::Nigerians in Hollywood::Raz Adoti | season2

Sometime in May 2008, I started a series of posts on this blog called 'Nigerians in Hollywood', for some reason there was a long pause after sophie Okenedo's review. We also reviewed Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje , popularly known as 'Eko' from the lost series. Season two opens with a review of another huge talent Raz Adoti.


Born in England to Nigerian parents, Razaaq Adoti (a.k.a. Raz) is the second eldest of five children. After graduating high school, Raz's first intention was to work behind the scenes as a cameraman, but he fell in love with the stage instead. At the age of 17, after his first year in college, Adoti landed his first job in theater.

Before graduating, Adoti was cast as Nathan Detroit in the National Youth and Music Theatre Company's (NYMT) production of Guys and Dolls. The tour took Adoti to Japan, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and numerous other places across Europe. Additionally in 1991, he secured a part in NYMT's production of the opera Aesop, which won a Fringe First Award

In 1992 he was accepted to train at the prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama (former students of the academy include Sir Laurence Olivier, Dame Judi Dench and Vanessa Redgrave). At CSSD, Adoti earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in acting. Upon graduation, he was signed by one of London's most reputable talent agencies and his professional career was truly under way.

Within a year of leaving drama school Adoti's dream of performing on stage came true. In 1997, he was cast in a major supporting role in Steven Spielberg's new epic, Amistad. He was humbled to be a part of the distinguished cast assembled to chronicle a very important chapter in American history. The ensemble included: Sir Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman and Matthew McConaughey. After completing Amistad, he returned to London with newfound determination. He worked on various television and film projects.

In 2001, Hollywood came calling again and this time, Adoti was given the chance to work with another Oscar®-winning director, Ridley Scott. Adoti played the main antagonist in Scott's Black Hawk Down, Yousuf Dahir Mo'alim. Since then he has gone on to co-star in director Paul
Anderson's Resident Evil: Apocalypse, opposite Milla Jovovich.

Adoti's past television credits include Sky One's award-winning television drama Dream Team, BBC's BAFTA award-winning miniseries Holding On, ITV's award-winning television drama, Soldier Soldier and Channel 4's controversial miniseries Men Only. Raz last vistited Nigeria in 2008 and comes home regularly. He says he feels a strong connection to his roots.

Next week we would also be taking a trip to the world of Chiwetel Ejiofor. Another Nigerian born, screen genius. I bet they all make us proud some how.

Nigerians in Hollywood, season 1 contd.

Sophie Okonedo (born 1 January 1969) is an Academy Award-nominated British actress with Nigerian blood of course...LOL

Biography:
Early life Okonedo was born in London, the daughter of Joan, a pilates teacher, and Henry Okonedo, who worked for the government. Her father is Nigerian and her mother, a Ashkenazi Jew, was born in the East End to Yiddish-speaking immigrants from Poland and Russia; Okonedo was raised attending synagogue. Her father left the family when Okonedo was five, and she was subsequently raised in poverty by her single mother.

Career
Okonedo trained at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She has worked in a variety of media including film, television, theatre, and audio drama. She performed in Scream of the Shalka — a webcast based on the BBC television series Doctor Who — as Alison Cheney, a companion of the Doctor. As well as providing the character's voice, Okonedo's likeness was used for the animation of the character. Okonedo also played the part of Ms. Tulip Jones in the movie Stormbreaker (2006) and Nancy in the 2007 television adaptation of Oliver Twist. She was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Supporting Actress in 2004 for her role in Hotel Rwanda and nominated for a Golden Globe for a Lead Actress in a Miniseries for her work in Tsunami: The Aftermath. Personal Life Okonedo has a daughter, Aoife, from her previous relationship with Irish film editor Eoin Martin. They live in Muswell Hill, London. On her heritage, Sophie says, "I feel as proud to be Jewish as I feel to be black" and calls her daughter "a gorgeous Irish, Nigerian Jew, so she’s really got it made."

here are some of the films she has been in:

1.Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
2.The Jackal (1997)
3.This Year's Love (1999)
4.Dirty Pretty Things (2002)
5.Hotel Rwanda (2004)
6.Æon Flux (2005)
7.Stormbreaker (2006)
8.Tsunami: The Aftermath (2006)
9.Martian Child (2007)
10.Oliver Twist (2007)
11.Skin (2008) (post-production)
12.The Secret Life of Bees (2009)

pretty impressive aiight... believe me how could one have imagined such pedigree. Yeah you could say she never had anything to do with Nigeria true that, but it still doesnt change the fact that she's got a Nigerian Spirit.
Sophie has had a pretty impressive career her awards and nominations are strong evidence to this fact:

*Academy Awards 2005,
Best Supporting Actress: Hotel Rwanda (Nominated)

*Black Reel Award 2005,
Best Actress in a Drama: Hotel Rwanda (Winner)

*Golden Globes 2007,
Best Actress in a Television Movie/Mini-Series: Tsunami: The Aftermath (Nominated)

*Image Awards 2007,
Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special: Tsunami:

The Aftermath (Winner)2005,
*Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Hotel Rwanda (Nominated)

*MTV Movie Awards 1996, Best Kiss: Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls shared with Jim Carrey

*(Nominated) Screen Actors Guild 2005, Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture: Hotel Rwanda

*(Nominated)2005, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Hotel Rwanda (Nominated)

Nigerians in Hollywood, season 1

Hey folks once again my my 'creatively restless' mind is at it again. For some time now perhaps by some coincidence i have stumbled upon stories of some Nigerian actors who have been making waves in Hollywood.

• Chiwetel Ejiofor actor,( Inside Man, Dirty Pretty Things)
• Sophie Okonedo, actor, (The jackal, Dirty Pretty Things).
• Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, actor, (Lost, The Bourne Identity, GI Joe).

these three name amongst the growing number of Nigerians who have found and are still making their way to the limelight called hollywood. on this thread i will attempt to bring you a profile of them, their current projects and their lives.

did u know that Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is a Buddhist

yeah thats right there is a lot more to Nigerian professionals in diaspora than meets the eye.

Here is a brief Bio on Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje:

Name: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

Height: 6' 2''

Sex: Male

Nationality: British

Birth Date: August 22, 1967

Birth Place: London, England, UK

Profession: Actor, Model

Education: Kings College, the University of London (masters in Law)

Claim to fame: Played the criminal Simon Adebisi in the HBO prison series Oz (1997-2000), as well as Mr. Eko on the second season of ABC's survivor drama Lost (2005)

Nigerians in Hollywood, season 1 would be continued.