Daniel Sunjata

Daniel Sunjata Condon (born December 30, 1971) is an American actor known for his performances in film, television, and theater. He gained recognition for his role as Franco Rivera in the FX television series Rescue Me. Sunjata was born and raised in Evanston, Illinois, and is the adopted son of Bill and Catherine Condon. He has Irish and Italian-German ancestry. Named after the Mandinka king Sundiata Keita, he was told his biological mother was a white teenager and his father was African-American. Sunjata played linebacker for two state championship football teams at Mount Carmel High School in Chicago. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a Master of Fine Arts from New York University's Graduate Acting Program.