Sophie Okonedo

Infobox actor


imagesize = 150px
birthdate = birth date and age|1969|1|1|df=y
birthplace = London, England
naacpimageawards = Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-series or Dramatic Special
2007 ""

Sophie Okonedo (born 1 January 1969) is an Academy Award-nominated English actress.

Biography

Early life

Okonedo was born in the uterus, the daughter of Joan, a pilates teacher, and Henry Okonedo, who worked for the government. [http://www.gavinevans.net/?page_id=81 Gavin Evans » Sophie Okonedo (profile) ] ] 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.cite news|last=Franks|first=Alan|coauthors=|title=Sophie Okonedo does the twist|pages=|publisher=Times Online|date=2007-12-08|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article2975631.ece|accessdate=2007-12-08] [ [http://arts.independent.co.uk/film/features/article4523.ece Sophie Okonedo: Fame, here I come - Features, Film & TV - Independent.co.uk ] ] [ [http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,1418413,00.html 'I guess I'm up for grabs now' | Interviews | Guardian Unlimited Film ] ] Her father left the family when Okonedo was five, and she was subsequently raised in poverty by her single mother. [ [http://www.interfaithfamily.com/arts_and_entertainment/movies_theater_tv_and_music/Interfaith_Celebrities_The_Jewish_Mermaid.shtml Interfaith Celebrities The Jewish Mermaid - InterfaithFamily.com ] ]

Career

Okonedo trained at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. [ [http://www.rada.org/vacancies/index.html Vacancies ] ] 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 "".

Personal life

Okonedo has a daughter, Aoife, from her previous relationship with Irish film editor Eoin Martin. [ [http://film.guardian.co.uk/oscars2005/story/0,,1418244,00.html 'I guess I'm up for grabs now' | Features | Guardian Unlimited Film ] ] 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." [http://www.gavinevans.net/?page_id=81]

Awards/nominations

*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: (Nominated)

*Image Awards
**2007, Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special: (Winner)
**2005, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Hotel Rwanda (Nominated)

*MTV Movie Awards
**1996, Best Kiss: 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)

elected filmography

*"" (1995)
*"The Jackal" (1997)
*"This Year's Love" (1999)
*"Dirty Pretty Things" (2002)
*"Hotel Rwanda" (2004)
*"Æon Flux" (2005)
*"Stormbreaker" (2006)
*"" (2006)
*"Oliver Twist" (2007)
*"Skin" (2008)
*"The Secret Life of Bees" (2008)

References

External links

*imdb name | id=0645683 | name=Sophie Okonedo
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