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Chiwetel Ejiofor
Chiwetel Ejiofor is a London-born actor and filmmaker of Nigerian family heritage whose career spans film, television and theatre. He is particularly known for portraying Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave and for writing and directing the feature films The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind and Rob Peace.
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About Chiwetel Ejiofor
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United Kingdom · Actor, Film director, Screenwriter · 1 affiliation
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- Actor
- Film director
- Screenwriter
At a glance
- Ejiofor won the BAFTA Award for Leading Actor and received an Academy Award nomination for portraying Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave.
- He won the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in the Donmar Warehouse production of Othello.
- He made his feature-directing debut with The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, which he also wrote and acted in.
- Ejiofor was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2015 for services to drama.
Background and training
Ejiofor was born on 10 July 1977 in Forest Gate, east London, to Nigerian parents. He attended Dulwich College, began acting at 13 through school and National Youth Theatre productions, and later studied at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art.
Stage and screen career
His early screen work included a supporting role in Steven Spielberg's Amistad, followed by a prominent performance as Okwe in Dirty Pretty Things. His stage career brought major recognition in 2008, when he won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for Othello at the Donmar Warehouse.
Recognition for 12 Years a Slave
Ejiofor's portrayal of Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave became one of his best-known performances. It earned him the 2014 BAFTA Award for Leading Actor and a nomination for Actor in a Leading Role at the 86th Academy Awards.
Work as a filmmaker
Ejiofor expanded into feature filmmaking with The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, a 2019 adaptation of William Kamkwamba's memoir that he directed, wrote and appeared in as Trywell Kamkwamba. He later wrote, directed and acted in Rob Peace, an adaptation of Jeff Hobbs's nonfiction book that was selected for the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
Affiliations
- London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art acting alumnus present
Timeline
- Born in Forest Gate, London, to Nigerian parents.
- Appeared in Steven Spielberg's Amistad in an early screen-career role.
- Won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for Othello at the Donmar Warehouse.
- Won the BAFTA Leading Actor award and received an Academy Award nomination for portraying Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave.
- Appointed CBE for services to drama.
- Released his feature-directing debut, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, which he also wrote and acted in.
- Rob Peace, written and directed by Ejiofor and featuring him in the cast, was selected for the Sundance Film Festival.
Additional verified details
Biographical facts
- Chiwetel Ejiofor was born on 10 July 1977 in Forest Gate, east London, to Nigerian parents.
- He attended Dulwich College, acted in school and National Youth Theatre productions, and later attended the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art.
- His early film career included a supporting role in Amistad and a prominent performance as Okwe in Dirty Pretty Things.
- Ejiofor won the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for portraying Othello at the Donmar Warehouse.
- He won the 2014 BAFTA Award for Leading Actor and received an Academy Award nomination for 12 Years a Slave.
- He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to drama in the 2015 Birthday Honours.
- Ejiofor made his feature-directing debut with The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, for which he also wrote the screenplay and played Trywell Kamkwamba.
- He wrote, directed and acted in Rob Peace, an adaptation of Jeff Hobbs's nonfiction book.
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