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Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renowned Stage and Film Actor, Turns 44

Jul 11, 2021 09:00AM ● By Kassidy Garland

Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor was born on July 10, 1977, in Forest Gate, London. His father, Arinze, was a doctor, and his mother, Obiajulu, was a pharmacist. Both of his parents were of Nigerian descent, specifically from the Igbo people. He holds both British and Nigerian citizenship. Ejiofor also has a younger sister, Zain, who works as a CNN correspondent.


When Chiwetel and his father traveled to Nigeria for a wedding, they were involved in a terrible car accident. His father passed away, and Chiwetel was injured, leaving scars still visible on his forehead today. After the death of his father, Ejiofor struggled, but moved into acting, eventually getting accepted to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. 


Ejiofor didn’t end up returning to school after his first year, as he was cast in Steven Spielberg’s Amistad. He took on roles in Blue/Orange, as well as, Romeo and Juliet. While working as a London stage actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor found success, but he also continued working in film. 


Ejiofor won roles in It Was An Accident, Dirty Pretty Things, and even in the cult classic, Love Actually. As his success grew, he was cast in larger roles, eventually taking on roles in Talk To Me, 12 Years A Slave, the Marvel series, and the live adaptation of the 2019 Lion King.


 


Since 1997, Ejiofor has graced the stage, TV screen, and big screen in a number of roles. From voice roles, Shakespearean plays, and superhero movies, Chiwetel Ejiofor has had a long and successful career as an actor, winning 53 total awards including, Best Actor, British Actor of the Year, and Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture.


In addition to his successful, award-winning career, he is also involved with significant philanthropy. He was featured in a video from the UNHCR to help raise awareness of the global refugee crisis in September of 2016. He was also honored with a Global Promise Award by The GEANCO Foundation, a non-profit welfare organization in West Africa, for his charity work in Nigeria.


Sources:

Britannica





 Kassidy Garland has had a great appreciation for reading and writing since she was young. She graduated from West Chester University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English & Women and Gender Studies. With a concentration in creative writing, Kassidy has 5 years of experience writing blogs, articles, and for social media. Kassidy is also pursuing a Master’s degree in IT with a concentration in Web Development. Based out of Philadelphia, Kassidy loves to write about a number of topics and looks forward to sharing her passion with those at FunTimes Magazine. 



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