in an idyllic beachfront house once owned by a drug lord, who was an Elvis Presley fan.
As seasoned FBI agent Briggs, Sunjata’s role involves mentoring young FBI rookie Mike Warren, played by actor Aaron Tveit. Briggs, who has a reputation for not always playing by the rules, reluctantly agrees to train the rookie.
Sunjata, an Evanstan, Ill. native, has acted in many TV, film and theater projects.
A diverse range has enabled him to play everyone from the writer Langston Hughes to legendary Major League baseball slugger Reggie Jackson.
He portrayed fashion designer James Holt in the film adaptation of the best-selling novel The Devil Wears Prada. Other film credits include One for the Money and The Dark Knight Rises.
Sunjata is perhaps best known for his seven-year run, from 2004-2011, as firefighter Franco Rivera on the acclaimed TV series Rescue Me.
His role as Darren Lemming in the Broadway play Take Me Out earned the actor a Tony Award nomination.
The 2003 play by Richard Greenberg is a story about the ramifications of a famous baseball player’s announcement that he is gay.
Sunjata’s nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play was one of four Tony nominations the Broadway production garnered. It won three, including Best Play.
The actor lives in Los Angeles.
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