Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Encyclopedia
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (icon; born 22 August 1967) is a British
actor, and former fashion model best known for his roles as Mr. Eko
on Lost
, Simon Adebisi
on Oz
and Nykwana Wombosi in The Bourne Identity
.
, London. He is the son of Nigeria
n immigrants of Yoruba
origin.
His best known acting roles have been as the imposing convict Simon Adebisi
in the 1990s HBO prison series Oz
, and as Mr. Eko
on ABC
's survivor drama Lost
. He was also in an episode of New York Undercover
. He has numerous film credits since he began acting in 1994 and has appeared in many top movies, including The Bourne Identity
, in which he played a deposed African dictator, Hitu the police officer in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
, Lock-Nah in The Mummy Returns
, and Heavy Duty
in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.
Akinnuoye-Agbaje has also stated that he will be directing a movie about his life story. More recently, he guest starred in the second episode of season 8 of Monk
, and played Derek Jameson in the 2011 film The Thing
.
.
Akinnuoye-Agbaje had asked to be written off Lost, citing a desire to return to London after his parents' recent passing and to direct a film there.
on September 2, 2006 for disobeying a police officer and operating a motor vehicle without a license. He was released after six hours on $500 bail. On September 26, 2006, he was cleared of all charges after providing proof that he had a license.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor, and former fashion model best known for his roles as Mr. Eko
Mr. Eko
Mr. Eko Tunde is a fictional character, played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the ABC television series Lost. He is introduced in the second season episode "Adrift" as one of the plane-crash survivors from the plane's tail section. Flashbacks reveal that he became the leader of a gang of guerrillas...
on Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
, Simon Adebisi
Simon Adebisi
Simon Adebisi is a fictional character played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the HBO dramatic series Oz, set in an experimental prison unit.-Character overview:Prisoner #93A234. Convicted May 2, 1993 - Murder in the first degree...
on Oz
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
and Nykwana Wombosi in The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Identity (2002 film)
The Bourne Identity is a 2002 American spy film loosely based on Robert Ludlum's novel of the same name. It stars Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, an amnesiac attempting to discover his true identity amidst a clandestine conspiracy within the Central Intelligence Agency . The film also stars Franka...
.
Early life and career
Akinnuoye-Agbaje was born in IslingtonIslington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, London. He is the son of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n immigrants of Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
origin.
His best known acting roles have been as the imposing convict Simon Adebisi
Simon Adebisi
Simon Adebisi is a fictional character played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the HBO dramatic series Oz, set in an experimental prison unit.-Character overview:Prisoner #93A234. Convicted May 2, 1993 - Murder in the first degree...
in the 1990s HBO prison series Oz
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
, and as Mr. Eko
Mr. Eko
Mr. Eko Tunde is a fictional character, played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the ABC television series Lost. He is introduced in the second season episode "Adrift" as one of the plane-crash survivors from the plane's tail section. Flashbacks reveal that he became the leader of a gang of guerrillas...
on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's survivor drama Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
. He was also in an episode of New York Undercover
New York Undercover
New York Undercover is an American police drama that aired on the FOX television network from 1994 to 1998. The series starred Malik Yoba as Detective J.C. Williams and Michael DeLorenzo as Detective Eddie Torres, two undercover detectives in New York City's 4th Precinct who were assigned to...
. He has numerous film credits since he began acting in 1994 and has appeared in many top movies, including The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Identity (2002 film)
The Bourne Identity is a 2002 American spy film loosely based on Robert Ludlum's novel of the same name. It stars Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, an amnesiac attempting to discover his true identity amidst a clandestine conspiracy within the Central Intelligence Agency . The film also stars Franka...
, in which he played a deposed African dictator, Hitu the police officer in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls is the sequel to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective . Jim Carrey reprises his role as the title character Ace Ventura, a detective who specializes in retrieval of tame or captive animals. This is the only sequel to a film starring Carrey in which Carrey reprised his role...
, Lock-Nah in The Mummy Returns
The Mummy Returns
The Mummy Returns is a 2001 American adventure film written and directed by Stephen Sommers, starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, Patricia Velásquez and Freddie Boath. The film is a sequel to the 1999 film The Mummy...
, and Heavy Duty
Heavy Duty (G.I. Joe)
Heavy Duty is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series of toy lines, comics and cartoons. Heavy Duty is the G.I. Joe Team's heavy ordnance specialist. He is described as being unafraid of any situation despite heavy enemy fire...
in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.
Akinnuoye-Agbaje has also stated that he will be directing a movie about his life story. More recently, he guest starred in the second episode of season 8 of Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
, and played Derek Jameson in the 2011 film The Thing
The Thing (2011 film)
The Thing is a 2011 science fiction horror film directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., and written by Eric Heisserer. It is a prequel to the 1982 film of the same name by John Carpenter, the plot taking place immediately prior to the events of that film...
.
Personal life
Akinnuoye-Agbaje is a Buddhist and a member of Sōka Gakkai InternationalSoka Gakkai International
is a lay religious movement within Nichiren Buddhism, a branch of Mahayana Buddhism derived from the teachings of the thirteenth-century Japanese monk, Nichiren Daishonin....
.
Akinnuoye-Agbaje had asked to be written off Lost, citing a desire to return to London after his parents' recent passing and to direct a film there.
Arrest
Akinnuoye-Agbaje was arrested in Honolulu, HawaiiHonolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
on September 2, 2006 for disobeying a police officer and operating a motor vehicle without a license. He was released after six hours on $500 bail. On September 26, 2006, he was cleared of all charges after providing proof that he had a license.
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Congo Congo (film) Congo is a 1995 action adventure film, based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It was directed by Frank Marshall and stars Laura Linney, Dylan Walsh, Tim Curry, Ernie Hudson, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Grant Heslov, and Joe Don Baker. The film was released on June 9, 1995 by... |
Kahega |
| 1995 | Delta of Venus | The Clairvoyant |
| 1995 | Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls is the sequel to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective . Jim Carrey reprises his role as the title character Ace Ventura, a detective who specializes in retrieval of tame or captive animals. This is the only sequel to a film starring Carrey in which Carrey reprised his role... |
Hitu |
| 1996 | The Deadly Voyage | Emmaneul |
| 1998 | Legionnaire Legionnaire (film) Legionnaire is a 1998 film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as a 1920s boxer who wins a fight after having been hired by gangsters to lose it, then flees to join the French Foreign Legion. The cast includes Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Steven Berkoff, Nicholas Farrell and Jim Carter... |
Luther |
| 2000 | Enslavement The True Story of Fanny Kemble | Joe |
| 2001 | The Mummy Returns The Mummy Returns The Mummy Returns is a 2001 American adventure film written and directed by Stephen Sommers, starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, Patricia Velásquez and Freddie Boath. The film is a sequel to the 1999 film The Mummy... |
Lock-Nah |
| 2001 | Lip Service | Sebastion |
| 2002 | Nykwana Wombosi | |
| 2004 | Unstoppable | Junod |
| 2005 | Kwesi | |
| 2005 | On the One (Preaching to the Choir) | Bull Sharky |
| 2005 | Get Rich or Die Tryin' | Majestic |
| 2009 | G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra | Heavy Duty Heavy Duty (G.I. Joe) Heavy Duty is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero series of toy lines, comics and cartoons. Heavy Duty is the G.I. Joe Team's heavy ordnance specialist. He is described as being unafraid of any situation despite heavy enemy fire... |
| 2010 | Faster Faster (2010 film) Faster is a 2010 American action film directed by George Tillman, Jr. It stars Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino, Moon Bloodgood, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Maggie Grace. It was released in the United States on November 24, 2010.-Plot:... |
The Evangelist |
| 2011 | Killer Elite | The Agent |
| 2011 | Derek Jameson |
Television
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | New York Undercover New York Undercover New York Undercover is an American police drama that aired on the FOX television network from 1994 to 1998. The series starred Malik Yoba as Detective J.C. Williams and Michael DeLorenzo as Detective Eddie Torres, two undercover detectives in New York City's 4th Precinct who were assigned to... |
Cliff Ramsey |
| 1997-2000 | Oz Oz (TV series) Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons... |
Simon Adebisi Simon Adebisi Simon Adebisi is a fictional character played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the HBO dramatic series Oz, set in an experimental prison unit.-Character overview:Prisoner #93A234. Convicted May 2, 1993 - Murder in the first degree... |
| 2005-2006 | Lost Lost (TV series) Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island... |
Mr. Eko Mr. Eko Mr. Eko Tunde is a fictional character, played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the ABC television series Lost. He is introduced in the second season episode "Adrift" as one of the plane-crash survivors from the plane's tail section. Flashbacks reveal that he became the leader of a gang of guerrillas... |
| 2009 | Monk Monk (TV series) Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July... |
Samuel Waingaya |
| 2011 | Strike Back: Project Dawn Strike Back: Project Dawn Strike Back: Project Dawn, as it is known in the United Kingdom is a ten-part British-American action television serial, and is the second series of Strike Back. However the only cast member to return from the original series was Richard Armitage in the first episode... |
Music videos
- "Love No LimitLove No Limit"Love No Limit" is a hip hop soul–R&B song written by American R&B singer-songwriter Kenny Greene , co-written by Dave Hall, and produced by DeVante Swing, who is known for his work as a Producer with fellow 1990s R&B group, Jodeci. It was recorded by American recording artist Mary J...
" – Mary J. BligeMary J. BligeMary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has... - "No No No" – Dawn PennDawn PennDawn Penn is a Jamaican reggae singer.-Career:Dawn Penn's earliest recordings were for Prince Buster around 1966. In 1967 she recorded and released the rocksteady single, "You Don't Love Me" produced by Coxsone Dodd at Studio One...
- "I Want It All Night Long" – Heather HunterHeather HunterHeather Keisha Hunter is a former pornographic actress, who is now a rap artist, painter, and author.-Film and television:...
- "Giving Him Something He Can FeelGiving Him Something He Can Feel"Something He Can Feel" is a song composed by Curtis Mayfield for the soundtrack to the 1976 motion picture Sparkle. The song, a love ballad in a Supremes/Motown-esque style, became a number-one hit on the Billboard's R&B singles chart in the United States twice with two separate recordings: a 1976...
" – En VogueEn VogueEn Vogue is an American female R&B vocal group from Oakland, California assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.The group has won more MTV Video Music Awards than any other female group in MTV history, a total of seven, along with four Soul Train Awards, six American Music...
External links
- Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje interview on the Tavis SmileyTavis SmileyTavis Smiley is a talk show host, author, liberal political commentator, entrepreneur, advocate and philanthropist. Smiley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi and grew up in Kokomo, Indiana. After attending Indiana University, he worked during the late 1980s as an aide to Tom Bradley, the mayor of...
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