David Bryan “DB” Woodside was born on July 25, 1969 in New York City. He was a high school football player, but turned his attention to acting after sustaining a knee injury. He earned his degree from the University of Albany and later pursued his Master of Fine Arts at the Yale School of Drama.
He began his television career by portraying Aaron Mosley on the second season of the crime series Murder One. When the program was suddenly cancelled in 1997, Woodside landed guest spots on various television shows, including The Practice, Snoops, The Division and Once and Again. He made his film debut in 1998, playing a supporting role in the action film Scarred City. Two years later, he landed another big screen role, this time in the Jet Li-starred action flick Romeo Must Die, where he played the on-screen brother of late pop star Aaliyah. He was also seen as FBI Agent Rod Benton on the last season of JAG.
His additional television credits include recurring roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where he played Principal Robin Wood, and the award-winning police drama The Division. After further guest roles in CSI and CSI: Miami, he signed on to play Wayne Palmer, the brother of David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert), in the hit series 24. His character would later go on to become president of the United States, although his fate remains unclear after he suddenly suffers a cerebral hemorrhage. He has since played guest roles in Viva Laughlin and Grey’s Anatomy.
Woodside has also explored the world of stage acting, and made his first appearance in the theater on a production of Romeo and Juliet. He then joined the cast of several other stage productions, namely, A Raisin in the Sun, Le liasons dangereuses, The Tempest, Home and Macbeth.