Television
Dunbar is known for his leading role as Kenny Chadway on the television series Soul Food, and TV Guide named him as one of "Television's 50 Sexiest Stars of All Time". He landed a regular role as Benjamin Miles "C-Note" Franklin on the television series Prison Break. In 2007, Dunbar starred on the short-lived TNT medical drama Heartland. He made a guest appearance on Noah's Arc as himself to give Noah (screenwriter and the main character of the show) some ideas about his movie Fine Art. He also had a recurring role on the UPN series Girlfriends, and is also known for his role as "Pookie" on the television series The Game. He was also a regular on the short-lived FX series Terriers.
Dunbar's other TV credits include guest appearances in Earth 2, Felicity, The Pretender, Two Guys and a Girl, and North Shore.
In 2011, he joined the cast of FX's show Sons of Anarchy as the new Sheriff of Charming, Eli Roosevelt. In 2013, Dunbar joined the CBS crime drama The Mentalist as FBI agent Dennis Abbott. In 2018, Dunbar joined the cast of 9-1-1 as Michael Grant, leaving in 2021 over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, after his requests for exemptions were denied.
In February 2022, it was reported that he has sued the makers of the show for $1 million, saying he "was denied medical and religious exemptions and faced racial discrimination." In July 25, 2022, Dunbar's case of racial misconduct was dismissed as baseless by a judge in a Los Angeles courtroom, but Disney/Fox does face some claims from Rockmond Dunbar alleging religious and racial discrimination, retaliation and breach of contract, among other claims. Dunbar based his reason for an exemption on the fact that he had an exemption letter from the Congregation of Universal Wisdom. The New York Times reported that all it takes to join the church is a letter to chiropractor Walter P. Schilling, who runs the congregation from his den, and accepts as members those who confirm that they "will aspire to live by" the beliefs of the church, and have paid at least $1 to the church as a sign of commitment. The studio pointed out that he had taken many actions that go against the beliefs of the church, including undergoing medical procedures, but he said in response that he had spoken with God, who "permitted [him] to act differently." U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee was skeptical of his claims, stating that communing with God is not a "blanket privilege that undermines our system of ordered liberty," but decided that the lawsuit could head to trial. On October 17, 2025, Dunbar lost the case as an eight-member federal jury voted unanimously in favor of Disney-owned 20th Television.
