Arinzé Kene facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arinzé Kene
MBE |
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|---|---|
| Born | 1987 (age 37–38) Lagos, Nigeria
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| Occupation | Actor, Playwright |
Arinzé Mokwe Kene is a British actor and playwright who was born in Nigeria. He is known for his work in theater, television, and movies. For his contributions to drama, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
Contents
From Kickboxer to Actor
Arinzé Kene was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1987. When he was four years old, his family moved to London. Growing up, Kene's father worked as a taxi driver.
As a kid, Kene was encouraged to learn kickboxing. He became very good at it and started competing as an amateur at age 16. He was so talented that he won two national championships. However, at age 21, he decided to quit kickboxing to follow his dream of becoming an actor.
Career on Stage and Screen
Early Stage and TV Roles
Kene's acting career took off on the stage. He played famous roles like Simba in the musical The Lion King and appeared in Daddy Cool. In 2009, he starred in the musical Been So Long.
In 2010, he became more widely known when he joined the cast of the popular BBC show EastEnders. He played the character Connor Stanley and was nominated for Best Newcomer at an awards show for his performance. Around the same time, he also began writing for the EastEnders spin-off show, EastEnders: E20.
Kene also wrote his own plays. His play Suffocation was performed at the Oval House Theatre in London in 2011. That same year, he was cast as Rocco in the TV series Hollyoaks.
Major Roles and Playwriting
Kene continued to act in and write successful plays. In 2013, his play God's Property was produced by the Talawa Theatre Company and other theaters.
In 2016, he appeared in the TV series Crazyhead as Tyler. He also took on the role of the legendary singer Sam Cooke in the play One Night in Miami at the Donmar Warehouse theatre in London.
One of his biggest successes was the play Misty, which he wrote and starred in. After a popular run at the Bush Theatre in 2018, it moved to the Trafalgar Studios in London's West End.
In 2020, Kene was chosen to play music icon Bob Marley in the musical Get Up, Stand Up!. The show opened in London's West End in October 2021. His performance was so good that he was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
In 2025, he performed in the play Alterations at The Royal National Theatre.
Selected Film and TV Work
Here are some of the movies and TV shows Arinzé Kene has appeared in.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Freestyle | Leon | Feature film |
| 2010 | Casualty | Jacob Maynard | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 2010 | EastEnders | Connor Stanley | TV series, 41 episodes |
| 2011 | ... and KFC | Jason Simpson | Short film |
| 2011 | Hollyoaks | Rocco | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Youngers | Ashley | TV series, 16 episodes |
| 2014 | Our Girl | Corp. Kinders | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 2016 | The Pass | Ade | Feature film |
| 2016 | Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | Auror 6 | Feature film |
| 2016 | Crazyhead | Tyler | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 2018 | Been So Long | Raymond | Feature film |
| 2018 | Informer | Sal Brahimi | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 2019 | I Am Hannah | James | Standalone drama |
| 2019 | How to Build a Girl | Kenny | Feature film |
| 2019 | Flack | Sam | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 2020 | I'm Your Woman | Cal | Feature film |
| 2021 | Ear for Eye | UK Man | Feature film |
| 2023 | Love Again | John | Feature film |
| 2023 | Tuesday | Death | Feature film |
| 2024 | Harvest | Phillip "Quill" Earle | Feature film |
Awards and Nominations
Arinzé Kene has been recognized for his talent with many awards and nominations.
Major Theatre Awards
The Olivier Awards are among the most important theatre awards in the United Kingdom. Kene has been nominated for several.
- 2019: Nominated for Best New Play and Best Actor for his play Misty.
- 2020: Nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the play Death of a Salesman.
- 2022: Nominated for Best Actor in a Musical for playing Bob Marley in Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical.
Other Awards
Kene has also won and been nominated for other important awards for his acting and playwriting.
- 2010: Won the Off West End Theatre Award for Most Promising New Playwright for Estate Walls.
- 2019: Won the Black British Theatre Award for Best Male Actor in a Play for Misty.
- 2019: Won the Off West End Theatre Award for Best Performance Piece for Misty.
See also
In Spanish: Arinze Kene para niños
