Eamonn Walker facts for kids

Eamonn Roderique Walker, born on June 12, 1962, is a talented British actor. He has starred in many popular TV shows and movies. You might know him from the BBC sitcom In Sickness and in Health or the crime drama The Bill. He also played a big role in the HBO series Oz, where he even won an award!

Eamonn Walker was also the main actor in the TV movie Othello in 2001. From 2012 to 2024, he was a main character, Wallace Boden, in the NBC drama Chicago Fire and its spin-off shows. He has also appeared in films like Young Soul Rebels (1991) and A Lonely Place to Die (2011).

Early Life and Learning

Eamonn Walker was born in west London in 1962. His father was from Grenada and his mother was from Trinidad. He grew up in Islington, north London. When he was nine years old, he lived in Trinidad for six months.

He went to Hungerford School in Islington. Later, he started studying social work at the Polytechnic of North London. Eamonn also trained to be a dancer and joined a dance group called Explosive Dance Theatre Company. Sadly, he had to stop dancing because of a calf muscle injury. He also studied acting at the New York Film Academy in the United States.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out in the UK

Eamonn Walker began his acting career on stage in London in 1983. His first TV appearance was in 1985 on the show Dempsey and Makepeace. The next year, he was in an episode of the children's show Dramarama.

From 1986 to 1987, he played Winston in the BBC show In Sickness and in Health. In 1988, he got the role of PC Malcolm Haynes in the popular ITV police drama The Bill, where he stayed until 1989.

His first movie role was in 1991 in Young Soul Rebels. He also appeared in the detective series Bergerac. In 1993, he was in two BBC comedies: Birds of a Feather and One Foot in the Grave. In 1994, he was in the film Shopping. He continued to appear in British TV shows like The Detectives and Goodnight Sweetheart in 1995.

Moving to Hollywood and American TV

In 1997, Eamonn Walker got a big role in the American TV series Oz on HBO. He played Kareem Saïd, a new inmate who was a very religious Muslim. To prepare for the role, Eamonn visited a mosque in Harlem to learn about American Muslim culture. He wanted his acting to be very real. He played this role from 1997 until 2003. For his work in Oz, he won the Best Actor in a Dramatic Series award at the CableACE Awards. He was also nominated for a Satellite Award in 1999.

In 2000, Eamonn was in two movies: Once in the Life and Unbreakable, which starred Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. He also appeared in Homicide: The Movie. In 2001, he returned to British TV to star as John Othello in a modern version of William Shakespeare's play Othello. He won an award for this role in 2002.

In 2003, he acted alongside Bruce Willis in the war film Tears of the Sun. He also appeared in the TV show The Jury. In 2005, he was in the films Lord of War and Duma. That same year, he made his first appearance on Broadway, playing Mark Antony in the play Julius Caesar with Denzel Washington.

In 2006, he played Dr. Stephen Dakarai in the medical drama ER. He also starred in the legal drama Justice. In May 2007, he made history by becoming the first Black actor to play Othello at Shakespeare's Globe theatre in London.

In 2008, he was in the BBC show Bonekickers. He also starred in three movies: Blood and Bone, Cadillac Records (where he played the famous blues singer Howlin' Wolf), and The Messenger.

Eamonn Walker appeared in the NBC drama series Kings, which was based on the biblical story of David. He played Reverend Ephram Samuels. He also starred in the TV series The Whole Truth in 2010.

In 2011, Eamonn was in the FX series Lights Out. In 2012, he appeared in Inspector George Gently and Strike Back. In 2013, he played Frederick Douglass in the BBC series Copper.

From 2012 to 2024, Eamonn Walker played Wallace Boden in the popular NBC drama Chicago Fire. He also had recurring roles as Wallace Boden in the spin-off shows Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med. In 2020, he starred in the play Between Riverside and Crazy. After taking a break from Chicago Fire, he rejoined the show in season 13.

Personal Life

Eamonn Walker lives in the United States with his wife, Sandra. They have three children together.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Audio book

• World War Z (2006) - Paul Redeker

Interviews

• The Bill Podcast: Eamonn Walker Part 1 (2018)