In the US TV series "Gotham", who portrayed James Gordon as a young detective new to Gotham's police force?

James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) is a rising detective in the dangerously corrupt fictional city (Gotham), where his late father was a successful district attorney. Brave, honest and determined to prove himself, Gordon must navigate the dirty politics of Gotham's justice system. The rise of malevolent villains, including The Penguin, The Riddler, and Catwoman was also taking place. The series additionally chronicles the life of young Bruce Wayne, who becomes an orphan when his billionaire parents Thomas and Martha Wayne are murdered. Gordon becomes a friend to Bruce as he finds his way toward becoming an iconic caped crusader.

Ben McKenzie was born in Austin, Texas in September 1978. He attended Austin High School, and had fun playing on the school's football team. From 1997—2001, he attended the University of Virginia. He majored in Foreign Affairs and Economics.

McKenzie got into acting during his years at the university. After graduation he moved to New York and appeared in some off-Broadway shows. In late 2001, he decided to relocate to Los Angeles, CA. He got roles on TV with early appearances on "The District" (2002), "JAG" (2003), and "MADtv" (2004). In 2003, "The O.C." premiered on FOX. The show (2003–2007) was a great success; it put McKenzie on the map as Ryan Atwood. He then went on to have film roles in "Junebug" (2005), "88 Minutes" (2007), and "Johnny Got His Gun" (2008).

On TV from 2009–2013, he was in "Southland" and in 2014–2019, he worked on "Gotham".