Jude Akuwudike
Born
Jude Akuwudike

1965 (age 58–59)
Nigeria
NationalityNigerian
Alma materRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art
OccupationActor
Awards2008 Red Rock Film Festival - Grand Jury Prize

Jude Akuwudike (born 1965) is a Nigerian actor. He has mostly worked in the United Kingdom, on screen and stage.[1]

He has appeared in productions of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre.

Early life

Akuwudike trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art

Born in Nigeria, West Africa,[2] Akuwudike came to Britain and was educated at St Augustine's College in Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, an independent Roman Catholic boarding school. In 1985, he began to train for an acting career at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1987.[3]

Career

In 1988, Akuwudike played Captain Watkin Tench in Our Country's Good at the Royal Court Theatre.[4] His first film appearance was in the same year, as a priest in A World Apart.[5] An early leading role came in 1989 in the play The Fatherland by Murray Watts, at the Bush Theatre at Riverside,[6] and his first significant part on television was as Sergeant Gummer in the drama serial Virtual Murder (1991).[7]

Throughout his career, Akuwudike has worked mainly on stage, including appearing in several productions for the National Theatre, notably Not About Nightingales, Moon on a Rainbow Shawl, and Ion[citation needed]. He has also appeared for the Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as working on Broadway. He has also had many roles in film and television and is a voice actor.[8]

In 1998, in the first British production of Not About Nightingales by Tennessee Williams, directed by Trevor Nunn at the National Theatre, Akuwudike originated the part of "the Queen", a gay prisoner.[9] In 2002 he played the black pimp in a Royal National Theatre production of Edmond, with Kenneth Branagh in the title role.[10]

From February to May 2011, Akuwudike was Abel Magwitch in an English Touring Theatre production of Great Expectations (adapted by Tanika Gupta), with Lynn Farleigh as Miss Havisham.[11][12]

In the Cary Joji Fukunaga film Beasts of No Nation (2015), Akuwudike played Supreme Commander Dada Goodblood, leader of an unnamed West African country torn by civil war.[13]

In September 2018, it was announced that Akuwudike had been cast alongside Joe Cole and Sope Dirisu in a new Cinemax television serial called Gangs of London, then in production.[14]

Filmography

Film

Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Film Role Notes
1988 A World Apart Priest [15]
1997 Richard II Scroop [16] TV film
1998 The Ebb-Tide Fakeeva TV film
2000 A Likeness in Stone DC Levi Pryor TV film
2005 Sahara Imam
2007 Jehovah's Witness Percy Short
2010 The Tempest Boatswain
2015 Beasts of No Nation Dada Goodblood
2020 Eyimofe Mofe
2021 Benediction Priest
2023 The Little Mermaid Joshua
2024 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim † TBC Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1990 Screenplay Thomas Episode: "The Land of Dreams"
1992 Virtual Murder Sergeant Gummer Series regular
1993 Between the Lines Custody Sergeant Episode: "Big Boys' Rules: Part II"
1994 The Bill Mr. Jensen Episode: "All Along the Watchtower"
1996-1999 Roger Roger Henry Series regular
1998 Heat of the Sun Elihu Mwangi Episode: "The Sport of Kings"
1999 Kavanagh QC Matthew Atta Episode: "Previous Convictions"
2003 Silent Witness Malcolm Linden Episode: "Running on Empty"
Holby City Derek Fletcher Episode: "Know When to Fold"
2005 Bad Girls Leroy 1 episode
The Last Detective Bradshaw Episode: "Towpaths of Glory"
2007 Silent Witness Willi Episode: "Suffer the Children"
2009 Moses Jones Matthias Mutukula Mini-series
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Oswald Ranta Episode: "The Boy with an African Heart"
Holby City Marvin Stewart Episode: "What Will Survive of Us"
2010 Law & Order: UK Marcus Wright Episode: "Skeletons"
2012 Holby City Gabriel Vaughan Episode: "Hail Caesar"
2013 Doctors Thomas Tembe 3 episodes
2015 Cucumber Ralph Sullivan 1 episode
2016 Stan Lee's Lucky Man Dr. Marghai Episode: "A Twist of Fate"
Undercover Al 1 episode
Friday Night Dinner Custody Sergeant Episode: "The Funeral"
2017 Chewing Gum Alex Episode: "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number"
Death in Paradise Tony Garret Episode: "In the Footsteps of a Killer"
The A Word Vincent Daniels 3 episodes
2017-2018 Fortitude Doctor Adebimpe Recurring role
2018 Kiri Reverend Lipide 1 episode
2018-2020 In the Long Run Uncle Akie Series regular
2019 Moving On Dr. Bello Episode: "Frozen"
Plebs Agrippa Episode: "The Banquet"
2020 Gangs of London Charlie Carter Recurring role
On the Edge Dad Episode: "BBW"
2021 Manhunt Delroy Grant Series regular
2022 The Crown Sydney Johnson Episode: "Mou Mou"
2023 Casualty Clark Johnson Episode: "No Regrets"
Culprits Carl Marking Episode: "Circle in a Circle"

Stage

Year Title Role Venue Notes
1988 The Park Norman Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
Moon on a Rainbow Shawl Ketch Almeida Theatre, Islington, London
Our Country's Good Captain Watkin Tench Royal Court Theatre, London
The Recruiting Officer Scruple/Costar Pearmain/Balance's Servant also World Tour
1989 "Master Harold"...and the Boys Sam Bristol Old Vic, Bristol
1990 Death and the King's Horseman Olunde Royal Exchange, Manchester
1991 A Long Way From Home Tomi Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn, London
Light in the Village Rhodes Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
1993 Marching for Fausa Sssi Royal Court Theatre, London
Wiseguy Scapino Léandre Theatr Clwyd, Mold
1994 Ion Hermes-Athens The Pit, Barbican Centre, London
Poor Super Man Shannon Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
1995 Richard II Sir Stephen Scroop/Lord Fitwater Cottesloe Theatre, Royal National Theatre, London
The Machine Wreckers William
1996 Nuremberg: The War Crimes Trial Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn, London
1998 Not About Nightingales The Queen Cottesloe Theatre, Royal National Theatre, London
1999 Honk! The Ugly Duckling Turkey Olivier Theatre, Royal National Theatre, London
2000 A Doll's House Nils Krogstad Ambassadors Theatre, London
2001 Luminosity Saul Mercer The Pit, Barbican Centre, London
Young Hamlet King Claudius Young Vic, The Cut, London
Brixton Stories Ossie The Pit, Barbican Centre, London also UK Tour
2002 The Winter's Tale Antigonus The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, London & Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Pericles Cerimon
2003 Henry V Pistol Olivier Theatre, Royal National Theatre, London
Edmond A Pimp
2004 The Jungle Book Akela Northampton Royal, Northampton
2005 Pericles Antichus/Lysinichus Globe Theatre, London
2006 The Overwhelming Joseph Cottesloe Theatre, Royal National Theatre, London with Out of Joint Theatre Company
2007 Macbeth Banquo Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Macbett Glamiss
2008 God In Ruins Soho Theatre, Soho, London
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Dullfeet Lyric Hammersmith, London
Walking Waterfall Odame Almeida Theatre, Islington, London with Tiata Fahodzi
2009 Iya-Ile Chief Adeyemi Soho Theatre, Soho, London
Othello Othello Citizens Theatre, Glasgow
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner The Mariner Southbank Centre, London
2011 Great Expectations Magwitch Watford Palace Theatre, Watford
Passing Wind Justice New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich part of Pulse Fringe Festival
The Faith Machine Lawrence/Patrick Royal Court Theatre, London
Britannicus Burrhus Wilton's Music Hall, Shadwell, London
2012 Moon on a Rainbow Shawl Charlie Adams Cottesloe Theatre, Royal National Theatre, London also UK Tour
Ignorance Dr Nasir al-Maliki Hampstead Theatre, London
2013 Othello Othello Cockpit Theatre, London also USA Tour
2015 Hamlet Asylum Seeker Claudius UK Tour with Talawa Theatre Company
The Crucible Reverend Parris Bristol Old Vic, Bristol
2016 Workshop Negative Mkhize Gate Theatre, London
The Royale Wynton Bush Theatre, Shepherd's Bush, London
2017 The Lower Depths Abram Ivanich Medvediev Arcola Theatre, London
The Cherry Orchard Yermolai Alexeievitch Lopakhin
2018 The Two Noble Kinsmen Theseus Globe Theatre, London
The Convert Uncle Young Vic, The Cut, London
2019 Three Sisters Eze Lyttelton Theatre, Royal National Theatre, London
2022 Henry V King of France/Archbishop of Canterbury/Sir Thomas Erpingham Donmar Warehouse, London
House of Ife Solomon Bush Theatre, London
2023 The Dumb Waiter Various Greenwich Theatre, London
A Slight Ache Various Greenwich Theatre, London

Games

Year Title Role Notes
2021 GTFO Dr. Abeo Dauda

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
1994 Martini Rossi TMA Awards Best Supporting Actor Poor Super Man Won [17]
2008 Red Rock Film Festival - Grand Jury Prize Special Achievement in Acting Role Jehovah's Witness Won [18]
2016 Screen Nation Film and Television Awards Favourite International Film (with Idris Elba & Ama K. Abebrese) Beasts of No Nation Won [19]
2021 Africa Movie Academy Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role Eyimofe Nominated [20]

Notes

  1. ^ NetflixReleases. "Jude Akuwudike". www.netflixreleases.com. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  2. ^ Tiziana Morosetti, Africa on the Contemporary London Stage (2018), p. 104.
  3. ^ Jane Milling, Modern British Playwriting: the 80s (2012), p. 211.
  4. ^ Timberlake Wertenbaker, Our Country's Good (2015), p. 16.
  5. ^ J. T. Rogers, The Overwhelming (2006), "Biographies".
  6. ^ "The Fatherland", programme from the Bush Theatre at Riverside, 1989.
  7. ^ Virtual Murder cast at famousfix.com. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  8. ^ About the Players at shakespeare.nd.edu (Shakespeare at Notre Dame). Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  9. ^ Plays and Players Applause, Issue 521 (1998), p. 9.
  10. ^ Plays International, Volume 18 (Chancery Publications, 2002), p. 14.
  11. ^ Howard Loxton (2011). "Great Expectations". British Theatre Guide.
  12. ^ Mary Hammond, Charles Dickens's Great Expectations: A Cultural Life, 1860–2012 (2015), Appendix C.
  13. ^ Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, "Idris Elba highlights the flawed Beasts of No Nation", 15 October 2015 at film.avclub.com. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  14. ^ Alex Ritman, Gangs of London Cinemax Series Sets Cast dated 12 May 2018, hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  15. ^ Bakare, Tonye (28 March 2021). "Jude Akuwudike: Being Eyimofe". The Guardian (Nigeria). Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  16. ^ Warner, Deborah. "Richard II, 1997". Deborah Warner. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Jude Akuwudike". Hamilton Hodell. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  18. ^ "Jude Akuwudike - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  19. ^ "11th Screen Nation Film & Television Awards 2016: Rewarding Excellence – Celebrating Diversity". The Nigerian Voice. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  20. ^ Banjo, Noah (29 October 2021). "FULL LIST: Ayinla, Omo Ghetto: The Saga bag multiple nominations at AMAA 2021". Punch Newspapers. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.

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