Asante Blackk
Asante Blackk | |
|---|---|
| Born | Asante Ma'at October 20, 2001 Maryland, U.S. |
| Education | North Point High School |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Relatives | Samira Wiley (aunt) |
Asante Duah Ma'at (born October 20, 2001), known professionally as Asante Blackk, is an American actor. He is best known for his role in the miniseries When They See Us (2019), for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.[1][2][3] He is a series regular in the fourth season of the television series This Is Us (2019) for which he was nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award.
Early life and career
Blackk began acting as an elementary school student at Judith P. Hoyer Montessori School; his first role was Mowgli in a performance of The Jungle Book. One of his first professional roles was in "How I Learned to Be a Kid" at The Howard Theatre in Washington, after which he got an agent. Blackk originally auditioned for the role of portraying Korey Wise, one of the exonerated members of the Central Park Five, in the dramatized miniseries When They See Us, but instead he was cast as the 14 year old Kevin Richardson.[4] The role earned him an Primetime Emmy Award nomination, making him one of the youngest nominees in its history.[5] In 2019, he played Malik, a teenage father dating Deja (Lyric Ross),[6] in season 4 of the series This Is Us.
Personal life
He is the nephew of actress Samira Wiley.[7]
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | When They See Us | Kevin Richardson | |
| This Is Us | Malik | Main Role (18 Episodes) | |
| Live in Front of a Studio Audience | Michael Evans | Episodes: "All in the Family" and "Good Times"[8] |
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series | When They See Us | Nominated | |
| Black Reel Awards for Television | Outstanding Supporting Actor, Limited Series | Nominated | |||
| 2020 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | This Is Us | Nominated | |||
| Black Reel Television Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated |
References
- ^ Kaltenbach, Chris (July 16, 2019). "Maryland actor Asante Blackk earns Emmy nomination for 'When They See Us'; Robin Wright gets 'House of Cards' nod". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
- ^ Bitran, Tara (August 16, 2019). "'When They See Us' Star Asante Blackk Reveals the Role He Originally Vied For". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
- ^ Dillon, Nancy (September 22, 2019). "'It's mind-blowing!' Youngest Emmy contender Asante Blackk says of 'When They See Us' acting debut leading to nomination". New York Daily News. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
- ^ Lieberman, Mark (August 22, 2019). "Asante Blackk just graduated from high school in Maryland. He's also an Emmy nominee for 'When They See Us.'". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
- ^ "The 12 youngest Emmy award nominees and winners of all time". Business Insider.
- ^ "Breakout 'This Is Us' star Asante Blackk explains why his role is so important". TODAY.com. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
- ^ "Did You Know Samira Wiley Was Asante Blackk's Aunt? Because They Have the Same Damn Face". The Grapevine. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- ^ Schwartz, Ryan (12 December 2019). "Live Good Times Cast: Viola Davis, Andre Braugher, Tiffany Haddish, Jharrel Jerome and 3 Others". TVLine.