With a handsome face and no shortage of talent, it’s easy to see why Daniel Sunjata has had such a successful career in the entertainment industry. Since making his on screen debut in 1998, Daniel has gotten to work on some very successful productions. Many viewers will recognize him best for his role as Paul Briggs in Graceland. Has has also had recurring roles on shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. His range as an actor has opened the door to countless possibilities and his current told in the CBS series The Stand has only continued to solidify just how talented he is. Keep reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Daniel Sunjata.
1. He’s A Chicago Native
Daniel was born and raised in the Chicago area. Although he no longer lives there today, the city will always have a special place in his heart. When discussing the role that Chicago played in his career Daniel told The Chicago Tribune, “…it was a place where some of my dreams and aspirations were born, where certain seeds were planted.”
2. He Was Adopted
Daniel was adopted by Katherine and Bill Condon when he was just two months old. Although both of his adoptive parents were white, Daniel is biracial. His biological mother was white and his biological father was black. We weren’t able to locate any information on whether or not he’s ever met his biological parents.
3. He Went To An HBCU
After high school, Daniel enrolled at Florida A&M University where he had earned a scholarship to study business administration. It didn’t take him long to realize that business wasn’t what he wanted to focus on. Instead, he decided to focus his college education on theater.
4. He Was A Football Player
Daniel grew up playing sports and by the time he reached high school he was a very talented football player. His original plan when he got to FAMU was to try out for a walk on spot on the football team. He ultimately decided not to pursue the opportunity when he took up acting.
5. He Believes In A Conspiracy Theory Surrounding 9/11
There are lots of theories out there about what ‘really’ happened with the terrorist attacks that took place on September 11, 2001. The most common of those theories is that the United States government orchestrated the attack. Daniel has been very open in his belief that the attacks were an inside job. This belief was even written into his character in Rescue Me.
6. He’s Been On Broadway
Daniel’s on screen resume is certainly impressive, but his theater resume isn’t too shabby either. He has done lots of stage work throughout his career. Daniel made his Broadway debut in the play Take Me Out for which he earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play.
7. Tiny Tim Inspired Him To Get Into Acting
Almost every actor can think of what movie, show, or character that inspired them to get into acting. For Daniel, that inspiration came from an unlikely source, Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol. During his interview with The Chicago Tribune Daniel said, “I do remember as a youngster seeing Tiny Tim up on stage and realizing, ‘Wow, kids can be actors, too. That would be kind of cool. I’d love to do that.”
8. He’s Not Really Into Social Media
Social media has become so popular that it’s hard to believe there are people out there who don’t use it on a regular basis. Although there have been points in time where Daniel was active on social media, that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. As far as we can tell, he doesn’t have any verified social media accounts at the moment.
9. He Was In A Video Game
Daniel has always been interested in trying new things. In 2002, he did some voice acting work with an appearance in the video game TOCA Race Driver. He hasn’t done any video games or voice acting since, but it’ll be interesting if he decides to revisit similar opportunities in the future.
10. He Encourages People To Never Give Up
Daniel has found a lot of success over the years, but the road hasn’t always been easy. His desire to keep pushing forward has been one of the biggest factors in his success. While talking to The Undefeated he reminded people, “Don’t quit and things happen.” This way of thinking has undoubtedly come in handy for him so far, and will continue to do so in the years to come.
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