J. August Richards was born Jaime Augusto Richards III on August 28, 1973 in Washington, D.C. Richards realized his interest in acting at an early age and enrolled in a performing arts high school where he acted in several plays. Determined to pursue his acting dream and with much confidence in his skills and abilities, Richards applied to only one college – the University of Southern California. Richards was not only accepted, but he received numerous scholarships and grants to study theater. After graduation, Richards earned rave reviews and recognition for his role in the Mark Taper Forum's production of Space. He eventually got cast as the vampire-slaying street fighter, Charles Gunn and appeared in the latter half of the first season of
Angel . He stayed on the show for the rest of the season and became a regular cast member throughout the succeeding four seasons.
Charles Gunn, played by J. August Richards on Angel, grew up in the tough streets and neighborhood of the ghettos of inner city Los Angeles. With his physical strength, tenacious determination and cunning strategizing, Gunn rose through the ranks to emerge as leader of a group of vampire hunters. He was initially reluctant to trust Angel when they first crossed paths but when he is forced to kill his own beloved sister after she is turned into a vampire, Charles began to realize his own limitations and agreed to become part of Angel Investigations.
(Photo courtesy of The WB)