R. Charles, and his twin sister, were born in Little Rock, AR to Charles and Patricia Wilkerson. They are the youngest of four children. Prior to R. Charles, there are no known actors in his family; however, his mom does credit his love for storytelling to the countless number of hours spent reading to him as a child. From these stories, his love for acting grew. He participated in many plays and musicals while at Booker Arts Magnet, Arkansas Governor's School, and J.A. Fair High School; however, it wasn't until he arrived at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff that he really started to hone his craft. After graduating with a B.A. in Theatre from UAPB, he pursued an MFA in Acting from the University of Virginia. Upon graduation, he moved to Chicago to start his career. After a successful time in Chicago, he and his wife, LaShawn, moved west to Los Angeles to pursue their dreams.