Damson Idris facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Damson Idris
Idris in 2019
Born	Adamson Alade-Bo Idris (1991-09-02) 2 September 1991 (age 33) London, England
Alma mater	Brunel University London
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2012–present

Damson Alade-Bo Idris (born September 2, 1991) is an English actor. He is well-known for his main role in the popular TV drama Snowfall, which aired from 2017 to 2023. He also starred in the 2021 sci-fi action movie Outside the Wire on Netflix.

About Damson Idris

His Early Life

Damson Idris was born in Peckham, South-East London, England. His family comes from Nigeria. He is the youngest of six children. When he was younger, he loved playing football and dreamed of becoming a famous player like Cristiano Ronaldo. He also played rugby. In 2002, he even got to shake hands with Queen Elizabeth II when his rugby team took part in her Golden Jubilee celebration.

Damson's older brothers and sisters all chose careers in law, business, or technology. When he realized that a professional football career wasn't going to happen, he decided to study drama. He went to Brunel University London and earned a degree in Theatre, Film & Television studies. He also trained at the famous Identity School of Acting in London. Many other well-known actors, like John Boyega and Letitia Wright, also trained there.

Becoming an Actor

While at Brunel University, Damson met actress Cathy Tyson. She encouraged him to try out for a play called Pandora's Box. He got the part and soon found an agent. This helped him get more roles in plays. He also continued his acting training at the Identity School of Acting.

After performing at the Royal National Theatre in London, Damson decided to try for roles in TV shows and movies. He appeared in several British TV series, including Miranda (2013), Doctors (2015), and Casualty (2015).

Big Roles on TV and in Movies

Damson auditioned for the TV show Snowfall by sending a video from London. He then flew to Los Angeles to meet the show's creator, John Singleton. Singleton wanted to make sure Damson could do a perfect American accent. To practice, Damson worked with rapper WC, who taught him not just the accent but also the way people act in South Central Los Angeles. Damson received great reviews for his performance in Snowfall. Critics said he was "captivating." The show became very popular and ran for six seasons, ending in 2023.

In 2016, Damson had his first big movie role in the British thriller City of Tiny Lights. In 2017, he appeared in his first American film, Megan Leavey, alongside Kate Mara. He also played an FBI agent in the 2018 movie The Commuter with Liam Neeson.

Damson starred in the film Farming with Kate Beckinsale. This movie tells a true story about a Nigerian-British actor named Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who also directed the film. Damson plays a character based on Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who, like many Nigerian children at the time, grew up with a white foster family in the UK. Kate Beckinsale plays his foster mother. In 2019, Damson won an award for Best Actor at the Edinburgh Film Festival for his role in Farming. He also appeared in an episode of the popular show Black Mirror called "Smithereens."

In May 2017, Damson won the "Emerging Talent Award" at the 12th Screen Nation Film and Television Awards in London. In 2023, he became a brand ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger menswear.

It was announced in April 2023 that Damson Idris will star with Brad Pitt in an upcoming movie called F1 for Apple TV+. The movie is directed by Joseph Kosinski.

Outside of Acting

Damson Idris is a big fan of football and supports the team Manchester United.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2016	City of Tiny Lights	Hakim	Crime / Drama / Mystery
2017	Megan Leavey	Michael Forman	Action / Biography / Drama
2018	The Commuter	Agent Denys	Action / Mystery / Thriller
	Astral	Jordan	Drama / Horror / Sci-Fi
	Farming	Enitan	Drama
2021	Outside the Wire	Lt. Thomas Harp	Action / Adventure / Fantasy
2025	F1	Joshua Pearce	Filming

Television

Theatre

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Damson Idris para niños