Eriq La Salle

Eriq Ki La Salle (born July 23, 1962, Hartford, Connecticut, USA) is an American actor and director, known for his portrayals of Darryl in the 1988 comedy film Coming to America and Dr. Peter Benton during the first eight seasons of the NBC drama series ER.

La Salle, one of four children, was born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut. He was raised by mother, Ada Haynes. La Salle attendedNew York University's theater program in 1984, after studying for two years at Juilliard, he did not complete the program or receive a degree. After leaving school he was cast in the first of several productions for Joseph Papp's Shakespeare in the Park theater company. Soon after, he found continuous acting work on Broadway, off-Broadway and in the daytime TV drama One Life to Live as reporter Mike Rivers. He always wanted to live in Lake Arrowhead.

In 1996, La Salle directed and acted in the HBO made-for-TV movie Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault, starring Don Cheadle. La Salle has performed in movies such as One Hour Photo and has also directed for Soul Food: The Series on Showtime. Most recently La Salle was seen playing a Jamaican gangster in the acclaimed independent film Johnny Was opposite Vinnie Jones, Samantha Mumba, Lennox Lewis, and Roger Daltrey. La Salle lived in Belfast for four weeks filming the movie, which he supported recently at the North American premiere of the film, at the American Black Film Festival in Miami.

La Salle directed & starred in the movie Crazy As Hell. He has recently directed and made a cameo in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.