# David Ramsey

David Paul Ramsey (born November 17, 1971) is an American actor and director. He is best known for his roles in The CW Arrowverse series Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, and Batwoman as John Diggle / Spartan, portraying Diggle and Bass Reeves in Legends of Tomorrow, recurring as an alternate universe version of Diggle in Superman & Lois, recurring as Anton Briggs on the Showtime TV series Dexter, and starring in the film Mother and Child (2009) as Joseph.

## Early life

Ramsey was born November 17, 1971, in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Wayne State University.

## Career

From 1997 to 1998, he starred in the UPN sitcom Good News, as pastor David Randolph. In 2000, he starred as Muhammad Ali in the Fox television film Ali: An American Hero. That year, he appeared in Pay It Forward and started a recurring role in For Your Love. In 2001, he starred as Vince Lee in the South African comedy film "Mr Bones". He has also starred in recurring roles in All of Us, One on One, The West Wing, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Ghost Whisperer, Wildfire, and Hollywood Residential. From 2008 to 2009, he appeared in 17 episodes of Dexter as Anton Briggs, a pot-smoking confidential informant who has an affair with Debra Morgan in Season 3 and at the start of Season 4. In 2010, he appeared in an episode of Grey's Anatomy and in the short-lived NBC courtroom drama series Outlaw. From 2012 to 2020, he appeared in the main cast of CW's superhero show Arrow, as John Diggle, a military veteran who is Oliver's partner, confidant, bodyguard, and later gained an alter ego, Spartan, since the fourth season. The season seven episode "Past Sins" was Ramsey's directorial debut. As part of the greater Arrowverse, Ramsey has reprised his role as Diggle on The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl and Batwoman, as well as portraying an alternate version of the character on the non-Arrowverse Superman & Lois. Ramsey also starred in the TV series Blue Bloods as Mayor Carter Poole.

## Personal life

Ramsey is an accomplished Jeet Kune Do practitioner. He has also studied boxing, taekwondo and Wing Chun, and trained in kickboxing under Benny Urquidez.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1987 | Scared Stiff | George Masterson | |
| 1996 | The Nutty Professor | Student | |
| 1996 | A Very Brady Sequel | Brent | |
| 1997 | Con Air | Londell | |
| 1998 | A Short Wait Between Trains | Jenkins | |
| 1999 | Three to Tango | Bill | |
| 2000 | Pay It Forward | Sidney Parker | |
| 2001 | Mr Bones | Vince Lee | |
| 2004 | Hair Show | Cliff | |
| 2005 | Resurrection: The J.R. Richard Story | J. R. Richard | |
| 2005 | Bathsheba | King David | Short film |
| 2007 | The Death and Life of Bobby Z | Wayne | |
| 2008 | The Coverup | Bill Daily | |
| 2009 | The Rub | Cam Stewart | |
| 2009 | Mother and Child | Joseph | |
| 2014 | Draft Day | Thompson | |
| 2015 | Accidental Love | Rep. Bill Harshtone | |
| TBA | Legend of the White Dragon | Mayor Trevon Sterns | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1995 | Murder One | Reporter #3 | Episode: "Chapter Two" |
| 1996 | Deutschlandlied | George | Mniseries |
| 1996 | Space: Above and Beyond | Supervisor | Episode: "The Angriest Angel" |
| 1996 | Her Costly Affair | Shep Walker | Television film |
| 1997–1998 | Good News | Pastor David Randolph | Main role |
| 1998 | CHiPs '99 | Officer Sergeant McFall | Television film |
| 1998 | Mama Flora's Family | Booker Palmer (Adult) | Television film |
| 1999 | Mutiny | Vernon Nettles | Television film |
| 2000 | Ali: An American Hero | Muhammad Ali | Television film |
| 2000–2001 | For Your Love | Brian | 4 episodes |
| 2001 | Girlfriends | Randall | Episode: "Mom's the Word" |
| 2001 | Thieves | Agent Victor | Episode: "The Long Con" |
| 2002 | For the People | N/A | Episode: "To DNA or Not to DNA" |
| 2002 | Romeo Fire | N/A | Television film |
| 2002 | The Guardian | Debord's Lawyer | Episode: "No Good Deed" |
| 2002–2003 | One on One | Jayden | Episodes: "Everybody Loves Whom?", "It's a Miserable Life" |
| 2003 | The Flannerys | Sam Gable | Television film |
| 2003 | Strong Medicine | Jake Cortese | Episode: "Breathing Lessons" |
| 2003 | NCIS | Special Agent Richard Owens | Episode: "The Curse" |
| 2004 | Crossing Jordan | Agent Scannell | Episode: "Is That Plutonium in Your Pocket, or Are You Just Happy to See Me?" |
| 2004 | CSI: Miami | Officer Everhart | Episode: "Wannabe" |
| 2004 | Charmed | Upper Level Demon | Episode: "Witch Wars" |
| 2004 | Second Time Around | Travis Byrd | Episode: "A Kiss Is Still a Kiss" |
| 2005 | Central Booking | Troy Stonebreaker | Television film |
| 2005 | Huff | Clay | 3 episodes |
| 2005 | All of Us | Rusty | Recurring role (6 episodes) |
| 2005 | Jane Doe: The Wrong Face | Mac | Television film |
| 2005–2008 | Ghost Whisperer | Will | 4 episodes |
| 2006 | Hello Sister, Goodbye Life | Uncle Dennis Klein | Television film |
| 2006 | The West Wing | Teddy - Santos's Turnout Briefer | Episodes: "Welcome to Wherever You Are", "Election Day: Part 1" |
| 2006 | Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America | Curtis Ansen | Television film |
| 2006 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Gerald Crowley | Episode: "Burn Out" |
| 2007 | Criminal Minds | Wakeland | Episode: "Fear and Loathing" |
| 2007 | Journeyman | Det. Wilson Hargreaves | Episode: "The Legend of Dylan McCleen" |
| 2008 | Hollywood Residential | Don Merritt | Main role |
| 2008 | Wildfire | Dr. Noah Gleason | Recurring role |
| 2008–2009 | Dexter | Anton Briggs | Recurring role Nominated - Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series |
| 2009 | Castle | Jim Wheeler | Episode: "Fool Me Once..." |
| 2010 | Grey's Anatomy | Jimmy Thompson | Episode: "Sympathy for the Parents" |
| 2010 | Outlaw | Al Druzinsky | Main role |
| 2011–17 | Blue Bloods | Carter Poole | Recurring role |
| 2012–20 | Arrow | John Diggle / Spartan / Bass Reeves | Main role |
| 2014–23 | The Flash | John Diggle / Spartan / Bass Reeves | 11 episodes |
| 2016–17 & 2020 | Legends of Tomorrow | John Diggle / Spartan / Bass Reeves | 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Illicit | Guy / Husband | Television Film |
| 2018 & 2021 | Supergirl | John Diggle | 2 episodes |
| 2021–22 | Batwoman | John Diggle | 2 episodes |
| 2021–22 | Superman & Lois | John Diggle | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | The Rookie: Feds | Greg Wright | Episode: "Countdown" |
| 2024 | Bel-Air | Lamont Alton | 2 Episodes |
| 2025 | The Hunting Party | Arlo Brandt | Episode: "Arlo Brandt" |

### Director

| Year | Production | Notes |
| 2019 | Arrow | 2 episodes: "Past Sins" & "Reset" |
| 2021–2023 | Superman & Lois | 4 episodes: "Man of Steel", "The Ties That Bind", "Truth and Consequences" & "Head On" |
| 2021 | Legends of Tomorrow | Episode: "Stressed Western" |
| 2021 | Supergirl | Episode: "Blind Spots" |
| 2021 | Batwoman | Episode: "A Lesson from Professor Pyg" |
| 2023 | All American | Episode: "Stand Up for Something" |