Chiwetel Ejiofor

Director & actor · born 10 July 1977 · Forest Gate, London, England, UK

Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor CBE (/ˈtʃuːətɛlˈɛdʒioʊfɔːr/ CHOO-ə-tel EJ-ee-oh-for; born 10 July 1977) is a British actor. He is 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, and five Golden Globe Awards. In 2008, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), and in 2015, he was appointed Commander (CBE) for his services to the arts.

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. He later won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for Othello (2008). 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).

Where to start: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019).