Bambadjan Bamba
Bambadjan Bamba (born 1982) is an Ivorian-American actor and filmmaker known for his roles in Black Panther and The Good Place.
Life and career
Bamba was born in the Ivory Coast and came to the United States at the age of 10 in 1992.[1] He spent his adolescent years in the South Bronx[2] and Richmond, Virginia.[3] He studied at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts in New York City[4] and is the owner of Ivostar Pictures.
He has appeared on television shows such as Grey's Anatomy, The Sopranos, and Bosch,[5] and he had a recurring role on The Good Place. His film credits include Black Panther,[3] Suicide Squad, and Beginners.
Advocacy
In November 2017, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Bamba disclosed that he was a DACA recipient.[4] He has since used his platform to advocate for undocumented immigrants to the United States. He has worked with Define American, a nonprofit media and culture organization which provides a venue for undocumented people to tell their own story,[6] and he contributed to the anthology American Like Me: Reflections on life between cultures, edited by America Ferrera.[7]
Bamba received the Courageous Advocate Award from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Courageous Luminary award from NILC (National Immigration Law Center).[8]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | I Think I Love My Wife | Rapper on Elevator | |
| 2007 | The Sopranos | Somali Cyclist | Episode: "Kennedy and Heidi" |
| 2007 | Spinning into Butter | Male Student #2 | |
| 2010 | Sympathy for Delicious | Guy in First Row | Uncredited |
| 2010 | Beginners | The Sads | |
| 2011 | Contagion | Dread | Uncredited |
| 2014 | Reality | Tony | |
| 2016 | Everything But a Man | Max's Housemate #2 | |
| 2016 | Suicide Squad | T-shirt vendor | |
| 2016-2019 | The Good Place | Bambadjan | 9 episodes |
| 2018 | A Futile and Stupid Gesture | Taxi Driver | Uncredited |
| 2018 | Black Panther | Militant Leader | |
| 2019 | The Selection | Bambadjan | 5 episodes |
| 2020 | Bosch | Remi Toussaint | 7 episodes |
References
- ^ Bamba, Bambadjan. "The world's most popular superhero is an undocumented immigrant". The Washington Post.
- ^ Lopez, Ricardo (28 November 2017). "'Black Panther' Actor Publicly Announces His DACA Status, Lending Voice to Immigration Fight". Variety. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ a b "'Black Panther' actor is also a Dreamer". CNN. 28 February 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ a b Anderson, Tre'vell (November 28, 2017). "Actor Bambadjan Bamba comes out as undocumented: 'We just can't be scared anymore.'". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 29 October 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "'God Friended Me' Casts Karine Vanasse; Bambadjan Bamba Joins 'Bosch'". Deadline Hollywood. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ Bamba, Bambadjan (24 January 2018). "Actor: I'm a DACA recipient. Please don't deport me". CNN. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "American Like Me: Reflections on Life between Cultures by America Ferrera". Book Dragon. Smithsonian Asian Pacific Center. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- ^ "Actor's heart is still in Africa". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2016-05-09.
