Eriq La Salle

Eriq La Salle, born Erik Ki La Salle on July 23, 1962, is an American actor, director, writer, and producer. He gained recognition for his role in the film Coming to America (1988) and his portrayal of Dr. Peter Benton in the NBC medical drama ER (1994–2002; 2008–2009). La Salle's performance in ER earned him three NAACP Image Awards and nominations for a Golden Globe Award and three Primetime Emmy Awards. He grew up in Hartford, Connecticut, and attended Weaver High School and the Artists Collective, Inc. La Salle studied at the Juilliard School's Drama Division and graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1984. He began his career with Joseph Papp's Shakespeare in the Park production of Henry V.