Uzo Aduba facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Uzo Aduba
Aduba at Pen America/Free Expression Literature, May 2014. © Ed Lederman/PEN American Center
Born	Uzoamaka Nwanneka Aduba (1981-02-10) February 10, 1981 (age 44) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Education	Boston University (BM)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2003–present
Spouse(s)	Robert Sweeting ​ (m. 2020)​
Children	1

Uzoamaka Nwanneka "Uzo" Aduba is an American actress born on February 10, 1981. She became very famous for playing Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren in the Netflix show Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019). For this role, she won several big awards, including two Emmy Awards and two SAG Awards. She is one of only two actors ever to win an Emmy for the same role in both comedy and drama categories.

In 2020, Uzo Aduba played Shirley Chisholm in the Hulu show Mrs. America. This role also earned her an Emmy Award. She has also appeared in many movies like My Little Pony: The Movie (2017) and Lightyear (2022). In 2021, she was nominated for a Tony Award for her work in the play Clyde's on Broadway. Uzo Aduba is set to star in the 2025 Netflix series The Residence.

Early Life and Education

Uzo Aduba was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Her parents are from Nigeria, and they belong to the Igbo group. She grew up in Medfield, Massachusetts, and finished high school there in 1999.

She went to Boston University where she studied classical singing. She was also a talented athlete and competed in track and field. Her family loves sports, and her younger brother, Obi, played professional hockey for six seasons.

Career Highlights

Starting Out in Acting

Uzo Aduba began her acting career in theater. In 2003, she was nominated for an award for her role in Translations of Xhosa. She performed in several plays in New York, including The Seven.

In 2007, she made her first appearance on Broadway in the play Coram Boy. She also sang in the musical Godspell from 2011 to 2012. Her first time on television was in 2012, playing a nurse on the show Blue Bloods.

Becoming Famous with Orange Is the New Black

Uzo Aduba in 2014

In 2013, Uzo Aduba started playing Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. She originally auditioned for a different role. When she was offered the part of Crazy Eyes, she wondered why they thought she would be right for it. But after reading the script, she felt it was a perfect fit.

The casting director noticed her unique look during the audition. Uzo Aduba felt very proud when she got her Screen Actors Guild card for this role. She said it made her feel like a "full actress."

Her performance as Crazy Eyes was highly praised. She won an Emmy Award in 2014 and a Critics' Choice Award. In 2015, she won another Emmy, this time for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. This made her one of the few actors to win Emmys in both comedy and drama for the same character. She also won multiple SAG Awards for her role.

Recent Projects and Theatre Work

After Orange Is the New Black ended, Uzo Aduba took on new and exciting roles. In 2020, she played Shirley Chisholm in the miniseries Mrs. America. Shirley Chisholm was a very important politician. She was the first Black woman to run for President of the United States. Uzo Aduba won another Primetime Emmy Award for this powerful performance.

In 2021, she starred in the HBO series In Treatment as a therapist. She also returned to Broadway in the play Clyde's, which earned her a Tony Award nomination. In 2023, she appeared in the Netflix miniseries Painkiller. In 2024, she published her memoir called The Road is Good: How a Mother's strength became Her Daughter's Purpose. She will star in the 2025 Netflix series The Residence.

Advocacy and Support

Uzo Aduba uses her platform to support important causes.

• In 2017, she received an award from the Point Foundation for supporting the LGBT community.
• In 2018, she became the first celebrity ambassador for Heifer International in Africa. This organization helps families become self-sufficient.
• In 2020, she became an investor in Angel City FC, a professional women's soccer team.

Personal Life

Growing up, Uzo Aduba sometimes felt different because she lived in an all-white neighborhood. However, her strong connection with her mother and her Nigerian heritage helped her feel proud of who she is.

Uzo Aduba married filmmaker Robert Sweeting in 2020 in a private ceremony in New York. In June 2023, she announced they were expecting their first child. Their baby girl was born on November 12, 2023.

Acting Credits

Uzo Aduba has acted in many films, television shows, and plays. Here are some of her notable works:

Film

Television

Theater

Awards and Nominations

Uzo Aduba has received many awards and nominations for her acting. Here are some of them:

See also

In Spanish: Uzo Aduba para niños