Chiwetel Ejiofor
Encyclopedia
Chiwetelu Umeadi "Chiwetel" Ejiofor, OBE
is an English actor of stage and screen. He has received numerous acting awards and award nominations, including the 2006 BAFTA Awards Rising Star, three Golden Globe Awards' nominations, and the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in Othello
.
, to Nigeria
n parents who belonged to the Igbo
ethnic group. His father, Arinze, was a doctor, and his mother, Obiajulu, was a pharmacist. In 1988, when Ejiofor was 11, tragedy occurred during a family trip to Nigeria for a wedding. After the celebrations, his father and Ejiofor were driving to Lagos, when their car was involved in a head-on crash with a lorry. His father was killed, but Ejiofor survived despite being badly injured, receiving the trademark scars on his forehead. Ejiofor began acting in school plays at the age of thirteen at Dulwich College
and joined the National Youth Theatre
. He played the title role in Othello
at the Bloomsbury Theatre in September 1995, and again at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow
in 1996 when he starred opposite Rachael Stirling
, who played Desdemona
.
in 1996. He went on to become a prominent stage actor in London. In Steven Spielberg
's Amistad, he gave memorable support to Djimon Hounsou
's Cinque as interpreter Ens. James Covey
. In 1999, he appeared in the British film G:MT
. In 2000, he starred in Blue/Orange
at the Royal National Theatre
(Cottesloe stage), and later at the Duchess Theatre
. That same year, his performance as Romeo in William Shakespeare
's Romeo and Juliet
was nominated for the Ian Charleson Award. Ejiofor was awarded the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the 2000 Critics' Circle Theatre Awards. For his performance in Blue/Orange, he received the 2000 London Evening Standard
Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer and a 2001 nomination for the Laurence Olivier
Theatre Award Best Supporting Actor.
Ejiofor had his first leading film role in the 2002's Dirty Pretty Things
, for which he won a British Independent Film Award
for best actor. He also starred in a 2003 BBC adaptation of Chaucer's
The Knight's Tale
as well as another BBC series Trust
in the same year. He starred alongside Hilary Swank
in 2004's Red Dust
, portraying the fictional politician Alex Mpondo of post-apartheid South Africa. He played the central part of Prince Alamayou
in Peter Spafford's radio play I Was a Stranger, broadcast on BBC Radio 4
on 17 May 2004, and he played the god Dionysus
, alongside Paul Scofield
's Cadmus
and Diana Rigg
's Agave
, in Andrew Rissik's play, Dionysus, based upon Euripides
' Bacchae, also broadcast by the BBC. He also received acclaim for his performance as a complex antagonist The Operative in the 2005 movie Serenity
. Ejiofor played a revolutionary in the highly acclaimed 2006 film Children of Men
. His singing and acting performance in Kinky Boots
received Golden Globe and British Independent Film Award nominations. He was also nominated for the 2006 BAFTA Rising Star Award
, which recognises emerging British film talent. Ejiofor's performance in Tsunami: The Aftermath received a 2007 Golden Globe nomination for best actor in a miniseries or film made for TV.
In 2007, he starred opposite Don Cheadle
in Talk to Me
, a film based on the true story about Ralph "Petey" Greene (played by Cheadle), an African American radio personality in the '60s and '70s. He performed on stage in The Seagull
at the Royal Court Theatre
from 18 January to 17 March 2007.
Ejiofor is considered one of the leading candidates to play T'Challa in the proposed Black Panther
movie based on the Marvel comic books character.
In 2007, he reprised his role as Othello
at the Donmar Warehouse
, alongside Kelly Reilly as Desdemona
, and Ewan McGregor
as Iago
. The production received favorable reviews, with particularly strong praise for Ejiofor. "Chiwetel Ejiofor produces one of the most memorable performances of Othello in recent years". He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor
for his performance.
He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours. In the same year, he made his directorial debut in the short film, Slapper, which he also wrote, based on an idea by editor/director Yusuf Pirhasan.
Ejiofor was the lead alongside John Cusack
in the 2009 film 2012
. The film went on to gross over 700 million dollars, and is among the list of highest-grossing films of all time and placing 5th of top films of 2009.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
is an English actor of stage and screen. He has received numerous acting awards and award nominations, including the 2006 BAFTA Awards Rising Star, three Golden Globe Awards' nominations, and the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
.
Early years
Ejiofor was born in London's Forest GateForest Gate
Forest Gate is a residential area in the London Borough of Newham, 7 miles northeast of Charing Cross. It is bordered by Manor Park to the east and and to the west lies Stratford town centre. The northern half of the busy Green Street runs through it.-History:...
, to Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n parents who belonged to the Igbo
Igbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
ethnic group. His father, Arinze, was a doctor, and his mother, Obiajulu, was a pharmacist. In 1988, when Ejiofor was 11, tragedy occurred during a family trip to Nigeria for a wedding. After the celebrations, his father and Ejiofor were driving to Lagos, when their car was involved in a head-on crash with a lorry. His father was killed, but Ejiofor survived despite being badly injured, receiving the trademark scars on his forehead. Ejiofor began acting in school plays at the age of thirteen at Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
and joined the National Youth Theatre
National Youth Theatre
The National Youth Theatre is a registered charity in London, Great Britain, committed to creative, personal and social development of young people through the medium of creative arts....
. He played the title role in Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
at the Bloomsbury Theatre in September 1995, and again at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow
Theatre Royal, Glasgow
The Theatre Royal is the oldest theatre in Glasgow, located at 282 Hope Street in Cowcaddens. The theatre originally opened in 1867, changing its name to the Theatre Royal in 1869, and is the longest running theatre in Scotland...
in 1996 when he starred opposite Rachael Stirling
Rachael Stirling
Rachael Atlanta Stirling is an English stage, film and television actress. She is a two-time Olivier nominee for her stage work, but is best known for her performance as Nancy Astley in the BBC drama Tipping the Velvet.-Personal life:...
, who played Desdemona
Desdemona
Desdemona is a character in William Shakespeare's play Othello.Desdemona may also refer to:People* Desdemona , a soprano role in the 1816 opera Otello by Gioachino Rossini...
.
Career
Ejiofor made his film debut in the television movie Deadly VoyageDeadly Voyage
Deadly Voyage is a 1996 television film directed by John Mackenzie and written by Stuart Urban. Produced by Union Pictures and John Goldschmidt's Viva Films for joint distribution to BBC Films and HBO Films, it tells the true story of Kingsley Ofosu, the sole survivor of a group of nine African...
in 1996. He went on to become a prominent stage actor in London. In Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
's Amistad, he gave memorable support to Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Diaw Hounsou is a Beninese actor and model. As an actor, Hounsou has been nominated for two Academy Awards.-Early life:Djimon Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, in 1964, to lbertine and Pierre Hounsou, a cook. He emigrated to Lyon in France at the age of thirteen with his brother, Edmond....
's Cinque as interpreter Ens. James Covey
James Covey
James Covey was the interpreter used in the Amistad slave ship case who spoke Mende and possibly other African languages....
. In 1999, he appeared in the British film G:MT
G:MT - Greenwich Mean Time
G:MT – Greenwich Mean Time is a 1999 British drama film.Starring Steve John Shepherd and Chiwetel Ejiofor, the film features music by Acid Jazz and Jungle artists including Talvin Singh, Hinda Hicks and Imogen Heap...
. In 2000, he starred in Blue/Orange
BLUE/ORANGE
Blue/Orange is a play by written by English dramatist, Joe Penhall. A sardonically comic piece which touches on race, mental illness, and 21st century British life, it premiered at the Cottesloe Theatre in April 2000, starring Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln and Chiwetel Ejiofor...
at the Royal National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
(Cottesloe stage), and later at the Duchess Theatre
Duchess Theatre
The Duchess Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, London, located in Catherine Street, near Aldwych.The theatre opened on 25 November 1929 and is one of the smallest 'proscenium arched' West End theatres. It has 479 seats on two levels....
. That same year, his performance as Romeo in William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
was nominated for the Ian Charleson Award. Ejiofor was awarded the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the 2000 Critics' Circle Theatre Awards. For his performance in Blue/Orange, he received the 2000 London Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer and a 2001 nomination for the Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
Theatre Award Best Supporting Actor.
Ejiofor had his first leading film role in the 2002's Dirty Pretty Things
Dirty Pretty Things (film)
Dirty Pretty Things is a 2002 film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Steven Knight, a drama about two illegal immigrants in London...
, for which he won a British Independent Film Award
British Independent Film Awards 2003
The 6th British Independent Film Awards, given on 4 November 2003 at the Hammersmith Palais, London, honoured the best British independent films of 2003.-Winners:*Best Actor:**Chiwetel Ejiofor - Dirty Pretty Things*Best Actress:...
for best actor. He also starred in a 2003 BBC adaptation of Chaucer's
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer , known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to have been buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey...
The Knight's Tale
The Knight's Tale
"The Knight's Tale" is the first tale from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. The story introduces many typical aspects of knighthood such as courtly love and ethical dilemmas. The story is written in iambic pentameter end-rhymed couplets.-Story:...
as well as another BBC series Trust
Trust (TV series)
Trust was a UK television program produced written and created by Simon Block for the BBC by Box TV Productions. It starred Robson Green and a cast of other British actors including Sarah Parish, Neil Stuke, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Eva Birthistle and Ian McShane...
in the same year. He starred alongside Hilary Swank
Hilary Swank
Hilary Ann Swank is an American actress. Swank's film career began with a small part in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and then a major part in The Next Karate Kid , as Julie Pierce, the first female protégé of sensei Mr. Miyagi...
in 2004's Red Dust
Red Dust (2004 film)
Red Dust is a 2004 British drama film starring Hilary Swank and Chiwetel Ejiofor. It was directed by Tom Hooper. The story, written by Troy Kennedy-Martin, is based on the novel Red Dust by Gillian Slovo...
, portraying the fictional politician Alex Mpondo of post-apartheid South Africa. He played the central part of Prince Alamayou
Prince Alemayehu
HIH Prince Alemayehu or Alamayou of Ethiopia was the son of Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia. Emperor Tewodros II committed suicide after his defeat by the British, led by Sir Robert Napier, at the Battle of Magdala in 1868.The young prince was taken to Britain for safekeeping, under the care of...
in Peter Spafford's radio play I Was a Stranger, broadcast on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
on 17 May 2004, and he played the god Dionysus
Dionysus
Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...
, alongside Paul Scofield
Paul Scofield
David Paul Scofield, CH, CBE , better known as Paul Scofield, was an English actor of stage and screen...
's Cadmus
Cadmus
Cadmus or Kadmos , in Greek mythology was a Phoenician prince, the son of king Agenor and queen Telephassa of Tyre and the brother of Phoenix, Cilix and Europa. He was originally sent by his royal parents to seek out and escort his sister Europa back to Tyre after she was abducted from the shores...
and Diana Rigg
Diana Rigg
Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg, DBE is an English actress. She is probably best known for her portrayals of Emma Peel in The Avengers and Countess Teresa di Vicenzo in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service....
's Agave
Agave
Agave is a genus of monocots. The plants are perennial, but each rosette flowers once and then dies ; they are commonly known as the century plant....
, in Andrew Rissik's play, Dionysus, based upon Euripides
Euripides
Euripides was one of the three great tragedians of classical Athens, the other two being Aeschylus and Sophocles. Some ancient scholars attributed ninety-five plays to him but according to the Suda it was ninety-two at most...
' Bacchae, also broadcast by the BBC. He also received acclaim for his performance as a complex antagonist The Operative in the 2005 movie Serenity
Serenity (film)
Serenity is a 2005 space western film written and directed by Joss Whedon. It is a continuation of the short-lived 2002 Fox science fiction television series Firefly, taking place after the events of the final episode. Set in 2518, Serenity is the story of the captain and crew of a cargo ship...
. Ejiofor played a revolutionary in the highly acclaimed 2006 film Children of Men
Children of Men
Children of Men is a 2006 science fiction film loosely adapted from P. D. James's 1992 novel The Children of Men, directed by Alfonso Cuarón. In 2027, two decades of human infertility have left society on the brink of collapse. Illegal immigrants seek sanctuary in England, where the last...
. His singing and acting performance in Kinky Boots
Kinky Boots (film)
Kinky Boots is a 2005 comedy film written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth, about a traditional Northampton shoemaker, based in Earls Barton, who turns to producing fetishism footwear in order to save the failing family business and the jobs of his workers...
received Golden Globe and British Independent Film Award nominations. He was also nominated for the 2006 BAFTA Rising Star Award
Rising Star Award, BAFTA
Rising Star Award is one of the award categories for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts which acknowledges new talents in the acting industry. The award was created after Mary Selway's death in 2004...
, which recognises emerging British film talent. Ejiofor's performance in Tsunami: The Aftermath received a 2007 Golden Globe nomination for best actor in a miniseries or film made for TV.
In 2007, he starred opposite Don Cheadle
Don Cheadle
Donald Frank "Don" Cheadle, Jr. is an American film actor and producer. Cheadle rose to prominence in the late 1990s and the early 2000s for his supporting roles in the Steven Soderbergh-directed films Out of Sight, Traffic, and Ocean's Eleven...
in Talk to Me
Talk to Me (2007 film)
Talk To Me is a 2007 biographical film about Washington, D.C. radio personality Ralph "Petey" Greene, an ex-con who became a popular talk show host and community activist, and Dewey Hughes, his friend and manager...
, a film based on the true story about Ralph "Petey" Greene (played by Cheadle), an African American radio personality in the '60s and '70s. He performed on stage in The Seagull
The Seagull
The Seagull is the first of what are generally considered to be the four major plays by the Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov. The Seagull was written in 1895 and first produced in 1896...
at the Royal Court Theatre
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...
from 18 January to 17 March 2007.
Ejiofor is considered one of the leading candidates to play T'Challa in the proposed Black Panther
Black Panther (comics)
The Black Panther is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52...
movie based on the Marvel comic books character.
In 2007, he reprised his role as Othello
Othello (character)
Othello is a character in Shakespeare's Othello . The character's origin is traced to the tale, "Un Capitano Moro" in Gli Hecatommithi by Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio. There, he is simply referred to as the Moor....
at the Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse is a small not-for-profit theatre in the Covent Garden area of London, with a capacity of 251.-About:Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, the theatre has presented some of London’s most memorable award-winning theatrical experiences, as well as garnered critical...
, alongside Kelly Reilly as Desdemona
Desdemona (Othello)
Desdemona is a character in William Shakespeare's play Othello . Shakespeare's Desdemona is a Venetian beauty who enrages and disappoints her father, a Venetian senator, when she elopes with Othello, a man several years her senior. When her husband is deployed to Cyprus in the service of the...
, and Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor
Ewan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
as Iago
Iago
Iago is a fictional character in Shakespeare's Othello . The character's source is traced to Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio's tale "Un Capitano Moro" in Gli Hecatommithi . There, the character is simply "the ensign". Iago is a soldier and Othello's ancient . He is the husband of Emilia,...
. The production received favorable reviews, with particularly strong praise for Ejiofor. "Chiwetel Ejiofor produces one of the most memorable performances of Othello in recent years". He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor
Olivier Award for Best Actor
The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor is an annual award presented by The Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial British theatre...
for his performance.
He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours. In the same year, he made his directorial debut in the short film, Slapper, which he also wrote, based on an idea by editor/director Yusuf Pirhasan.
Ejiofor was the lead alongside John Cusack
John Cusack
John Paul Cusack is an American film actor and screenwriter. He has appeared in more than 50 films, including The Journey of Natty Gann, Say Anything..., Grosse Point Blank, The Thin Red Line, Stand by Me, Con Air, Being John Malkovich, High Fidelity, Serendipity, Runaway Jury, The Ice Harvest,...
in the 2009 film 2012
2012 (film)
2012 is a 2009 American disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich. It stars John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, and Woody Harrelson. It was produced by Emmerich's production company, Centropolis Entertainment and was distributed by Columbia Pictures...
. The film went on to gross over 700 million dollars, and is among the list of highest-grossing films of all time and placing 5th of top films of 2009.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes | Awards and nominations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Deadly Voyage Deadly Voyage Deadly Voyage is a 1996 television film directed by John Mackenzie and written by Stuart Urban. Produced by Union Pictures and John Goldschmidt's Viva Films for joint distribution to BBC Films and HBO Films, it tells the true story of Kingsley Ofosu, the sole survivor of a group of nine African... |
Ebow | ||
| 1997 | Amistad Amistad (1997 film) Amistad is a 1997 historical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg based on the true story of a mutiny in 1839 by newly captured African slaves that took place aboard the ship La Amistad off the coast of Cuba, the subsequent voyage to the Northeastern United States and the legal battle that... |
Ens. James Covey | ||
| 1999 | G:MT - Greenwich Mean Time G:MT - Greenwich Mean Time G:MT – Greenwich Mean Time is a 1999 British drama film.Starring Steve John Shepherd and Chiwetel Ejiofor, the film features music by Acid Jazz and Jungle artists including Talvin Singh, Hinda Hicks and Imogen Heap... |
Rix | ||
| 2002 | Dirty Pretty Things Dirty Pretty Things (film) Dirty Pretty Things is a 2002 film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Steven Knight, a drama about two illegal immigrants in London... |
Okwe | American Black Film Festival Award for Best Performance by an Actor American Black Film Festival The American Black Film Festival is an independent film festival that focuses primarily on works by Black members of the film industry. It has been called “the nation’s most prominent film festival.” The festival is held annually and features full-length narratives, short films, mobile... Black Reel Award for Best Actor Black Reel Award: Best Actor Here are the nominees and winners of the Black Reel Award for Best Actor.*Denzel Washington current hold the records for most wins with 3.*8 nominated/winning Black Reel Performances earned Oscar wins or nominations: Denzel Washington , Will Smith , Jamie Foxx , Don Cheadle , Terrence... British Independent Film Award for Best Actor Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actor San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor The San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actor is an award given by the San Diego Film Critics Society to honor the finest male acting achievementes in filmmaking.-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:... Nominated — British Independent Film Award for Best Newcomer British Independent Film Awards The Moët British Independent Film Awards is an annual award ceremony celebrating achievement in independently funded British film and cinema. Nominations and jury are announced at the beginning of November with the award ceremony taking place in late November or early December.-History:The British... Nominated — Chicago Film Critics Association for Most Promising Performer Chicago Film Critics Association The Chicago Film Critics Association is an American film critic association.-Members:Current members include:*Sarah Knight Adamson*Zbigniew Banas*Shelley Cameron*Dave Canfield*Vittorio Carli*Erik Childress*Camerin Courtney*Bonnie DeShong... Nominated — European Film Award for Best Actor European Film Award for Best Actor -1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:-External links:*... Nominated — London Film Critics' Circle Award for British Actor of the Year Nominated — Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Breakthrough Performance Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Breakthrough Performance The Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Breakthrough Performance is an annual film award given by the Online Film Critics Society to honor the best breakthrough performance of the year.-Winners:... Nominated — Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor The Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor is one of the annual awards given by the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association.-2000s:-2010s:... |
|
| 2003 | Twelfth Night, or What You Will Twelfth Night, or What You Will Twelfth Night; or, What You Will is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–02 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season... |
Orsino | TV movie | |
| Love Actually Love Actually Love Actually is a 2003 British romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as their tales progress... |
Peter | Storyline: Juliette, Peter and Mark | Nominated — Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Ensemble Acting Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast The Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast is an annual award given by the Phoenix Film Critics Society.-2000s:*2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring... |
|
| 2004 | She Hate Me She Hate Me She Hate Me is a 2004 independent comedy-drama film directed by Spike Lee and starring Anthony Mackie, Kerry Washington, Ellen Barkin, Monica Bellucci, Brian Dennehy, Woody Harrelson, Bai Ling and John Turturro.... |
Frank Wills | ||
| Red Dust Red Dust (2004 film) Red Dust is a 2004 British drama film starring Hilary Swank and Chiwetel Ejiofor. It was directed by Tom Hooper. The story, written by Troy Kennedy-Martin, is based on the novel Red Dust by Gillian Slovo... |
Alex Mpondo | |||
| Melinda and Melinda Melinda and Melinda Melinda and Melinda is a 2004 film written and directed by Woody Allen. It was premiered at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. The film is set in Manhattan and stars Radha Mitchell as the protagonist Melinda, in two storylines; one comic, one tragic... |
Ellis | |||
| 2005 | Four Brothers Four Brothers (film) Four Brothers is a 2005 action crime film directed by John Singleton. The movie stars Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, Andre Benjamin and Garrett Hedlund. The film was shot in Detroit, Michigan and Hamilton, Ontario, Canada... |
Victor Sweet | Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Ensemble Black Reel Awards The Black Reel Awards began in 2000 and were designed to annually recognize and celebrate the achievements of black people in feature, independent and television films... |
|
| Serenity Serenity (film) Serenity is a 2005 space western film written and directed by Joss Whedon. It is a continuation of the short-lived 2002 Fox science fiction television series Firefly, taking place after the events of the final episode. Set in 2518, Serenity is the story of the captain and crew of a cargo ship... |
The Operative | Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor Black Reel Awards The Black Reel Awards began in 2000 and were designed to annually recognize and celebrate the achievements of black people in feature, independent and television films... |
||
| Slow Burn Slow Burn Slow Burn is an American drama thriller film starring Ray Liotta, Jolene Blalock and LL Cool J, which is notable for the extended period between production and eventual release... |
Ty Trippin | |||
| Kinky Boots Kinky Boots (film) Kinky Boots is a 2005 comedy film written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth, about a traditional Northampton shoemaker, based in Earls Barton, who turns to producing fetishism footwear in order to save the failing family business and the jobs of his workers... |
Lola | Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor Black Reel Awards The Black Reel Awards began in 2000 and were designed to annually recognize and celebrate the achievements of black people in feature, independent and television films... Nominated — Black Movie Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role African American African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States... Nominated — British Independent Film Award for Best Actor Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |
||
| 2006 | Inside Man Inside Man Inside Man is a 2006 crime-drama film directed by Spike Lee. It stars Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Willem Dafoe and Jodie Foster. The film's screenplay was written by Russell Gewirtz and produced by Brian Grazer... |
Detective Bill Mitchell | ||
| Children of Men Children of Men Children of Men is a 2006 science fiction film loosely adapted from P. D. James's 1992 novel The Children of Men, directed by Alfonso Cuarón. In 2027, two decades of human infertility have left society on the brink of collapse. Illegal immigrants seek sanctuary in England, where the last... |
Luke | Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor Black Reel Awards The Black Reel Awards began in 2000 and were designed to annually recognize and celebrate the achievements of black people in feature, independent and television films... |
||
| Tsunami: The Aftermath | Ian Carter | TV mini-series | Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film Nominated — Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Mini-Series, TV Film or Dramatic Special |
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| 2007 | Talk to Me Talk to Me (2007 film) Talk To Me is a 2007 biographical film about Washington, D.C. radio personality Ralph "Petey" Greene, an ex-con who became a popular talk show host and community activist, and Dewey Hughes, his friend and manager... |
Dewey Hughes Dewey Hughes Dewey Hughes is an African American former radio personality and was Petey Greene's manager.Dewey Hughes was born in Washington, D.C.. Hughes was introduced to Petey Greene by his older brother Milo at Lorton Reformatory and hired Greene to work as a disc jockey at WOL... |
Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male Nominated — Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture |
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| American Gangster | Huey Lucas | Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | ||
| 2008 | Redbelt Redbelt Redbelt is a 2008 martial arts film written and directed by David Mamet and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor. The film opened in wide release in the United States and Canada on May 9, 2008.-Plot:... |
Mike Terry | Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Actor Black Reel Awards The Black Reel Awards began in 2000 and were designed to annually recognize and celebrate the achievements of black people in feature, independent and television films... |
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| Slapper | Short Film, Writer/Director | |||
| 2009 | Endgame | Thabo Mbeki Thabo Mbeki Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki... |
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film | |
| 2012 2012 (film) 2012 is a 2009 American disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich. It stars John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, and Woody Harrelson. It was produced by Emmerich's production company, Centropolis Entertainment and was distributed by Columbia Pictures... |
Adrian Helmsley | Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actor Black Reel Awards The Black Reel Awards began in 2000 and were designed to annually recognize and celebrate the achievements of black people in feature, independent and television films... Nominated — Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture |
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| 2010 | Salt | Peabody | ||
| Tonight at Noon | Lee/Evans | |||
| 2011 | The Shadow Line The Shadow Line (TV series) The Shadow Line is a seven-part British television drama serial produced by Company Pictures/Eight Rooks Ltd/Baby Cow/CinemaNX production for BBC Two... |
Jonah Gabriel | TV series | |
Theatre
| Year(s) of appearance |
Work | Role | Awards and nominations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Macbeth Macbeth The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607... (first performed c. Circa Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date... 1607) by William Shakespeare William Shakespeare William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"... |
Malcolm | |
| 1999 | Sparkleshark Sparkleshark Sparkleshark is a theatre play by Philip Ridley that was originally commissioned for BT National Connections, the UK National Theatre's youth theatre scheme which ran from 1993-1999. Sparkleshark had a run at the Royal National Theatre followed by a tour in 2001.-Synopsis:High up on a tower block... (first performed 1993) by Philip Ridley Philip Ridley Philip Ridley is a British artist working with various media.- Biography :Ridley was born in Bethnal Green, in the East End of London, where he still lives and works. He studied painting at St. Martin’s School of Art and his work has been exhibited throughout Europe and Japan... |
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| 2000 | Blue/Orange BLUE/ORANGE Blue/Orange is a play by written by English dramatist, Joe Penhall. A sardonically comic piece which touches on race, mental illness, and 21st century British life, it premiered at the Cottesloe Theatre in April 2000, starring Bill Nighy, Andrew Lincoln and Chiwetel Ejiofor... (2000) by Joe Penhall Joe Penhall Joe Penhall is a British playwright and screenwriter.Born in London, his first major play was Some Voices for the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 1994, which won the John Whiting Award. It has twice been revived off Broadway... |
Chris | Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer, 2000 Critics' Circle Theatre Awards Outstanding Newcomer, 2000 London Evening Standard Theatre Award Nomination: Best Supporting Actor, 2001 Laurence Olivier Award Laurence Olivier Awards The Laurence Olivier Award is presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre. Named after the renowned British actor Laurence Olivier, they are given for West End shows and other productions staged in London... |
| Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a... (c. 1595) by William Shakespeare |
Romeo | Nomination: Ian Charleson Award Ian Charleson Awards The Ian Charleson Awards is a British theatrical award to reward the best classical stage performances in Britain by actors aged under 30. It is named in memory of the late actor Ian Charleson and is run by the Sunday Times newspaper and the National Theatre... |
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| Peer Gynt Peer Gynt Peer Gynt is a five-act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, loosely based on the fairy tale Per Gynt. It is the most widely performed Norwegian play. According to Klaus Van Den Berg, the "cinematic script blends poetry with social satire and realistic scenes with surreal ones"... (first performed 1876) by Henrik Ibsen Henrik Ibsen Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre... |
Young Peer | ||
| 2002 | The Vortex The Vortex The Vortex is a play by the English writer and actor Noël Coward. The story focuses on sexual vanity and drug abuse among the upper classes. The play was Coward's first great commercial success.... (first performed 1924) by Noël Coward Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy... Donmar Warehouse |
Nicky Lancaster | |
| 2007 | The Seagull The Seagull The Seagull is the first of what are generally considered to be the four major plays by the Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov. The Seagull was written in 1895 and first produced in 1896... (1895) by Anton Chekhov Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics... (2007 translation by Christopher Hampton Christopher Hampton Christopher James Hampton CBE, FRSL is a British playwright, screen writer and film director. He is best known for his play based on the novel Les Liaisons dangereuses and the film version Dangerous Liaisons and also more recently for writing the nominated screenplay for the film adaptation of... )
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Boris Alexeyevich Trigorin | |
| Othello Othello The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565... (c. 1603) by William Shakespeare |
Othello Othello (character) Othello is a character in Shakespeare's Othello . The character's origin is traced to the tale, "Un Capitano Moro" in Gli Hecatommithi by Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio. There, he is simply referred to as the Moor.... |
2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor |