Introduction
David Paul Ramsey (born November 17, 1971) is an American actor, director, and martial artist, best known for his roles in the CW series Arrow as John Diggle/Spartan, Anton Briggs on the Showtime TV series Dexter, and the film Mother and Child (2009) as Joseph.
Life and career
Ramsey was born November 17, 1971, in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Wayne State University. From 1997 to 1998, he starred in the UPN sitcom Good News, as pastor David Randolph. In 2000, he starred as Muhammad Ali in the Fox television movie Ali: An American Hero. That year, he appeared in Pay It Forward and started a recurring role in For Your Love. In 2001, he starred as Vince Lee in the South African comedy film "Mr Bones". He has also starred in recurring roles in All of Us, The West Wing, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Ghost Whisperer, Wildfire, and Hollywood Residential. From 2008 to 2009, he appeared in 17 episodes of Dexter as Anton Briggs, a pot-smoking confidential informant who has an affair with Debra Morgan in Season 3 and at the start of Season 4. In 2010, he appeared in an episode of Grey's Anatomy and in the short-lived NBC courtroom drama series Outlaw. From 2012 to 2020, he had been pulling double duty, appearing in the main cast of CW's superhero show Arrow, as John Diggle, a military veteran who is Oliver's partner, confidant, bodyguard, and later gained an alter ego, Spartan, since the 4th season. The season 7 episode "Past Sins" was Ramsey's directorial debut. He had also appeared in Arrow's spin off shows such as Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and The Flash. Ramsey also starred in the TV series Blue Bloods as Mayor Carter Poole Deez.
Ramsey is an accomplished martial artist, with a black belt in Jeet Kune Do. He has also studied boxing, tae kwon do and Wing Chun, and trained in kickboxing under Benny "Jet" Urquidez.