Wha Blow Spotlight: Black British Actors (Part 1)
Chiwetel Ejiofor: If there is one Black Brit with visibility and charisma, it has to be Chiwetel. From his days as the translator on Steven Spielberg's Amistad to his appearances opposite Denzel Washington in Inside Man and American Gangster, Ejiofor has shown his range and artistry to audiences that were not quite aware of what they were getting from the quiet actor.
Such is his talent that he was tapped to be in Woody
Allen's Melinda and Melinda. His turn as the immigrant
in Dirty Pretty Things brought him critical acclaim and
attention in all markets. A member of the National
Youth Theatre during his formative years, he has been
nominated for a number of awards such as: the
Laurence Olivier Award for theatre, BAFTA,
Independent Spirit Award, Screen Actor's Guild,
Golden Globe, Jack Tinker Award for theater.
He is a graduate of London Academy of Music and
Dramatic Art. Some of his recent films have included
Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men, David Mamet's
Redbelt, Talk to Me with Don Cheadle, Kinky Boots, John Singleton's Four Brothers, Slow Burn, Spike Lee's She Hate Me. He has a number of other films in production. Chewitel is definitely the most highly regarded Black British actor working in Hollywood.
Idris Elba: Some actors are born with the physical attributes that make them glow in the eyes of their fans, and then there are some actors whose ability to use that physicality and add sincerity to it makes them ones to remember. Idris Elba fits into the latter category.
The London born actor and former member of the
National Youth Music Theatre has been quietly
working in the US. He has appeared on OZ and
the critically acclaimed The Wire. But what makes
Elba such a good actor is the fact that he has
range. He is able to play anything from the good
father in Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls to a
gangster in Ridley Scott's American Gangster,
to the disaffected and forlorn son in This Christmas. American film and TV viewers are quickly getting to see the best of this talented actor, and it is fair to say he has a lot more female fans than any other male actor on this list.
Eamonn Walker: The first black actor to play Othello at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Walker is another veteran of the fabulous OZ.
He may have started his career as a
dancer, but we should all be happy that
he turned his eyes to acting.
This college graduate has appeared
opposite Bruce Willis in Tears of the
sun, and Nicholas Cage in Lord of War.
He has made appearances in ER, Justice,
and Unbreakable. He is due to appear
in the film Legacy in 2010 alongside with Idris
EIba playing the role of Darnell Gray Jnr.
Naomie Harris: Another Londoner who is picking up steam in the US, this vivacious beauty has been flexing her acting muscles lately opposite heavy weights such as Oscar winner Forrest Withaker, Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp, Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, and Collin Farrell.
Trained at the Bristol Vic, she is pleasing to the eye,
but above that, she has genuine talent which explains
why directors are keen to put her in their films.
She is a prime example of what talent and beauty can
bring and there is much more to come from this down
to earth Brit (I saw her on the London Jubilee line a few
years ago). She recently played the role of an intelligent
and ambitious woman from Jamacia called Hortense in
BBC1's 2-parter Small Island (one of her best
perfomances might I add) whom goes to Britain just after the war to be met with
colour prejudice. In addition she will feature in the upcoming film The First Grader (2010).
Sophie Okonedo: There is no way anyone can doubt the huge talents of Sophie Okonedo. From the minute she stepped onto the screen in Hotel Rwanda, viewers knew that this actress had what it takes to be in contention for the Oscar. A Cambridge graduate, she received her training
at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Okonedo oozes
sexiness and has the talents to back it up. She is very
selective when it comes to her roles, which explains part of
the reason why she doesn't appear in a lot of films every year.
She is soon to appear in an episode of Dr. Who as well as
rumoured to be appreaing Secrets Of Love (2010) a story
about obsession.
Thandie Newton: Newton is without a doubt the most visible black British actress working in Hollywood. Her resume is amazingly filled with high caliber films. She has done everything from Mission Impossible
to playing Condoleeza Rice in Oliver Stone's W.
She was voted as one of the sexiest women in the world
by readers in Black Men Magazine, and one look at her
tells it all. But it's not all about looks with Newton.
She is another Cambridge graduate with a degree in
Anthropology.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje: Adewale is the actor you've seen in so many movies but can't quite put together where you know him from. He has appeared in the critically praised OZ as Simon Adebisi.
He matched wits with 50 Cents in Get Rich or
Die Tryin, and has been wowing audiences on
the ABC hit Lost. He recently appeared in G.I. Joe:
The Rise of Cobra (2009). Though he speaks
perfect English, he has the tendency of playing
characters with thick African accents.
Marianne Jean-Baptiste: The word Oscar trailblazer has been spewed several times in connection with Jean-Baptiste's name in recent years. She was the first black actress to be nominated for an Oscar for her performance in Secrets and Lies. She did not get the media attention she needed to push her career forward so she moved to the United States.
She's been steadily working in the US and has a
recurrent role on Without a Trace. She has also been
in City of Ember, Spy Game, The Cell, 28 Days and
a host of other films.She appears in the forthcoming
film Takers with Idris Elba.
David Harewood: Most people would remember David Harewood from Blood Diamonds as Captain Poison. The 6' tall actor graduated from RADA in England and has steadily found work on TV and in films.
He has appeared in The Merchant of Venice, Criminal
Justice and Gunrush.
He recently played the role of Mr Mandela in the BBC
Drama Mrs Mandela with Sophie Okonedo whom played
Mrs Mandela. He will soon be appearing in Drama
Second Chance (2010) with Aml Ameen .
He is one of the busiest actors on TV.
Adrian Lester: Born in Birmingham England, Adrian Lester began his acting career acting in youth theatre at age 14. He left Birmingham at age 18 to study at the famed Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, going on to make a name for himself on the London stage.
He has appeared in such productions asAs You Like It,
Hamlet (as Hamlet), Henry V (as Henry V)and Company.
Nominated 6 times for the Olivier Award, he won the
prestigious award in 1996 for his performance as Bobby
in Company, which was directed by Sam Mendes
(of American Beauty fame). Lester first became known
to American audiences as an idealistic presidential
campaign work in the film Primary Colors in 1998, staring opposite John Travola. Since then, he's been seen in such films as Kenneth Branagh's Love Labour Lost, The Day After Tomorrow and starred opposite Peter O'Toole in The Final Curtain. Adrian Lester's first foray into a television series came with the BBC television show Hustle, which has been a huge success since it's first season. Hustle has commanded an audience of almost six million viewers since it's launch. As "Mickey Bricks", he leads a crew of a long con team who is fiercely intelligent and a bit of a perfectionist.
Lennie James: This South London native, born to Trinidadian parents, graduated from Guildhall School, one of the best drama schools in the UK.
But because of the dearth of roles for blacks
in Britain, he has been able to find most of his
work in the Unites States. He was one of the
main characters in the T.V. show Jericho.
It was a good show but it didn't receive the
ratings it needed to survive.
Lennie is appreaing in Tic (2010) about two
small-time London hoods come to Los Angeles to avenge the death of a brother, and to get rich doing it Next Three Days (2011)
This article is part 1 and there are many more to come, with actors like Aml Ameen, Noel Clarke, Arnold Oceng, Freema Agyeman as well as the eagerly anticipated debut of Ashley "Bashy" Thomas in Shank. With Only 147 Black British actors actually on Wikipedia our limit is only the one we set ourself. Answers the question of whether Black British Actors can be successful by staying in Britain doesn't it.
Sources: www.imdb.com, www.yahoo.com, www.theenvelope.com www.associatedcontent.com
Black British Theatre - Missed the Tricycle 2009 Not Black & White Season
Watch Adrain Lester & Richard Blackwood in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
