# Ato Essandoh

Ato Essilfi Bracato Essandoh (born July 29, 1972) is an American television and film actor. He has appeared in numerous films and TV series, including a major role in the 2023 Netflix political drama series The Diplomat.

## Early life and education

Ato Essilfi Bracato Essandoh was born in Schenectady, New York, on July 29, 1972, the eldest child of Ebow and Monica Essandoh, from Ghana.
He graduated from New Rochelle High School in 1990. He received a B.S. in chemical engineering from Cornell University. He first joined theater when he was dared to do so by a girlfriend.
He studied acting under James Price at The Acting Studio - New York in New York City.

## Career

In 2020 Essandoh launched a podcast, Unrelated, together with childhood friend Chris Cecot, in which they discuss how race and color shaped their experiences growing up. in the same year, he played an African-British-Jewish astronaut in the 2020 Netflix scifi drama series Away.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2001 | The Experience Box | Daniel | |
| 2001 | The Accident | Cassius | Short |
| 2002 | Roger Dodger | Bouncer | |
| 2004 | Garden State | Titembay | |
| 2004 | Salome | King Herod | Short |
| 2004 | Saving Face | Jay, The Neighbor | |
| 2005 | Hitch | Tanis | |
| 2005 | Prime | Damien | |
| 2005 | Dawn's Early Light | James | Short |
| 2006 | Falling for Grace | Jamal | |
| 2006 | Brother's Shadow | Soy | |
| 2006 | Blood Diamond | Commander 'Rambo' | |
| 2007 | Millennium Crisis | Harkness | |
| 2008 | Mia and the Migoo | Baklava (voice) | |
| 2008 | Nights in Rodanthe | Jean's Lover | |
| 2010 | Get Him to the Greek | Smiling African Drummer | |
| 2010 | Camp Hell | Young Priest | |
| 2011 | Tu & Eu | Dr. Champagne | Short |
| 2011 | Art & Sex | Daniel | |
| 2012 | The Discoverers | Winston | |
| 2012 | Django Unchained | D'Artagnan | |
| 2013 | A Life for a Life | Boyle | Short |
| 2014 | Wish I Was Here | Audition Actor #3 | |
| 2016 | Jason Bourne | Craig Jeffers | |
| 2016 | The Vampire Leland | The Monsignor | Short |
| 2017 | Frank Embree | Charles Embree (voice) | Short |
| 2018 | O.G. | - | |
| 2019 | Dark Phoenix | Jones | |
| 2023 | Reptile | Dan Cleary | |
| 2024 | Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths | Mr. Terrific, Anti-Monitor (voice) | Direct-to-Video |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2001 | Third Watch | Bike Messenger | Episode: "Duty" |
| 2003 | Chappelle's Show | Extra | Episode: "Mad Real World & Ask A Gay Dude" |
| 2003 | Law & Order | Jason Hendri | Episode: "Suicide Box" |
| 2003 | Line of Fire | Archibald 'Crazy Jazz' Lincoln | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2005 | Commander in Chief | Manute Obama | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2006 | Conviction | Byron 'B-Fly' Williams | Episode: "Indebted" |
| 2007 | Law & Order | Andre Blair | Episode: "Bling" |
| 2009 | Royal Pains | Antoine | Episode: "If I Were a Sick Man" |
| 2010 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Hassan | Episode: "Loyalty: Part 1 & 2" |
| 2011 | White Collar | Frederik Bilal | Episode: "Burke's Seven" |
| 2011 | Damages | Bomb Tech | Recurring role (season 4) |
| 2011–2012 | Treme | - | 2 episodes |
| 2011–2016 | Blue Bloods | Reverend Darnell Potter | Recurring role (seasons 2–7) |
| 2012–2013 | Copper | Matthew Freeman | Main role |
| 2012–2018 | Elementary | Alfredo Llamosa | Recurring role (seasons 1, 3); Guest role (seasons 2, 4, 6) |
| 2014 | Believe | FBI Agent Gardner | Recurring role |
| 2014 | Madam Secretary | King Nungunde | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2015 | Girls | D. August | Recurring role (season 4) |
| 2015 | Person of Interest | Ray Pratt | Episode: "Skip" |
| 2016 | Vinyl | Lester Grimes | Main role |
| 2016–2021 | Chicago Med | Dr. Isidore Latham | Recurring role (seasons 2–5); Guest role (season 6) |
| 2018 | Wolverine: The Long Night | Agent Tad Marshall | Main role (Podcast series; season 1) |
| 2018–2020 | Altered Carbon | Vernon Elliot | Main role (season 1); Guest role (season 2) |
| 2019 | The Code | Major Trey Ferry | Main role |
| 2020 | Tales from the Loop | Gaddis | Recurring role |
| 2020 | Away | Kwesi Weisberg Annan | Main role |
| 2021 | Evil | Nathan Katsaris | Episode: "D Is for Doll" |
| 2021–2024 | Agent Stoker | EnGAGE | Recurring role (Podcast series) |
| 2022 | Let the Right One In | Frank | 3 episodes |
| 2023 | Extrapolations | Marco | Episode: "2046: Whale Fall" |
| 2023–present | The Diplomat | Stuart Heyford | Main role |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2011 | Saints Row: The Third | Radio Voices (voice) | |