- Chiké Okonkwo
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Chiké Okonkwo Born 18 March 1982
Kingston upon Thames, EnglandOther names Chike Okonkwo Occupation Actor Years active 2002–present Height 6ft 1 ins Website http://www.chikeokonkwo.com Chiké Okonkwo (born 18 March 1982 in Kingston upon Thames)[1] is an English actor, known for portraying PC Clark in New Tricks and DC Callum Gada in Paradox.
Contents
Background
Born and raised in Kingston upon Thames,[2] Okonkwo is of Nigerian descent.[3] He attended Tolworth Infants/Juniors School and Southborough High School in Kingston, and later turned down a number of places at the UK's leading drama schools in order to pursue a University education, gaining a First Class degree in Business Computing from the University of Surrey, graduating in 2003.[1] After completing his studies Okonkwo pursued an acting career full time.[4]
Career
Okonkwo was one of ten actors selected from twelve thousand applicants for the BBC Talent Scheme in 2001, leading to his first professional acting role in Holby City.[4] He trained at the National Youth Theatre,[5] and was a member of the National Youth Music Theatre between 1999 and 2002.[6] Okonkwo is the patron of the Kingston-based International Youth Arts Festival.[7]
Okonkwo's stage credits include Oklahoma!, Into the Woods, Fixer, As You Like It, In Time and A Matter of Life and Death. He spent a year performing at the National Theatre, where he appeared in several productions including Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials.[8] and is now doing a midsummer's night dream in the rsc for its 50th anniversary.
Okonkwo's film work includes Derailed (2005), Animal (2005) and Spirit Trap (2005). He has also appeared in the short films Tooting Broadway Flatmates and Knock Off.
On television, Okonkwo has made guest appearances in episodes of Holby City, Silent Witness, Casualty, M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team and Roman Mysteries. He also appeared in Blood and Oil, a BBC Two drama about the oil conflict in the Niger Delta.[3] Okonkwo played the lead roles of PC Clark in the pilot and first series of New Tricks, and DC Callum Gada in Paradox.
In 2011, Okonkwo will appear on stage for the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in their 50th Anniversary season.
Filmography
Television
Year Show Role Notes 2002 Holby City Ian Clarke
- Judas Kiss (Part One) (2002)Medical drama Silent Witness PC Ben Manning
- Closed Ranks: Part One (2002)
- Closed Ranks: Part Two (2002)Crime drama 2003 New Tricks PC Clark (2003–2004) Police drama Doctors Jordan Alan
- Keeping the Peace (2003)Soap opera 2005 M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team Marlon Raines
- Episode 2.3 (2005)Police drama 2006 The Royal Jermaine Johnson
- Seeking Refuge (2006)Medical drama Shoot the Messenger Kwame Television play 2007 Roman Mysteries Kuanto
- The Pirates of Pompeii (2007)Children's TV series Casualty Kristou Vadepied
- Take a Cup of Kindness Yet (2007)
- For Auld Lang Syne (2007)Medical drama 2008 Lewis Jonjo Read
- Life Born of Fire (2008)Police drama Doctors Charlie Morgan
- Gathering Light (2008)Soap opera 2009 Paradox DC Callum Gada Sci-fi crime drama 2010 Blood and Oil Ebi TV serial Film
Year Film Role Notes 2005 Spirit Trap Edmund Joseph Animal[disambiguation needed ]
Doctor Derailed Paramedic 2007 Treasured Island Sam 2008 Tooting Broadway Flatmates Adam Smith Short film 2010 Knock Off Michael Short film References
- ^ a b IMDB – Biography Retrieved 2010-03-05.
- ^ "Young people take centre stage in Kingston". Royal Kingston. http://www.kingston.gov.uk/information/news_and_events/news.htm?id=87461. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
- ^ a b Paradox press pack – Chike Okonkwo is DC Callum Gada BBC Press Office. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
- ^ a b New Tricks characters – Chiké Okonkwo plays PC Clark BBC Press Office. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
- ^ "Why Britannia still rules the stage". The Guardian. 10 June 2007. http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2007/jun/10/theatre.broadway/. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
- ^ National Youth Music Theatre Alumni 1976 – 2004 See relevant listing.
- ^ Gore, Will (3 July 2009). "IYAF – Youth given a chance to shine". This is London. http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/leisure/4464352.IYAF___Youth_given_a_chance_to_shine/. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
- ^ IMDB – Other works Retrieved 2010-03-05.
External links
Categories:- 1982 births
- Living people
- People from Kingston upon Thames
- English people of Nigerian descent
- Alumni of the University of Surrey
- Actors from London
- Black British actors
- English stage actors
- English television actors
- English film actors
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