From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Ato EssandohΒ (born 29th of July 1972) is anΒ Americantelevision and film actor. Essandoh, who was born inΒ Schenectady, New York, graduated fromΒ New Rochelle High SchoolΒ in 1990. He received aΒ B.S.Β inΒ chemical engineeringΒ fromΒ Cornell University. He is also a playwright, and authoredΒ Black ThangΒ which is published in the anthologyΒ Plays and Playwrights 2003. He also studied acting at the Acting Studio inΒ New York City. Essandoh is also the co-founder of The Defiant Ones writing and performance group. His parents are fromΒ Ghana, West Africa. Essandoah joined theΒ Phi Kappa PsiΒ fraternity at Cornell University, and through that organization, theΒ Irving Literary Society.