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Ejiofor in Four Brothers

Chiwetel Ejiofor (born 10 July 1974) is an award-winning British film and stage actor. His name is pronounced approximately /tʃuwɛtəl ɛdʒəfɔː/ (IPA), and he is known as "Chewie" to his friends.

Born in London's Forest Gate to Nigerian parents of Igbo heritage, Ejiofor began acting in school plays at the age of 13 at Dulwich College. He joined the National Youth Theatre and played the title role in Othello at the Bloomsbury Theatre in September 1995, and again at the Arts Theatre in 1996 when he starred opposite Rachael Stirling as Desdemona. He made his film debut in Steven Spielberg's 1997 film Amistad.

Ejiofor went on to become a prominent stage actor in London. He was awarded the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the 2000 London Critics Circle Theatre Awards (Drama). His performance in Blue/Orange at the Royal National Theatre (Cottesloe stage), and later at the Duchess Theatre. Ejiofor is also a Shakespearean stage actor, often taking the leading male roles in plays such as in Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. Just performed on stage in The Seagull at the Royal Court Theatre from 18 January to 17 March 2007.

In film, Ejiofor had his first leading role in the 2005 film Kinky Boots, and has roles in three upcoming films Toussaint, American Gangster and Tonight at Noon.

For his performance in Blue/Orange, he received the 2000 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer and a 2001 nomination for the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award Best Supporting Actor. His role as Romeo was nominated for the Ian Charleson Award in 2000

His performance in Kinky Boots received Golden Globe and British Independent Film Award nominations. He was also nominated for the 2006 BAFTA Orange Rising Star award, which recognises emerging British film talent. Ejiofor's performance in Tsunami: The Aftermath received a 2007 Golden Globe nomination for Best actor (mini-series or film made for TV).

Ejiofor and Audrey Tautou in Dirty Pretty Things.

• Tsunami: The Aftermath (2006) (mini series)
• Children of Men (2006)
• Inside Man (2006)
• Slow Burn (2005)
• Kinky Boots (2005)
• Serenity (2005)
• Four Brothers (2005)
• Melinda and Melinda (2004)
• Love Actually (2003)
• Twelfth Night, or What You Will (2003) (TV movie)
• Dirty Pretty Things (2002)
• Amistad (1997)

• Chiwetel Ejiofor biography and filmography at the BFI's Screenonline
• Chiwetel Ejiofor at the Internet Movie Database

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