D. B. Woodside

David Bryan Woodside is an American actor widely recognized for his extensive work across television and film. He is best known for portraying high-profile characters in popular television series, including the angel Amenadiel in Lucifer, Wayne Palmer in 24, and Robin Wood in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He also gained prominence for portraying bass singer Melvin Franklin in the miniseries The Temptations, alongside featured roles in Suits, Single Ladies, and Parenthood.

Born on July 25, 1969, in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, Woodside demonstrated an early talent for strategy as a high school chess champion. He pursued his higher education by earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Albany, followed by a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale School of Drama.

Woodside commenced his professional screen career in 1996 when he joined the second season of Murder One as Aaron Mosley. Following the end of that series, he secured guest appearances on several television shows, including The Practice, Snoops, The Division, Once and Again, and JAG. His breakout television presence expanded further when he was cast as Sunnydale High School Principal Robin Wood for 14 episodes during the final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer between 2002 and 2003.

Shortly after, Woodside took on the major role of Chief of Staff Wayne Palmer in the political thriller 24. Introduced in the third season, he returned as a guest actor in the fifth season before being elevated to a main cast member in the sixth season, where his character became the President of the United States. During this decade, he also made guest appearances on shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Grey's Anatomy, Monk, Lie to Me, and Hellcats.

From 2011 to 2014, Woodside portrayed Malcolm Franks on the VH1 series Single Ladies. His career continued with prominent television commitments, including playing Jeff Malone in Suits starting in 2014, and Dr. Joseph Prestridge in Parenthood. In 2016, he landed the main role of Amenadiel in the fantasy drama Lucifer, which aired on Fox and Netflix.

Woodside has remained active in high-profile dramatic projects. In 2023, he portrayed veteran U.S. Secret Service agent Erik Monks in the Netflix series The Night Agent. In 2025, he appeared as Uncle Leon in the BET+ Original Film Fighting to Be Me: The Dwen Curry Story. In his personal life, Woodside was in a relationship with actress Golden Brooks from 2008 to 2010, with whom he shares a daughter born in 2009.