{{Short description|American actor (born 1983)}} {{Infobox person | name = Gaius Charles | image = Gaius Charles by Gage Skidmore.jpg | caption = Charles at the 2023 WonderCon | education = Carnegie Mellon University {{small|(BFA)}}<br>Drew University {{small|(MA)}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|5|2}} | birth_place = Manhattan, New York, U.S. | years_active = 2006–present | occupation = Actor }} '''Gaius Charles''' (born May 2, 1983<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mike Rose |first=cleveland com |date=2024-05-02 |title=Famous birthdays list for today, May 2, 2024 includes celebrities David Beckham, Ellie Kemper |url=https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2024/05/famous-birthdays-list-for-today-may-2-2024-includes-celebrities-david-beckham-ellie-kemper.html |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=cleveland |language=en}}</ref>) is an American actor known for his portrayal of Brian "Smash" Williams in the television drama, ''Friday Night Lights''. He also played Dr. Shane Ross on the ABC medical drama series ''Grey's Anatomy'' and a recurring role on the NBC historical-drama series ''Aquarius'', as Black Panther leader Bunchy Carter. He also played a role on ''NCIS''{{'}}s ninth season as Jason King, an arson investigator for the Baltimore Police Department.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2014/07/14/gaius-charles-aquarius-season-1-nbc-cast-bunchy/|title = Grey's Anatomy's Gaius Charles Joins NBC's Charles Manson Drama Aquarius| work=TVLine |date = 14 July 2014 | last1=Ausiello | first1=Michael }}</ref>
==Early life== Charles was born on May 2, 1983, in Manhattan, New York. He was raised in New York City and Teaneck, New Jersey.
Charles graduated from Teaneck High School in 2001.<ref name="record">{{Cite journal | date= November 26, 2007 | title= Teaneck actor got in the zone to land ''Friday Night Lights'' role | journal= The Record | first = Virginia | last = Rohan}}</ref> He attended Carnegie Mellon University's College of Fine Arts, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drama. He also studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney, Australia.<ref name="nbc">{{cite web| url = http://www.nbc.com/Friday_Night_Lights/bios/Gaius_Charles.shtml| title = GAIUS CHARLES as Smash Williams| access-date = 2008-10-24| publisher = NBC}}</ref> He earned a Master of Arts degree in Religious Studies from Drew University.
==Career== [[File:Jeffrey Reiner, Jason Katims, Adrianne Palicki and Gaius Charles, June 2007 (5).jpg|thumb|Jeffrey Reiner, Jason Katims, Adrianne Palicki and Gaius Charles accept the Peabody Award for ''Friday Night Lights'', June 2007]] In 2017, Charles starred in the first season of NBC's television drama series ''Taken'', based on the ''Taken'' film franchise. He has appeared in multiple television series, including his most notable role in ''Friday Night Lights, Grey's Anatomy'', and ''Aquarius'', in which he portrayed Civil Rights Activist and Black Panther Bunchy Carter, and ''Necessary Roughness.'' Charles made guest appearances on ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Blindspot'', Comedy Central's ''Drunk History'', in which he portrayed Muhammad Ali, ''NCIS, Pan Am,'' and ''Law & Order: SVU.'' His film credits include the independent features ''The Stanford Prison Experiment,'' ''Toe To Toe'', and ''The Messenger''. He's also worked on studio films like ''Salt'' and ''Takers.'' In addition to film and television, Charles starred in the Labyrinth Theater Company's production of ''Othello'' alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Ortiz. He received positive reviews for originating the roles of “EZ” in Beau Willimon's play ''Lower Ninth'' and “Malcolm” in director Thomas Kail's ''Broke-ology''.
==Filmography== [[File:Gaius Charles by David Shankbone.jpg|right|thumb|Charles at the premiere of ''Redbelt'' at Tribeca Film Festival in 2008]]
===Film=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |- |rowspan=2| 2009 | ''Toe to Toe'' | Kevin | |- | ''The Messenger'' | Recruiter Brown | |- |rowspan=2| 2010 | ''Salt'' | CIA Officer | |- | ''Takers'' | Max | |- | 2015 | ''The Stanford Prison Experiment'' | Paul Vogel | |- | 2016 | ''Batman: Bad Blood'' | Luke Fox/Batwing (voice) | Video |- | 2021 | ''Land of Dreams'' | David | |- | 2022 | ''Alice'' | Joseph | |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2006 | ''The Book of Daniel'' | Carver | Episode: "Betrayal" |- | 2006–08 | ''Friday Night Lights'' | Brian "Smash" Williams | Main cast: Season 1–2, recurring cast: Season 3 |- | 2007 | ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' | Jadon Odami | Episode: "Fight" |- | 2011 | ''Pan Am'' | Joe | Episode: "Truth or Dare" |- |rowspan=2| 2012 | ''NCIS'' | Baltimore Detective Jason King | Episode: "Rekindled" |- | ''Necessary Roughness'' | Damon Razor | Recurring cast: season 2 |- | 2012–14 | ''Grey's Anatomy'' | Dr. Shane Ross | Recurring cast: Season 9, main cast: Season 10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/greys-anatomy-season-9-friday-night-lights-gaius-charles-349739|title='Grey's Anatomy' Admits 'Friday Night Lights' Alum|last=Goldberg|first=Lesley|work=Hollywood Reporter|date=July 16, 2012|access-date=July 17, 2012}}</ref> |- |rowspan=2| 2015 | ''Six Guys One Car'' | Larry | Recurring cast: season 2 |- | ''Drunk History'' | Muhammad Ali | Episode: "Cleveland" |- |rowspan=2| 2016 | ''Blindspot'' | Sgt. Charlie Napier | Episode: "Scientists Hollow Fortune" |- | ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' | Ruben Mackenzie | Episode: "Watchdogs" |- | 2015–16 | ''Aquarius'' | Bunchy Carter | Recurring cast |- | 2017 | ''Taken'' | John | Main cast: season 1 |- | 2019 | ''Drunk History'' | Moses Fleetwood Walker | Episode: "Baseball" |- | 2019–20 | ''God Friended Me'' | Rev. Andrew Carver | Main cast: season 1, recurring cast: season 2 |- | 2020–22 | ''Roswell, New Mexico'' | Roy Bronson | Recurring cast: season 2, guest: season 3–4 |- |rowspan=2| 2022 | ''Queens'' | Tomas | Recurring cast |- | ''The Wonder Years'' | Mr. Brady | Episode: "Black Teacher" |- | 2023–present | ''The Walking Dead: Dead City'' | Perlie Armstrong | Main cast |}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{commons category|Gaius Charles}} *{{IMDb name|2173080}} * {{Twitter}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Charles, Gaius}} Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century African-American male actors Category:African-American Christians Category:American male film actors Category:American male stage actors Category:American male television actors Category:Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts alumni Category:Male actors from Manhattan Category:Teaneck High School alumni Category:21st-century American male actors Category:Male actors from Teaneck, New Jersey