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Isaach de Bankolé

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Isaach de Bankolé
Bankolé at the 2009 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Born
Zachari Bankolé

(1957-08-12) 12 August 1957 (age 67)
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Alma materUniversity of Paris
Cours Simon
OccupationActor
Years active1984–present
Spouse
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 2000; div. 2003)​
AwardsCésar Award for Most Promising Actor (1987, Black Mic Mac)
Honours Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur

Zachari Bankolé[1] (born 12 August 1957), known professionally as Isaach de Bankolé, is an Ivoirian actor, active primarily in France and the United States.[2][3][4] He won the 1987 César Award for Most Promising Actor for his performance in the film Black Mic Mac, and rose to international prominence for his starring role in Claire Denis' 1988 film Chocolat.

He is known to international film audiences for his roles in the films of director Jim Jarmusch, Mamadou in James Ivory's A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998), Timothy in Lars von Trier's Manderlay (2005), the villain Steven Obanno in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, and the River Tribe Elder in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film Black Panther (2018) and its 2022 sequel. He also played President Ule Matobo on the Fox television series 24 (2008-09).

Early life and education

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De Bankolé was born in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, to ethnic Yoruba parents from Benin.[5] His grandparents are from Nigeria.[6] He moved to Paris in 1975 for his last year of lycée, and pursued a master's degree in physics and mathematics at the University of Paris. He then attended an aviation school and earned a private pilot licence, before a chance encounter with French director Gérard Vergez led him to enroll in the Cours Simon, a Parisian drama school.[7]

Career

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De Bankolé has appeared in over fifty films, including Jim Jarmusch's Night on Earth, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, Coffee and Cigarettes and The Limits of Control.[8] He has been based in the United States since 1997.[5] He appeared in the movie Machetero, in the role of journalist interviewing an imprisoned Puerto Rican revolutionary, along with the members of the New York City-based punk band Ricanstruction.

De Bankolé has also appeared in Lars von Trier's Manderlay. He portrayed Steven Obanno, a terrorist, in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, and "The Lone Man", an assassin in Jim Jarmusch's film, The Limits of Control (2009).[9] In 2013, he starred as Ayodele Balogun in Andrew Dosunmu's Mother of George, which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and was the closing night selection for Maryland Film Festival 2013. He has also had roles in Calvary, The Last Witch Hunter, and Black Panther.

In 2007, De Bankolé was ascended to a Knight of the French Legion of Honour for his contributions to the French film industry.[10]

Personal life

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De Bankolé is fluent in Yoruba, Bambara, English, French, German, and speaks some Italian.[5] He was married to musician Cassandra Wilson from 2000 to 2003.

He has resided in the United States since 2000.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1984 Asphalt Warriors The Blackie
Comment draguer tous les mecs Honoré Clair
L'addition Uncredited
1986 Black Mic Mac Lemi César Award for Most Promising Actor
Taxi Boy Touré
Noir et Blanc
1987 Lady Cops Inspector Blaise Lacroix
1988 Chocolat Protée
Ada dans la jungle Bumbo
1989 How to Make Love to a Negro Without Getting Tired The Old
Vanille fraise Hippolyte N'Go Also writer
1990 No Fear, No Die Dah
1991 Night on Earth The Driver
1994 Down to Earth Leão
1995 The Keeper Jean Baptiste
1998 A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries Mamadou
1999 Otomo Frederic Otomo
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai Raymond
Cherry Menu Man
2000 Bàttu Saar
2001 3 A.M. Angus
2003 Coffee and Cigarettes Isaach
The Killing Zone Malcolm New York VisionFest - Outstanding Achievement Award - Acting
2004 From Other Worlds Abraham
Homework Jean
2005 Manderlay Timothy
Stay Professor
The Skeleton Key Gas Station Owner
Before It Had a Name Waiter
2006 Casino Royale Steven Obanno
Miami Vice Neptune
5up 2down Hunter
2007 The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Laurent
Battle in Seattle Abasi
The Fifth Patient Captain Mugambe
2008 The Guitar Roscoe Wasz
Machetero Jean Dumont
2009 White Material The Boxer
The Limits of Control The Lone Man
2010 Getting High! Hunter Short
2011 Oka! Bassoun
2012 Désordres Vincent
2013 Mother of George Ayodele Balogun
2014 Calvary Simon
Run Assa Nominated - Trophées du Cinema - Best Supporting Actor
Mirage Francis
Where the Road Runs Out George
2015 The Last Witch Hunter Max Schlesinger
2016 Norman Jacques
2017 Double Play Ernesto
2018 Black Panther River Tribe Elder
Black is Beltza Wilson Clever
2019 Shaft Pierro "Gordito" Carrera
2020 French Exit Julius
2022 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever River Tribe Elder
The People We Hate at the Wedding Henrique
2024 The Brutalist Gordon

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1992 The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles Sgt. Barthelmy Episode: "German East Africa, December 1916"
1993 Heart of Darkness Mfumu TV movie
2001 The Sopranos Father Obosi Episode: "Amour Fou"
2005 L'évangile selon Aîmé Aîmé TV movie
2006 The Unit General Togar Episode: "Force Majeure"
2008 24: Redemption President Ule Matobo TV movie
2009 24 President Ule Matobo 6 episodes
2010 I Am Slave Bah TV movie
2013 The Ordained Mr. Obiku TV movie
2014 White Collar Luc Renaud 2 episodes
2015 The Good Wife Larry Oliver Episode: "Restraint"
2018 Instinct Ben Richfield Episode: "Bye Bye Birdie"
Sacred Lies Dr. Carter Elgin Episode: "Chapter Eight: Wedding Day"
2019 S.W.A.T. Aden Syed Episode: "Monster"
2021 Godfather of Harlem Monsieur 98 7 episodes
2025 Task Father Daniel Georges Upcoming miniseries

Theatre

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Year Title Author Director Notes
1986 Quay West Bernard-Marie Koltès Patrice Chéreau Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers
1987 Dans la solitude des champs de coton Bernard-Marie Koltès Patrice Chéreau (2) Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers
1988 Le Retour au désert Bernard-Marie Koltès Patrice Chéreau (3) Théâtre Renaud-Barrault
1989 La Force d'aimer Martin Luther King Jr. Patrice Chéreau (4) Théâtre Renaud-Barrault

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ "JORF No. 84 du 8 avril 2007, p. 6583, texte No. 3". legifrance.gouv.fr. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Isaach De Bankolé: De Black Mic Mac à Black Panther". NOFI. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  3. ^ "New York Times". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. 2012. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  4. ^ "Isaach De Bankolé An Unexpected Gentleman". MADMUSEUM. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  5. ^ a b c Segun Oguntola (6 June 2011). "Isaach De Bankolé: A Flower of the Tribe". Nigerians in America. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  6. ^ "Jim Jarmusch interviews Isaach De Bankole" (in German). Filmgalerie451.de. Archived from the original on 19 February 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  7. ^ Bélanger, Denis (June–August 1989). "Entretien avec Isaach de Bankolé" (PDF). Ciné-Bulles. p. 38. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  8. ^ "The Limits of Control". The Guardian. United Kingdom. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  9. ^ Dargis, Manohla (30 April 2009). "New York Times". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  10. ^ Média, Prisma (5 July 2008). "Isaach de Bankolé: honoré par la France - Gala". Gala.fr (in French). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Isaach de Bankolé.
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