Gbenga Akinnagbe has landed a major recurring role on USA's new drama "Graceland," HuffPost TV has learned exclusively.
Akinnagbe, perhaps best known for his roles as Chris Partlow on "The Wire" and Kelly Slater on "Nurse Jackie," will play Bello, a SoCal-based Nigerian crime boss with unorthodox methods for running his street crew.
"Graceland" also stars Daniel Sunjata, Aaron Tveit, Vanessa Ferlito, Brandon Jay McLaren and Manny Montana, and centers on a diverse group of agents from the DEA, FBI and U.S. Customs whose lives collide when they end up living together in an undercover beach house in Southern California. The series comes from "White Collar" creator Jeff Eastin, and is scheduled to premiere Summer 2013.
Having lived his adolescence on the run from vicious warlords in Africa, Akinnagbe's Bello witnessed many displays of soulless torture and violence. He escaped that world, but he took its lessons to heart. He values power and influence, but knows that it can lead to loneliness. And he knows that ego can be a dangerous beast; he wants to make smart decisions, not selfish ones. Bello breeds loyalty by rewarding talent and through fear. If he suspects one of his men of betraying him, there will be scars to tell the story.
Watch the trailer for the new series below:
In other casting news ...
"Gossip Girl" actor joins "Last Resort." Sam Page will appear as Connor, the confident and entitled brother of Autumn Reeser's character, Kylie. [TV Line]
"Lost" and "Alcatraz" vets join NBC pilot "After Hours." Ken Leung and Jeananne Goossen have joined the hourlong drama about doctors pulling the ER graveyard shift at San Antonio Medical Center. Leung will play Topher, a former battlefield surgeon, while Goossen will play a resident at the hospital. [Deadline]
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