Antonia Okonma
Antonia Okonma | |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 July 1982 London, England |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Education | London South Bank University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2004–2009 |
| Notable work | Bad Girls (2004–2006) |
| Spouse | Richard Shittu (m. 2012) |
| Children | 3 |
Antonia Okonma (born 24 July 1982) is a British actress. She is best known for playing the role of Darlene Cake in the ITV series Bad Girls from 2004–2006.
Early life
Okonma was born and raised in London. She was born into a Nigerian Igbo family.[1]
Career
In 2003, Okonma was cast in role of Darlene Cake in the ITV prison drama series Bad Girls, first appearing in the sixth series, which broadcast in 2004. The character of Darlene Cake was of Jamaican origin, which required Okonma to speak with a Jamaican accent. She appeared in the sixth, seventh and eighth series, making her final appearance in the penultimate episode in 2006, when Darlene attempts suicide by setting herself on fire. Although, she is seen to have survived, her fate is left unknown and was not explained in the final episode. Following the conclusion of the sixth series, a behind-the-scenes special, titled Bad Girls: Most Wanted, was broadcast on ITV2 and ranked the top 10 greatest characters as voted for by viewers; Darlene Cake was voted at fourth place. In 2004, Okonma won a Gathering of Africa's Best (GAB) award for Best Newcomer and a Screen Nation award for Best Emerging Talent for her work in Bad Girls.
Following her role on Bad Girls', Okonma received roles in the British feature films Screaming Blue Murder and Rabbit Fever, and a minor role on the BBC miniseries Moses Jones in 2009.
On stage, Okonma has acted at the Royal Court and the Riverside Studios. She starred in Torn at the Arcola Theatre alongside Brooke Kinsella and Jocelyn Jee Esien. She is currently playing the title role in the production of Iya Ile (The First Wife) at Soho Theatre.
Okonma has also taken part in the reality TV programmes Strictly African Dancing. She also performed as Tina Turner on celebrity Stars in Their Eyes. In late 2007, she was a contestant on the second series of Cirque de Celebrité on Sky One.
Personal life
Okonma has a degree in Accounting and Finance from London South Bank University.[citation needed] She trained with the Royal Court's Young People's Theatre for two years.[2][3]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | RUF 992m | Aleysha | Short film |
| 2004–2006 | Bad Girls | Darlene Cake | Series 6–8 (main role, 34 episodes) |
| 2004 | Bad Girls: Most Wanted | Darlene Cake | Documentary (archive footage) |
| 2006 | Screaming Blue Murder | Flipbook Fillie #1 | Feature film |
| 2006 | Rabbit Fever | Rude Girl #1 | Feature film |
| 2009 | Moses Jones | Hairdresser | Miniseries (guest role, 1 episode) |
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Trisha | "Bad Girls"; episode dated 9 December 2004 |
| 2005 | Celebrity Wrestling | Series 1, episode 4; dated 14 May 2005 |
| 2005 | GMTV | Dated 31 May 2005 |
| 2005 | Strictly Come Dancing | "Strictly African Dancing"; special dated 9 July 2005 |
| 2005 | National Television Awards | Dated 25 October 2005 |
| 2005 | The Brendan Courtney Show | Series 1, episode 5; dated 7 December 2005 |
| 2006 | An Audience with Joan Rivers | Dated 14 January 2006 (audience member) |
| 2006 | An Audience with Shirley Bassey | Dated 10 March 2006 (audience member) |
| 2006 | Stars in Their Eyes | "Celebrity Special"; dated 8 April 2006 (as Tina Turner) |
| 2006 | The Prince's Trust 30th Birthday | Live showing; dated 20 May 2006 |
| 2006 | GMTV | Dated 13 July 2006 |
| 2006 | The Sharon Osbourne Show | Series 1, episode 7; dated 6 September 2006 |
| 2006 | Screen Nation Film and Television Awards | Dated 22 October 2006 |
| 2006 | National Television Awards | Dated 31 October 2006 |
| 2006 | Children in Need | Dated 17 November 2006 (performer) |
| 2007 | Weakest Link | "Goodies and Badies"; special dated 24 March 2007 |
| 2007 | Through the Keyhole | Dated 26 March 2007 |
References
- ^ Okonma
- ^ "Interview - Antonia Okonma (Darlene) | BAD GIRLS | TV ONE". tvnz.co.nz. 22 February 1999. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
- ^ Antonia Okonma - Biography