Who is Daniel Sunjata?
Born on 30th December 1971, in Evanston, Illinois, USA, Daniel Sunjata Condon is an American actor of African, German and Irish descent, known particularly for his roles in “Graceland” and “Grey’s Anatomy”. The attractive Capricorn stands tall at 6ft 1in (1.85m) and weighs 160lbs (73kgs), with vital statistics of 40-33-14.5 (chest, waist, biceps).
Family & Education
Adopted at a young age by Bill and Catherine Condon, who worked as a police dispatcher and a civil rights worker respectively, Daniel was brought up as an only child in a suburban neighborhood.
The actor was allegedly put up adoption by a young single mother who ran away from home, with his biological father being African-American.
After graduating from Chicago’s Mount Carmel High School – where he displayed his sporting prowess as a linebacker in two American Football teams – the future superstar enrolled at Florida A&M University before furthering his education. Attending not one but two institutes to polish his skills, Daniel graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and later relocated to New York City, pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree from the famous Tisch School of the Arts.
First Roles
Daniel’s first acting credit came about in 1998, when the Illinois native was cast as Valentine in the TV movie “Twelfth Night, or What You Will”, based on Shakespeare’s play. Thanks to his distinctive features and impressive curriculum, he soon landed a recurring role, and was seen in seven episodes of “D.C”. 2002 was a particularly busy year for Daniel, as he played Christopher Mercier in “The Feast of All Saints”, and Officer Carew in “Bad Company”, as well as guest starring in an episode of “Sex and the City”, and doing voiceover work for video games. Between roles, the thespian proved himself to be a real go-getter, doing commercial work and finding other ways to earn a living until his big break.
From 2000 to 2004, Daniel also had a minor recurring role as CSU Technician Burt Trevor in 16 episodes of “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”.
Notable Roles
With just six years in the entertainment industry under his belt, Daniel was given a golden opportunity upon being offered the role of Franco Rivera in “Rescue Me”, the comedy drama series which won a Primetime Emmy in 2009. Appearing in 93 episodes over seven seasons of the hit show, Daniel became something of a household name thanks to his loyal fanbase, which led to other lucrative work opportunities such as his role as Reggie Jackson in “The Bronx Is Burning”.
From 2004 to 2011, the actor was definitely booked and busy, with roles in star-studded productions including “The Devil Wears Prada”. Fans of “Grey’s Anatomy” were thrilled upon learning that the charismatic Capricorn would be joining the cast of the beloved medical series. Appearing in 11 episodes of the hit show, Daniel enchanted millions of viewers with his character, Eli, before smoothly transitioning into his next role, as Ranger in “One for the Money”. In 2013, Daniel was incorporated into “Graceland” to play the part of Agent Paul Greggs over several seasons. Appearing in all 38 episodes until the show was pulled, the backstory of Daniel’s character led to him and Vanessa Ferlito, who played Agent Catherine DeMonaco, having a steamy on-screen romance.
Sticking close to his trusty formula of playing FBI agents or law enforcement officers, Daniel was cast as SWAT Commander Nick Alvarez in 15 episodes of “#FreeRayshawn”, a compelling and racially-charged short series which aired in 2020, and which earned two Primetime Emmys. Ongoing projects of Daniel’s include his role as Mecca in “Power: Book II”. One of the main antagonists in the show’s second season, Mecca is a ruthless drug kingpin who’s already killed four characters in just ten episodes. He’s also having an affair with Monet, played by Mary J Blige, and is the biological father of Daniel Bellomy’s character, Ezekiel.
Daniel accepted the role after Courtney Kemp called him personally. In a recent interview, the actor explained that Mecca, with his lavish lifestyle and designer wardrobe, was unlike any character he’d played before, adding: “I was like ‘Oh my gosh! This is so exciting.’ There was no downside. There was no reason to say no”. Describing his time on set alongside Mary as an “out of body experience”, Daniel is understandably excited for viewers to see what Mecca, who is a driving force in several plotlines, does in season three. The actor will also be playing Charlie Davenport in “Echoes”, a mystery mini-series currently in the post-production stage.
Personal Life
Some find it odd that Daniel has yet to be romantically linked to anyone, after so many years in the public eye. Ever since his performance as a gay baseball player in “Take Me Out” was nominated for a Tony award, Daniel’s sexuality has been the topic of much online discussion, although he himself has never participated in the conversation. In 2015, there were whispers of Daniel dating a woman named Rosalba Sierra, when the good-looking duo were seen together at various red-carpet events. Shortly after the rumors began, they stopped being seen out and about in public. The leak of a 2016 sex tape depicting two men, with one thought to be Daniel, led to thousands of curious netizens commenting on his Instagram profile, and bombarding the actor with questions.
Instead of confirming or denying the speculation, Daniel simply made his profile private, disabled his comments, and eventually deactivated his account. The thespian has had no interest in going back to social media, which makes it that much harder to discover information regarding his private life.
Net Worth
Reliable sources report that Daniel’s net worth is estimated at over $2 million, after more than two decades in the industry. The star of the small screen has earned his modest fortune after years of hard work, and roles in plays, series, and the occasional movie.
