20 Award-Winning Hollywood Actors You Didn’t Know Were Nigerians

British actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje poses on the red carpet arriving at the BAFTA British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Opera House in London on February 12, 2012. (CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images)

Some famous Hollywood actors, who are of Nigerian descent have excelled in their craft and are have become successful world famous celebrities.

Stargist.com presents you a list of international celebrities with Nigerian roots.

See below:

1 Hakeem Kae-Kazim

Hakeem Kae-Kazim is a Nigerian born Hollywood actor is a native of Ogun state. He best known for some his hit works like, Hotel Rwanda and some nollywood movies like “Black Gold: Struggle For The Niger Delta”, “Inale”, Last flight to Abuja and Half a yellow sun.

2 Adewale Akinnuoye Adeoye

Adewale is a Nigerian former fashion model and British actor known for playing almost entirely African characters despite having been born and raised in England. His notable roles include, Simon Adebisi on Oz, Mr. Eko on Lost, Lock-Nah in The Mummy Returns and Nykwana Wombosi in The Bourne Identity.

3 Adetomiwa Edun

Adetomiwa was born in 1984 in Lagos, Nigeria, to a Nigerian father and a half-Ghanaian, half-English mother. He has featured in a number of series and some films, which include Shakespeares Globe, Romeo and Juliet, The Merlin TV Series, The Law And Order and UK TV series.

4 Uzoamaka Aduba

Uzo Aduba is  the daughter of Nigerian parents of Igbo origin from Achi in Enugu State. She is known for her role as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren on the Netflix television series Orange Is the New Black.

5 Caroline Chikezie

Caroline is an award winning Nigerian/British actress best known for playing Sasha Williams in As If, Elaine Hardy in Footballers’ Wives and the Cyberwoman in Torchwood. She broke into the Nigerian entertainment scene in 2011, when she starred in ‘Inale’, a movie directed by Jeta Amata. She is the star of the TV Series, The Governor on EbonyLife TV.

6 Hope Olaide Wilson

Hope Olaide Wilson is an Hollywood actor born to Nigerian parents from the Yoruba tribe. Hope was living in Nigeria until 1996 when her mother won the Green card Lottery and they moved to the States. She finished high school and was ‘discovered’ by Tyler Perry who cast her in his 2010 film, ‘I can do bad all by myself’.

7 David Oyelowo

Hollywood actor David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo was born in England to Nigerian parents. He starred as Martin Luther King Jr. in Paramount’s drama “Selma” directed by Ava DuVernay and produced by Oprah Winfrey.

8 Dayo Okeniyi

Dayo is Nigerian American actor, popularly known for playing the role of Thresh in The Hunger Games and Danny Dyson in Terminator Genisys. He was born in Lagos, Nigeria an has four siblings. His father is a retired customs officer from Nigeria, and his mother is a literature teacher from Kenya .

9 Adepero Oduye

She was born in Brooklyn, New York as one of seven children to Nigerian parents. She has appeared in movies like 12 years a slave, Steel Magnolias, Pariah and others.

10 Mercy Ojelade

Mercy is a Nigerian American actress best known for Ezra (2007) and Incendiary (2008) . She is a member of the professional acting company and plays the role of Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Play for the Nation.

11 Wunmi Mosaku

Wunmi is a Nigerian born British actress who was born in Zaria, Nigeria and moved to Manchester, England, She has appeared in Law & Order UK, Philomena, Citadel and many others.

12 Rakie Ayola

 

Rakie was born in Wales to a Sierra Leonean mother and a Nigerian father. She has starred in movies and TV shows like Doctor Who, Dredd, Sahara and Silent Witness. Ayola was nominated and shortlisted for the ‘Female Performance in TV’ award in the 2006 Screen Nation Awards, for her role as Kyla Tyson in Holby City.

13 Osas Ighodaro

Osas was born by Edo parents in the Bronx, New York. She received her first degree in Broadcast Journalism from Pennsylvania State University and also a Fine Arts Masters Degree from Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University. She won the Miss Black USA Pageant competition in 2010 and has featured in many Hollywood movies

British actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje poses on the red carpet arriving at the BAFTA British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Opera House in London on February 12, 2012. (CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images)

including Cadillac Records, Under The Table, Restless City, The Tested, etc.

14 Chiwetel Ejiofor

Ejiofor is a British actor born in London’s Forest Gate to Nigerian parents. In 2014, he starred in the Nigerian film Half of a yellow sun alongside, Onyeka Onwenu, Genevieve Nnaji, OC Ukeje and other Hollywood acts. He has and Oscar Nomination and BAFTA award for Best Actor.

15 Annie Ngozi Ilonzeh

Annie was born in Texas to a Nigerian father and an American mother. She has featured in movies and TV shows including, He’s Just Not That into You, Percy Jackson & The Olympians, the Lightening Thief, Entourage, How I met your mother, Arrow, etc.

16 Sophie Okonedo

Sophie is the daughter of a Nigerian father and an Ashkenazi Jewish mother. She was brought up in her mother’s Jewish faith and was raised by her mother after her father left them. She has featured in many movies including Hotel Rwanda, The Secret Life of Bees, After Earth, Aeon Flux, Mrs Mandela and TV shows including the BBC’s The Escape Artist, The Slap, Oliver Twist, Criminal Justice, Scream of the Shalka, Father & Son, etc.

17 Richard Ayoade

Richard is the son of Nigerian father Layide Ade Laditi Ayoade and Norwegian mother Dagny Amalie. The comedian, actor and writer has written several award-winning stage plays in the UK. He is also a well-known face on British TV having starred in the highly popular The IT Crowd. He made his Hollywood debut in 2012 after starring in the comedy The Watch alongside Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah Hill.

18 Nonso Anozie

Nonso Anozie, who is of Igbo origin, is one of the fast-rising and well-paid actors having featured in prominent Hollywood movies. Anozie’s distinct Igbo intonation came to fore in the Hollywood flick, Conan the Barbarian. His featured movies include Conan the Barbarian, The Grey, Rock and Rolla, Nanny Mcphee Returns and The Last Legion.

19 Sonni Chidiebere

Sonni Chidiebere is Nigerian-Igbo actor that has earned minor roles in some blockbuster Hollywood movies. They include Hotel Rwanda, Blood Diamond, District 9 and Lord of War. Born in Nigeria, he grew up in South Africa, where he started his acting career.

20 Carmen Elizabeth Ejogo

Carmen Ejogo was born in Kensington, London, England, to a Nigerian father and a Scottish mother. Her film credits include Kenneth Branagh’s Love’s Labour’s Lost, What’s the Worst That Could Happen?, Away We Go, Sparkle, Alex Cross, The Purge: Anarchy and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

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