Some International Actors of Nigerian Origin

ADEWALE AKINNUOYE AGBAJE

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (born 22 August 1967) is a British actor and former fashion model, best known for his roles as Lock-Nah in The Mummy Returns, Nykwana Wombosi in The Bourne Identity, Mr. Eko on Lost and Simon Adebisi on Oz.

Akinnuoye-Agbaje was born in Islington, London. His parents are Nigerian, of Yoruba origin. He has a law degree from King's College London and a Masters in Law from the University of London.

His best known acting roles have been as the imposing convict Simon Adebisi in the 1990s HBO prison series Oz, and as Mr. Eko on ABC's survivor drama Lost. He was also in an episode of New York Undercover. He has numerous film credits since he began acting in 1994 and has appeared in many top films, including The Bourne Identity, in which he played a deposed African dictator, Hitu the police officer in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, Lock-Nah in The Mummy Returns, and Heavy Duty in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. In 2009, Akinnuoye-Agbaje told MTV that he was in talks with Marvel Studios to play the superhero Black Panther in a proposed film of the same name. When asked, the actor replied “...it’s about time we have a black superhero, isn’t it? He’s from a fictional village in Africa and the timing is so right for that kind of character to come through… And while I’m in my prime, this is the time. We’ve got [U.S. President Barack] Obama, now we need something onscreen to represent, so… ‘Panther,’ man I would love to see that happen [...] I think it’s all about campaigning, I’m going to keep knocking on their door.”

Akinnuoye-Agbaje has also stated that he will be directing a film about his life story. More recently, he guest starred in the second episode of season 8 of Monk, and played Derek Jameson in the 2011 film The Thing. He portrayed Kurse in the Marvel Studios film Thor: The Dark World.

GBENGA AKINNAGBE

Gbenga Akinnagbe (born December 12, 1978) is an American actor, best known for his role as Chris Partlow on the HBO original series The Wire.

Born in Washington, D.C. to Nigerian parents and grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland, Akinnagbe was in and out of trouble as a youth. He is the second oldest of six children, with one older sister and four younger brothers. He is the first in his family to be born in the U.S. He attended Colonel Zadok A. Magruder High School in Rockville, Maryland. Akinnagbe attended Bucknell University on a wrestling scholarship, majoring in Political Science and English. He is the cousin of DC rapper Wale.

He played "Ben Ellis" in the episode Contenders on the TV series Numb3rs. In the summer of 2006, Akinnagbe performed the role of "Zim" in the NYC Fringe Festival's "Outstanding Play" award-winning production of Modern Missionary. In 2003, Akinnagbe auditioned for the role of Chris Partlow on the HBO series The Wire and starting in 2004 began a frequent recurring role. In 2008 during the show's fifth and final season, he was promoted to a series regular. In 2007, Akinnagbe appeared in the film The Savages with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laura Linney, and Philip Bosco. He appeared in the remake of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, which was released by Sony in June 2009. Akinnagbe made a guest appearance on a Season 10 Law and Order: SVU episode entitled"Hell" as Elijah Okello, a former Ugandan child soldier living in New York, facing deportation. Akinnagbe's former The Wire cast mate Robert Wisdom also appeared in that episode as Father Theo Burdett. In 2010 in Seattle, Washington Akinnagbe starred in world premiere play The Thin Place at The Intiman Theatre. He was also in this fall's movie Lottery Ticket and is currently in The Good Wife as Pastor Isiah Easton. His former co-star from the The Wire, Frankie Faison, portrayed his father on the show in several episodes. He is currently starring as Kelly Slater, a new nurse in the 3rd season of the Showtime series Nurse Jackie. He will be seen in the lead role of Jack in the upcoming Independent film "Home", directed by Jono Oliver. He is currently playing a drug lord in the USA series "Graceland"

 

CAROLINE CHIKEZIE

Caroline Chikezie is a British actress, best known for playing Sasha Williams in As If, and Elaine Hardy in Footballers' Wives.

Chikezie was born in England to Nigerian parents. At fourteen, Chikezie was sent to boarding school in Nigeria in an attempt to make her abandon her dreams to become an actress. Prior to this she had attended weekend classes at Italia Conti. On her return to the United Kingdom she enrolled into Brunel University where she studied Medicinal Chemistry (she was expected to take over her father's hospital in Nigeria), but left after lecturers decided that she was unsuited to academic life. She later won a scholarship to the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts.

After roles in Holby City, Casualty, and the award-winning British film Babymother, Chikezie landed her first major role as bitchy Sasha Williams in As If in 2001. In 2004 she landed a regular role as Kyle Pascoe's girlfriend Elaine Hardy in Series Four of Footballer's Wives. Other television work includes 40, Judas Kiss, Free Fall and Brothers and Sisters.

She appeared as Lisa Hallett, a member of the secret organisation of Torchwood who had been transformed into a half-human half-Cyberman in "Cyberwoman", an episode of Torchwood, and as Tamara, a fellow demon hunter, in the 3rd season premiere of Supernatural.

HAKEEM KAE-KAZIM

Hakeem Kae-Kazim (born 1 October 1962), sometimes credited as "Hakim Kae Kazim", is a British Nigerian actor who is best known for his portrayal of Georges Rutaganda in the 2004 motion picture Hotel Rwanda. He also starred as Colonel Iké Dubaku in season 7 of the Fox television series 24 and the TV film tie-in 24: Redemption.

SOPHIE OKONEDO

Sophie Okonedo, OBE (born 1968) is a British actress, who has starred in UK and US productions. In 1991, she made her acting debut in the British coming-of-age drama, Young Soul Rebels. She has received an Academy Award nomination for her critically acclaimed role in Hotel Rwanda, aGolden Globe nomination for Tsunami: The Aftermath, and BAFTA nominations for Criminal Justice and Mrs. Mandela. Her other film roles included Aeon Flux, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, Dirty Pretty Things, Skin and The Secret Life of Bees. 

CHIWETEL EJIOFOR

Chiwetelu Umeadi "Chiwetel" Ejiofor, OBE  born 10 July 1977) is a British film, television, and theatre actor. He has received numerous acting awards and nominations, including the 2006 BAFTA Awards Rising Star, five Golden Globe Awards' nominations, and the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in Othello. He played Okwe in Dirty Pretty Things (2002), The Operative in Serenity (2005), Lola in Kinky Boots (2005), Luke in Children of Men (2006), and Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave (2013).

Source(s) - wikipedia