Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
In 2013
Born	(1967-08-22) 22 August 1967 (age 57) London, England
Other names	Adewalé, Triple A
Alma mater	King's College London University of London International Programme
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1994–present

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (born August 22, 1967) is a talented English actor. He is well-known for playing many different characters in popular movies and TV shows. Some of his most famous roles include Simon Adebisi in Oz, Mr. Eko in Lost, and Killer Croc in Suicide Squad. He also appeared as Kurse in Thor: The Dark World and Malko in Game of Thrones.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje also directed his first movie, called Farming. This film was shown for the first time in 2018.

Early Life and School

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje was born in London, England. His parents were from Nigeria and belonged to the Yoruba people. They were students living in the UK. When he was just six weeks old, his parents placed him with a white working-class family in Tilbury. This family fostered many African children, including Adewale's two sisters. His foster father worked as a lorry driver and worked hard to support the family.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje at a Red Cross event in 2007

When Adewale was eight, his birth parents took him back to Nigeria. However, he could not speak the Yoruba language and found it hard to fit in. So, he returned to Tilbury soon after. This short trip made him think about his Nigerian background and how it fit with his British upbringing.

Growing up, Adewale faced challenges in his neighborhood. He was often picked on because of his race. After some tough experiences, he learned to stand up for himself. At 16, his birth parents sent him to a boarding school in Surrey. There, he focused on his studies and changed his life for the better.

He went on to study at the University of London. He later earned a Master's degree in Law from King's College London. While at university, he worked in a clothing store. This job introduced him to the world of modeling.

Acting Career

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje's modeling work led him to Hollywood. He started his acting career in 1995 with a role in the movie Congo.

He became very well-known for playing Simon Adebisi in the TV series Oz. He was also famous for his role as Mr. Eko in the TV show Lost. In movies, he played Nykwana Wombosi in The Bourne Identity. He was also Hitu in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Lock-Nah in The Mummy Returns. Kids might also know him as Heavy Duty in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

Around 2009, there was talk that Adewale might play the superhero Black Panther. He was very excited about this idea. He felt it was the right time for a black superhero. Even though Chadwick Boseman later got the role, Adewale was eager to play such an important character.

He also appeared in an episode of Monk. In 2011, he was in the movie The Thing. He played Kurse in the Marvel Studios movie Thor: The Dark World. He also had a role as Malko in the fifth season of Game of Thrones. In 2016, he played the villain Killer Croc in the DC Comics movie Suicide Squad.

In 2012, Adewale shared that he was working on a movie about his own life story. He also planned to direct it. The movie is called Farming. This name refers to how some Nigerian parents would "farm out" their children to white families in the UK. The film won an award at the Edinburgh Film Festival.

Personal Life

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje lives in Los Angeles. He follows Nichiren Buddhism and is a member of the Soka Gakkai International Buddhist group.

He is a big fan of the football team Arsenal F.C.. Adewale asked to leave the TV show Lost because he wanted to go back to London. He also wanted to direct his film there.

Filmography

Film

Television

See Also

In Spanish: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje para niños