American actor Jaime Augusto Richards III—better known to audiences as J. August Richards—was born on August 28, 1973 in Washignton, D.C. He attended Suitland High School in Suitland, Maryland, taking advantage of its Visual and Performing Arts program. Bent on pursuing an acting career in Los Angeles, he only applied for one college, after his graduation in 1991; he eventually got admitted to the University of Southern California, where he was also offered scholarships and grants to study theater.
His first acting stint was in 1988, when a casting director spotted him and consequently gave him a guest role on The Cosby Show. He then followed it up with several more television guest roles, for shows such as Family Matters, Space: Above and Beyond, Diagnoses Murder, JAG, Chicago Hope, Clueless, Sliders, The West Wing and The Practice. He also acted on stage, gaining acclaim for his role in the Los Angeles production of Tina Landau’s play Space.
In 2001, he joined the cast of the hit series Angel. There, he played the role of Charles Gunn, a demon hunter who joins the group and forces himself to adjust to Wesley (Alexis Denisof) and Cordelia’s (Charisma Carpenter) working styles, as they are more into research as opposed to his preference for fighting physically. He stayed in the series until its end in 2004.
In 2006, Richards joined the cast of the short-lived legal drama Conviction. He took on the role of Billy Desmond, a smart and politically-motivated lawyer who refuses to compromise for fear of breaking his perfect winning record or his political stature. The series was axed after one season due to dismal ratings.
Richards has also appeared in several films, the first being the comedy Good Burger in 1997. His other films include Why Do Fools Fall In Love and Paved with Good Intentions.