Adjoa Andoh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adjoa Andoh
HonFRSL
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Andoh in 2009
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| Born |
Adjoa Aiboom Helen Andoh
14 January 1963 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Spouse(s) | Howard Cunnell |
| Children | 3 |
Adjoa Aiboom Helen Andoh HonFRSL (born 14 January 1963) is a talented British actress. She has played important roles in many plays with famous theatre groups like the Royal Shakespeare Company. On TV, you might know her as Francine Jones from Doctor Who or from the medical drama Casualty. She also made her big Hollywood movie debut in 2009, playing Brenda Mazibuko in Invictus, a film about Nelson Mandela. Since 2020, she has been playing Lady Danbury in the popular Netflix show Bridgerton.
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Early Life and School
Adjoa Andoh was born in Clifton, Bristol, England. Her mother was a teacher from England, and her father was a journalist and musician from Ghana. Adjoa grew up in a place called Wickwar in Gloucestershire. She went to Katharine Lady Berkeley's School. She started studying law at Bristol Polytechnic. However, after two years, she decided to leave and follow her dream of becoming an actress.
Acting Career
Adjoa Andoh has had a long and successful career in movies, television, and theatre.
Movies
Adjoa Andoh has appeared in several films.
- She was in the 2008 movie Adulthood and its 2016 follow-up, Brotherhood. In these films, she played the mother of the main character, Sam Peel.
- In 2009, she starred in Clint Eastwood's drama film Invictus. She played Brenda Mazibuko, who was Nelson Mandela's Chief of Staff. Morgan Freeman played Nelson Mandela in the movie.
Television Shows
Adjoa Andoh is well-known for her many roles on television.
- From 2000 to 2003, she played Colette Griffiths in the popular medical drama Casualty.
- She also appeared in shows like Jonathan Creek and EastEnders.
- Fans of Doctor Who will remember her as Francine Jones, the mother of Martha Jones. She was in several episodes of the third series in 2007 and returned for the fourth series finale.
- She played the head of M.I.9 in the show M.I. High for three seasons.
- In the American streaming television series Bridgerton, which started in 2020, she plays the character of Lady Danbury.
- She also had a guest role as Mother Nenneke in the second season of the fantasy drama series The Witcher in 2021.
- In 2023, Adjoa Andoh narrated The Real Crown: Inside the House of Windsor, a TV show about the British royal family.
- Since 2021, she has narrated 'Chateaux DIY' on Channel 4.
- In 2024, she starred as 'Mrs. Claus' in a Christmas advertisement for Boots.
Radio and Audio Work
Adjoa Andoh is also known as the "Queen of audio and radio drama" because of her huge amount of work in this area.
- She has narrated over 150 audiobooks.
- She was part of the BBC's Radio Drama Company.
- She has narrated audiobooks for famous authors like Alexander McCall Smith and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
- She also provided voices for video games, including Fable in 2004 and war chief Sona in Horizon Zero Dawn in 2017.
Theatre Performances
Adjoa Andoh has performed a lot in theatre.
- In 2019, she helped direct a play called Richard II at Shakespeare's Globe. This was special because it was the first time this play in the UK had an all-female cast of color. Critics really liked it.
- In 2023, she directed and starred in Richard III at the Liverpool Playhouse and Rose Theatre Kingston.
Contributions to the Arts
Adjoa Andoh is an Associate Artist for the Royal Shakespeare Company. She is also a Senior Associate Artist at the Bush Theatre.
- She has been a judge for many important awards. These include the Women's Prize for Playwriting and the Booker Prize.
- She is a co-founder of the Future Worlds Prize. This award helps science fiction writers of color.
- In 2023, she hosted an event at the Black to the Future Festival in London.
Special Recognitions
Adjoa Andoh teaches at the Royal Academy of Arts (RADA) and Rose Bruford College.
- In 2021, she was named an Honorary Fellow at Rose Bruford College.
- She was also named an Honorary Fellow of the British Shakespeare Association in 2021.
- In 2022, she was chosen to be a member of the Royal Society of Literature.
Personal Life
Adjoa Andoh met her husband, Howard Cunnell, in 1994. They got married in 2001. They have two children together, born in 1996 and 1997. Adjoa also has another daughter from a previous relationship, born in 1985 or 1986. Howard Cunnell has worked as a lecturer, writer, and scuba diving instructor. The family lives in Sussex.
- In 2009, Adjoa Andoh became a licensed lay minister in the Church of England.
- She has been a Fairtrade Ambassador since 2005. This means she supports fair trade practices.
Coronation Comments
In May 2023, after the coronation of King Charles III, Adjoa Andoh made a comment about the diversity she saw. She said that the day had "gone from the rich diversity of the Abbey to a terribly white balcony." Many people complained about this comment. Adjoa later explained that she was talking about how wonderful the day was, and then noticed the balcony looked very different from the diverse crowd she had seen earlier. She said she did not mean to upset anyone. In June 2023, the media watchdog Ofcom decided not to take any action because it was her personal observation.
Acting Credits and Awards
See also
In Spanish: Adjoa Andoh para niños
