Chiwetel Ejiofor

Chiwetel Ejiofor
CBE
Ejiofor at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con
Born
Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor[1]

(1977-07-10) 10 July 1977 (age 47)
Forest Gate, London, England
EducationDulwich College
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Occupations
  • Actor
  • screenwriter
  • film director
Years active1995–present
RelativesZain Asher (sister)
AwardsFull list

Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor[2] CBE (/ˈtʃuːətɛl ˈɛdʒioʊfɔːr/ ⓘ CHOO-ə-tel EJ-ee-oh-for;[3] born 10 July 1977[2]) is a British actor, screenwriter, and film director.[4] The recipient of various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and a Laurence Olivier Award in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and five Golden Globe Awards. In 2008, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the arts.[5] He was elevated to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2015 Birthday Honours.

After enrolling at the National Youth Theatre in 1995 and attending the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, at age 19 and three months into his course, Ejiofor was cast by Steven Spielberg to play a supporting role in the film Amistad (1997) as James Covey.[6] He later won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for Othello (2008). He was previously Olivier-nominated for Blue/Orange (2002).

Ejiofor earned the BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave (2013). He is also known for his roles in Dirty Pretty Things (2002), Love Actually (2003), Kinky Boots (2005), Four Brothers (2005), Children of Men (2006), Endgame (2009), 2012 (2009), Salt (2010), and The Martian (2015). He joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe playing Karl Mordo in Doctor Strange (2016) and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). He voiced Dr. Watson in Sherlock Gnomes (2018) and Scar in The Lion King (2019).[7] He directed, wrote, and starred in the film The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019).

On television, he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his performance as a jazz band leader in the BBC Two miniseries Dancing on the Edge (2014).[8] He acted in the BBC drama series The Shadow Line (2011), the HBO television film Phil Spector (2013), and the Showtime science fiction series The Man Who Fell to Earth (2022).

  1. ^ Jenelle Riley (17 December 2013). "Chiwetel Ejiofor: 12 Years a Slave Star A Name to Remember". Variety. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b "BFI | Film & TV Database | EJIOFOR, Chiwetel". Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk. 16 April 2009. Archived from the original on 13 January 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  3. ^ "British Airways safety video – director's cut". British Airways. 18 July 2017. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  4. ^ "I am proud to be Nigerian, says Hollywood actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor | Premium Times Nigeria". 11 April 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  5. ^ "'Kinky Boots' actor Chiwetel receives OBE from Queen". Hello. UK. Retrieved 19 December 2008.
  6. ^ Davies, Serena (9 July 2013). "A Season in the Congo: interview with Chiwetel Ejiofor". The Telegraph. UK. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  7. ^ "Nigerian-British actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, joins Angelina Jolie in Maleficent 2". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  8. ^ "2014 Emmy Awards: 'Game of Thrones,' 'Fargo' Lead Nominations". variety. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2015.