Christopher Gorham

The face everyone recognizes but few can name

Christopher Gorham is not an actor known for scandalous covers or big headlines in the gossip press. He was born in Fresno in 1974, and his career is built on the steady dedication of a working industry professional. His big-screen debut came with a minor role in Spy Game in 1997. But it was the teen series Popular in 1999 that made him a name among teenage audiences of the time.

There, he met his wife, Anel Lopez Gorham.

In 2001 he filmed The Other Side of Heaven in the Tonga Islands. He worked alongside Anne Hathaway when she was not yet a global star. The film grossed just over $4.7 million at the U.S. box office. That commercial setback did not slow his pace of work, because his profile fit perfectly with the new television that was taking shape.

In 2006, he landed the role that changed how the public saw him. He played Henry Grubstick in Ugly Betty. He was the ideal boyfriend, the bespectacled accountant who brought a sense of normalcy to an extravagant fashion world. That ABC series ran for four seasons, and Gorham learned that television could be a stable home if he chose his scripts wisely.

Technique Over Charisma

In 2010 he took on the role of Auggie Anderson in Covert Affairs. Playing a blind CIA agent required a level of technical preparation that few television actors take on. He trained with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind to understand how a person without sight moves through hostile environments.

He spent five seasons on the show and also directed several episodes of the series. Gorham always wanted to understand what went on behind the cameras so he would not depend solely on his image in front of them.

The physical effort was real.

In 2018 he returned to dark comedy with Insatiable for Netflix. The show's tone was controversial from day one because of how it portrayed the characters' physiques. But he defended the project until its cancellation in 2019, after two seasons filmed entirely in Georgia.

The return to legal drama

In 2022, he appeared in the first season of The Lincoln Lawyer. He played Trevor Elliott, a video game tycoon accused of a double murder. His cold, calculating performance was a complete departure from the likable characters of his early romantic comedy roles.

The industry is fickle.

In 2023 he appeared in an episode of the anthology series Accused under the direction of Marlee Matlin. In 2024 his casting in the series NCIS: Origins was confirmed, where he would play Agent Samuelana. The CBS contract for this production was signed for an initial season with an option to renew, depending on ratings in the Monday night time slot.