Exclusive: Gbenga Akkinagbe Talks ‘24: Live Another Day‘Posted by Wilson Morales
May 7, 2014
With the return of Keifer Sutherland as Jack Bauer on Fox’s 24: Live Another Day, fans of the series were introduced to a crop of veteran actors joining the show.
24: Live Another Day picks up the story four years after the series finale, which left Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) as a fugitive, this time in London. Besides Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub returns as Chloe O’Brian, as well as Kim Raver and William Devane reprising their roles as Audrey Raines and James Heller, respectively. Joining the series are Benjamin Bratt, Yvonne Strahovski, Tate Donovan, Gbenga Akkinagbe, Michael Wincott, and Giles Matthey.
For Akkinagbe, the series represents another highlight in his career. Best known for his role as Chris Partlow on the HBO series The Wire, the Washington, D.C. native has stayed on the radar since the series ended in 2008. Besides being featured in films such as The Savages, The Taking of Pelham 123, Edge of Darkness, Lottery Ticket, and the independent film Home, Akkinagbe has had several recurring roles on numerous TV programs such as CBS’ ‘The Good Wife,’ Direct TV’s Damages opposite Glenn Close and Rose Byrne, Showtime’s Nurse Jackie with Emmy winner Edie Falco, and most recently USA’s Graceland.
Blackfilm.com recently caught up with Akinnagbe as he talked about being in 24: Live Another Day, living in London, and his projects outside acting.
How would you describe Erik Ritter?
Gbenga Akinnagbe: Erik Ritter is a CIA operative. He’s the lead tactical officer and I’d like to think that he’s an all-around badass. When I first starting doing this, producer Jon Cassar had me get in the mindset that Erik is the CIA’s new ‘Jack Bauer,’ and I was like, “I’ll do that.” He’s ambitious, very good at his job and thinks he should rewarded accordingly.
Had you followed up with the series prior to taking on the role?
GA: I tried. I found out I was coming out to do it two weeks before they were bringing me out to do it and there were hundreds of hours of episodes to catch up on. I got as far as season 2 before I realized I had to start packing.
I’m not sure if you are aware, but guys who think they are the new ‘Jack Bauer’ don’t tend to stay in that position long enough.
GA: (laughs) This is true. I take it day by day, but I’m having fun.
From the first two episodes that just aired, you get to mano-a-mano with Jack Bauer. What was that like?
GA: It’s intense. From day one, it’s intense. My character has studied Jack Bauer. He’s the agent that all the agents want to be like and wish their careers were as successful as his. My character believes he knows how Jack will think and move, and then to go up against him, there’s better challenge or testing his metal. How that ends up, I’ll let the audience decide. It gets rough between the two.
How’s shooting in London?
GA: I love it. I have only been in London once before and that was a little vacation and now I’ve been there four months. I just got back to New York for the premiere and go back the next day. It’s a new world. I live there.
Have you picked up any of the language?
GA: People have told me that there’s been some “Britishisms” that have slipped into my vernacular. I haven’t notice it but every once in a while, when we’re doing a scene, someone would say, “You know you just said that with a British accent.” If you are there long enough, the language starts getting into you. Plus, my family is Nigerian, and it was a British colony. So a lot of Nigerians speak British. People said I had an accent although I grew up in the United States. It’s very easy to slip into those tones but I’m trying to keep it Brooklyn.
From the resurrection of Dallas to 24, why do you think fans want to see these favorites come back?
GA: ’24’ had eight successful seasons. It wasn’t like it faded in the end. People always had an appetite for it, and that appetite has grown in its absence. The studios know that they have these shows like ‘Dallas’ and ’24’ and so on that has an audience that’s grown and sometimes it’s worth the risk to bring it back and let it catch fire. From the press that ’24’ is getting, the audience is responding to the fact that it’s coming back and they were right.
You’ve had a good run of employment from The Wire to Graceland and 24: Live Another Day with some films in between. What’s your secret?
GA: To be honest, I just don’t care. Acting is cool. I dig it. But there is so many more things I’m interested in doing. I have an apparel line called Liberated People. We honor the liberation of nations around the world. You can check it out at weareliberated.com. I’ve been producing some films. I sold a film a film at Sundance last year. I write when I can. I wrote for Sony Pictures and also had an article in the New York Times. I like doing different things, so I’m very fortunate that I get to work as an actor and it enables me to do different things. I’m very involved in social activism. I doing a lot to support that and it enables me to not put a lot of pressure of whether I have a job or not. Hopefully, the work speaks for itself. That’s always been my intention.
What was the attraction to doing this series?
GA: I had such a great time on Graceland. The cast was mad cool. All the writers were really cool and they treated us really well. The fans of the show were great. I had never been on a show where so many fans, well maybe The Wire, were I got a lot of love during the run of the show. 24: Live Another Day came along and it was an amazing opportunity. It wasn’t necessarily a choice between the two. As a recurring player on Graceland, you’re never sure what’s going to happen with your character or the next season. By the time 24: Live Another Day came along, I’m not sure if Graceland had been picked up for another season yet.
How’s working with the cast on 24: LAD?
GA: We have an amazing cast. With Benjamin, I had watched this guy on TV and thinking, “Man, this is probably a really nice guy.” The dude is as nice as you think he is and really talented. Yvonne Strahovski and I have a lot of fun together. She’s really cool and down-to-earth. We have a great cast. Stephen Fry is in it. Michelle Fairley from Game of Thrones is it. John Boyega is mad cool. He just got cast in Star Wars, which is hot. We’re off doing our thing and it’s about the show and we have a great captain in Jon Cassar, who knows the show well. He and Keifer know every element of the show. We’re just walking in the house that they built and adding our own little stank to it.
Should it do well in the ratings, are you prepared for another run if Fox decides to do another season?
GA: As an actor, you have to be prepared for all eventualities. It would be great if that happens. 24 is something I would like to continue doing.
Between The Wire, Graceland, and 24: Live Another Day, where does this rank in terms of your exposure?
GA: That’s a very good question. It’s a huge show around the world, even four years after it’s been off the air. The exposure is massive. The Wire is massive as well, but that was a slow burn. The way it’s growing, it’s not ever going anywhere. It’s literally in history books and part of curriculum all over the world. That exposure is unlike anything else. It’s unfair to compare. There were eight seasons of 24 on network TV, which has a larger audience. It’s not a paid subscription like HBO, so more people were watching 24 and know about 24 and were waiting for 24 to come back. The Wire has exposed me in a different way.
If you are new to the series, what’s a good reason to watch 24: Live Another Day?
GA: This season stands alone. If you had not watched the previous seasons, you can watch these 12 episodes and enjoy it and not wonder what happened before. That’s what I’m doing. I looks great and stories are great. Our Director of Photography Jeff (C. Mygat) makes everything look like a movie. The actors and the setting in London is amazing. It takes some twists that you won’t see coming.
