Ten Black British Actors Making Noise In Hollywood

Chewitel Ejiofor: If there is one Black Brit with visibility and charisma, it has to be Chewitel. From his days as the translator on Steven Spielberg’s Amistad to his appearances opposite Denzel Washington in Inside Man and Amerigan 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.

Eamon 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.

Naomi 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 may not be breaking any new grounds for black actresses in Hollywood yet, but she is a prime example of what talent and beauty can bring.

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.

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 may not be the most talented actress on this list, but she is the most aggressive and innovative. 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 Cent in Get Rich or Die Tryin, and has been wowing audiences on the ABC hit Lost. Though he speaks perfect English, he has the tendency of playing characters with thick African accent.

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.

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 is one of the busiest actors on TV.

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.