Sope Dirisu
Sope Dirisu | |
---|---|
Born | |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 2012–present |
Sope Dirisu (Yoruba: Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù, Yoruba pronunciation: [ʃɔ̄k͡pɛ́ dìɾísù]; born 9 January 1991) is a British Nigerian actor.[1][2][3][4] He made his film debut in 2016 with Sand Castle, Criminal, and The Huntsman: Winter's War.[4] Since 2020, he has starred as Elliot Finch in the Sky Atlantic series Gangs of London.
Early life
Dirisu was born in 1991 in Edgware, London,[citation needed] to Nigerian parents.[4] He was educated at Bedford Modern School, where he excelled at drama, and joined the National Youth Theatre in 2006.[4][5][6] He later studied Economics at the University of Birmingham. While studying there he played quarterback for the University of Birmingham Lions American Football team.[4][7]
Career
In 2012, Dirisu successfully auditioned for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Open Stages Programme.[4] His first stage role was as Pericles in Shakespeare’s Pericles, Prince of Tyre.[4] After the Royal Shakespeare Company, Dirisu returned to the National Youth Theatre where he trained in the REP company programme for eight months.[1][2] He has subsequently acted in a number of television series including The Mill, Utopia, Humans, The Casual Vacancy, Siblings and Undercover.[2][1][8][9]
Dirisu appeared in three 2016 films, Criminal, The Huntsman: Winter's War, and Sand Castle.[4] In 2016, he also appeared in "Nosedive", an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror.
Dirisu received a Commendation at the Ian Charleson Awards for his 2017 performance as Coriolanus in Coriolanus at the Royal Shakespeare Company.[10]
He was nominated as Best Actor for the 2020 British Independent Film Awards for his role as Bol in the film His House.[11]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Criminal | Fire Officer | |
2016 | The Huntsman: Winter's War | Tull | |
2017 | Sand Castle | Sgt. Cole | |
2020 | His House | Bol | |
2021 | Mothering Sunday | Donald | |
2021 | Silent Night | James | |
2021 | Tides | Tucker | Also released as The Colony |
2022 | Mr. Malcolm's List | Mr. Malcolm | Post-production |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | Utopia | Roy | Episode: "Episode 4" |
2014 | The Mill | Peter | 6 episodes |
2015 | The Casual Vacancy | Young Doctor | 3 episodes |
2015 | Humans | Fred | 8 episodes |
2016 | Black Mirror | Man in Prison | Episode: "Nosedive" |
2016 | Undercover | Michael Antwi | 4 episodes |
2016 | Siblings | Zeff | Episode: "Golden Aunt" |
2017 | The Halcyon | Sonny Sullivan | 8 episodes |
2020 | Gangs of London | Elliot Finch | 9 episodes |
2021 | His Dark Materials | Sergi (voice) | Episode: "The City of Magpies" |
Stage
6 October - 3 December 2016, as Cassius Clay in One Night in Miami by Kemp Powers, at Donmar Warehouse in London, alongside David Ajala as Jim Brown, Arinzé Kene as Sam Cooke, Francois Battiste as Malcolm X.
Other theatre includes The Whipping Man, Tory Boyz, Romeo and Juliet, Prince of Denmark, Red Riding Hood, Our Days of Rage, Fallujah, Pericles (RSC).
Dirisu received a Commendation at the Ian Charleson Awards for his 2017 performance as Coriolanus in Coriolanus at the Royal Shakespeare Company.[10]
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | British Independent Film Award | Best Performance by an Actor | His House | Nominated | [12] |
British Academy Film Award | Rising Star Award | Nominated | [13] |
References
- ^ a b c "The Mill". Channel 4.
- ^ a b c Thomas Hescott (16 February 2016). "My first audition: Sope Dirisu". The Stage.
- ^ "Sope Dirisu".
- ^ a b c d e f g h "The Thespian". Interview Magazine.
- ^ "Show business success for OBMs". Bedford Modern.
- ^ "OBMs Crowdfund for new film". Bedford Modern.
- ^ "Spotlight".
- ^ "BBC One - The Casual Vacancy, Episode 1 - Credits". BBC.
- ^ "My Favourite Things with actor Sope Dirisu". Western Morning News.
- ^ a b "And the winners are... Find out who triumphed at the Ian Charleson Awards". The Sunday Times. 27 May 2018.
- ^ Wade, Joseph (18 February 2021). "2020 British Independent Film Awards – Winners List". Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ "Winners and Nominations". BIFA. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ Ritman, Alex. "BAFTA Nominations: 'Nomadland,' 'Rocks' Lead Charge in Most Diverse List in Awards' History". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
External links
- Sope Dirisu at IMDb
- 1991 births
- Living people
- English male film actors
- English male stage actors
- English male television actors
- 21st-century English male actors
- Black British male actors
- People from Edgware
- People educated at Bedford Modern School
- Alumni of the University of Birmingham
- National Youth Theatre members
- English people of Nigerian descent
- British male stage actors