This is the fifth part of the series, "Nigerians in Hollywood."
To check out the first four parts of the series, please see the links at the end of the page. Thank you.
Sophia Okonedo
Best known for: Hotel
Rwanda
 |
| Okonedo Picture: Hello Magazine |
Sophia Okonedo (OBE) was
born in London, England, in 1968 to a Nigerian father, Henry Okonedo and a
Jewish mother, Joan (née Allman). She was just five years old when her parents
separated. Her father returned to Nigeria, leaving Sophia’s mother to raise her
in the Jewish faith.
Okonedo, who trained at
the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, worked across various media including
film, television and theatre. Her first film was the British coming-of-age
drama Young Soul Rebels (1991).
Since then, she has appeared in a lot
of films. Some of them are Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995) where she
played the part of the Wachati Princess; The Jackal (1997) and Dirty Pretty
Things (2002). She also starred alongside South Africa’s Charlize Theron
in the movie Æon Flux (2005).
Okonedo got global
recognition in 2004 when she received an Academy Award nomination
for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Tatiana
Rusesabagina in the historical film Hotel Rwanda.
The encomiums kept coming.
She received a Golden Globe nomination for a lead actress in the
miniseries Tsunami: The Aftermath (2006) and BAFTA TV
Award nominations for the miniseries Criminal Justice (2009) and
her portrayal of Winnie Mandela in the TV film Mrs. Mandela (2010).
In 2014 her performance
in the theatrical play A Raisin in the Sun earned her a Tony – the theatre
equivalent of an Oscar – for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role
in a Play. The role also earned her a commendation from US President Barack Obama.
Although Okonedo is one
of Britain’s most accomplished actors, most of her job offers come from
Hollywood.
“I do notice that – over
the last year – I've had maybe two scripts from England and tens and tens from
America,” she said. “The balance is ridiculous. I'm still struggling (in the
UK) in a way that my white counterparts at the same level wouldn't have quite
the same struggle.”
Okonedo was
appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in Queen
Elizabeth’s 2010 Birthday Honours.
Jovan Adepo
Best known for: The Leftovers
 |
| Adepo Picture: Wikipedia |
Jovan Adepo was born in Oxfordshire, England and
raised in Waldorf, Maryland, USA. He is of Nigerian and African-American
descent. He is the grandson of the late Fatai Adepo, who was special adviser on
prison matters to Nigeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo.
Adepo, who majored in political science and philosophy
at Bowie State University, Maryland, wanted to play professional football when
he first got to college, but later changed to acting when he could not get
enough game time in the school's football team.
Upon graduation he moved to Los Angeles in 2011 and
started attending acting workshops to hone his skills. The Disney Channel took
note and gave him his first acting job in K.C. Undercover. In 2014 he found
himself playing Michael Murphy in the HBO television series, The Leftovers. He
also played a part in the short film, The Youth (2015).
Then he got his first role on the big screen playing Cory,
the son of characters played by megastar Denzel Washington and Viola Davis in
the movie adaptation of August Wilson’s
play, Fences. The film hit theatres on December 25, 2016.
Adepo said he was extremely nervous when he had to audition for
Denzel, who also directed the movie. But the two-time Oscar winner pulled him
aside and advised him, “I cast you for a reason. I feel that my vision for the
film and for the direction I want to go, you were the best for job. So rest
easy...I just want you to be mindful that you are enough.”
Adepo apparently took the advice because he landed the role – and
went on to deliver a great performance.
Richard Ayoade
Best known for: The IT
Crowd
 |
| Ayoade Picture: imdb.com |
Richard Ayoade was born
in Hammersmith, England in 1977 and grew up in Suffolk. His father, Layide Ade
Laditi Ayoade, is a Nigerian while his mother Dagny Amalie
(née Baassuik) hails from Norway.
The multi-talented Ayoade
is an actor, comedian, writer, director and television presenter. He studied
law at St Catharine's College, Cambridge (1995–1998), where he won
the Martin Steele Prize for play production.
His TV break came when he
co-wrote, directed and starred in the cult classic Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace
(2004). He has also appeared in films such as The Life and Death of Peter
Sellers (2004), At The Apollo (2008), and Bunny and the Bull (2009).
He won the 2014 BAFTA
(the British version of the Oscars) for Best Male Comedy Performance as the
social oblivious savant Maurice Moss in The IT Crowd (2006).
He has also directed
films such as Submarine (2010) and The Double (2013) – which he co-wrote – as
well as several music videos. On TV, Ayoade also presents the factual shows
Travel Man and Gadget Man.
For Submarine, he was
nominated for the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer,
Director or Producer as well as the London Film Critics’ Circle Award for
British Breakthrough Filmmaker.
The Double earned him a
Black Reel Award nomination for Best Foreign Film as well the London Film
Festivals Award for Best Film.
While most of his work is
in Britain, Ayoade starred in the American comedy film The
Watch (2012) alongside Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn.
The versatile artist who has written two books -- Ayoade on Ayoade: A Cinematic Odyssey
and A Cinematic Odyssey -- is married to actress
Lydia Fox.
POSTHUMOUS MENTION:
Bolaji
Badejo (August 23, 1953 - December 22, 1992)
Best
known for: Alien
 |
| Badejo Picture:
Wikia.com |
Bolaji
Badejo was born in Lagos in 1953 to Victor and Elizabeth Badejo (née Bamidele).
His
father, Victor Badejo, was the first indigenous director-general of the
Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).
Bolaji grew up in Lagos then studied graphic arts in London when the family
relocated to England. His only acting role was in Alien (1979) the blockbuster science
fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott.
Scott
was searching frantically for the ideal person to play the title creature in the film, when he stumbled on Badejo in a London bar. Badejo, who stood at 6’10” with a skinny
frame, perfectly matched the fearful insect-like creature the director was
trying to portray in the film.
Although
he had never acted before, Badejo warmed up to the role. He took tai chi
classes and rigorously rehearsed the Alien’s gliding movement and mantis-like
posture till he perfected it. With the help of physical trainers, he built up muscles in
certain areas of his body to be able to move around in the massive and
uncomfortable costume.
“We'd
had this vision of a praying mantis," associate producer Ivor Powell told
CNN in October 2016. "We needed somebody incredibly tall with very long
legs, so when they crouched down it gave the impression of an insect.”
Badejo
put up such an awesome performance that during filming cast members such as
Sigourney Weaver and Veronica Cartwright were actually terrified of his
character.
"We
knew we were dealing with an iconic baddie," says Powell.
CNN says
Badejo is “one of cinema’s most feared villains” following his captivating
performance in the space horror classic.
The film, which had a budget of $11 million, would go on to make $100 million at the box office. It also won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
Badejo
returned to Nigeria in 1980 and worked with his uncle, the renowned sculptor Omotayo Aiyegbusi, for sometime. In 1983 he
opened his own art gallery in Lagos and never returned to take part in the money-spinning Alien sequels.
“The
fact that I played the part of Alien, for me, that's good enough,” he said.
Badejo
died
of sickle cell anaemia on December 22, 1992 at the age of 39. He left behind
two children.
To see the first four installments of this interesting series, please click any of the following links:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
