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Carmen Ejogo

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Carmen Ejogo
Ejogo in 2019
Born
Carmen Elizabeth Ejogo

(1973-10-22) 22 October 1973 (age 51)
Kensington, London, England
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1986–present
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1998; div. 1998)​
​
​
(m. 2000; div. 2014)​
Children2
RelativesCharles Ejogo (brother)

Carmen Elizabeth Ejogo (/ɪˈdʒoʊɡoʊ/; born 22 October 1973)[1][2] is a British actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in such films as Metro (1997), Love's Labour's Lost (2000), What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001), Boycott (2001), Away We Go (2009), Sparkle (2012), Alex Cross (2012), The Purge: Anarchy (2014), Selma (2014), Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), It Comes at Night (2017), Alien: Covenant (2017), and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018).

Ejogo also starred in the NBC crime drama series Kidnapped (2006–2007), the ABC thriller series Zero Hour (2013), the Starz anthology drama series The Girlfriend Experience (2017), the HBO anthology crime series True Detective (2019), the Netflix limited series Self Made (2020), and the Showtime series Your Honor (2021) opposite Bryan Cranston.

She appeared in the Boots Riley show, I'm a Virgo for Amazon.[3]

Early life

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Ejogo was born on 22 October 1973 in Kensington, London, England. She is the daughter of a Scottish mother, Elizabeth (née Douglas), and a Nigerian father, Charles Ejogo.[4][5][6] Ejogo remembers her mother as having been "a bit of a hippie" during her childhood.[7] She attended the Oratory Roman Catholic Primary School and Glendower Preparatory School, and was then educated at Godolphin and Latymer School.

Career

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She began her career as host of the Saturday Disney morning show from 1993 to 1995. Her film credits include The Avengers (1998) Love's Labour's Lost (2000), What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001), Away We Go (2009), Sparkle (2012), Alex Cross (2012), The Purge: Anarchy (2014), It Comes at Night (2017), and Alien: Covenant (2017). She is also known for her role as Seraphina Picquery in the Fantastic Beasts film series. She plays Amelia Reardon in the HBO series True Detective (2019).

Ejogo has appeared as civil rights activist Coretta Scott King in two films: Boycott (2001) and Selma (2014). While preparing for the role in Boycott, she met with King[8] and was given King's blessing for her portrayal.[9]

Music career

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Ejogo has been involved in the music industry, having collaborated with several artists since the 1990s. She presented The Carmen Ejogo Video Show, her own video show on BSB's Power Station channel.

She wrote and sang lead vocals on the song "Candles" by English drum 'n' bass DJ Alex Reece—she appeared in the music video and is listed in the production credits as "Carmen". Ejogo also sang vocals and duets with ex-husband Tricky on a song called "Slowly". She sang vocals for the film Love's Labour's Lost (2000).

Aside from "Candles", Ejogo appears on four songs of the Sparkle original soundtrack album from the movie of the same name, singing lead on "Yes I Do" (as a solo), and lead vocals with Jordin Sparks and Tika Sumpter singing backup on "Jump", "Hooked on Your Love" and "Something He Can Feel". She also starred as Rose Angelina in Catherine Cookson's Colour Blind.

Personal life

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Ejogo was briefly married to trip-hop artist Tricky.[10] In 2000, she married American actor Jeffrey Wright, whom she met while making the HBO film Boycott. They have a son, Elijah (b. 18 October 2001), and a daughter, Juno (b. 14 April 2004).[11][12][13] Ejogo and Wright have since divorced.[14]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1986 Absolute Beginners Carmen
1997 Metro Ronnie Tate
1998 I Want You Amber
The Avengers Brenda
2000 Love's Labour's Lost Maria
2001 Perfume Chloe
What's the Worst That Could Happen? Amber Belhaven
Boycott Coretta Scott King
2004 Noel Dr. Matthew Batiste
2007 The Brave One Jackie
2008 Pride and Glory Tasha
2009 Away We Go Grace De Tessant
2012 Sparkle Tammy "Sister" Anderson
Alex Cross Maria Cross
2014 The Purge: Anarchy Eva
Selma Coretta Scott King
2015 Born to Be Blue Jane / Elaine
2016 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them President Seraphina Picquery
2017 It Comes at Night Sarah
Alien: Covenant Karine Oram
Roman J. Israel, Esq. Maya
2018 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald President Seraphina Picquery
2019 Rattlesnake Katrina Ridgeway
2022 Forty Winks Nina Sherman
2024 Goodrich Lola Thompson
TBA Fountain of Youth TBA Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1996 Cold Lazarus Blinda 4 episodes
1998 Catherine Cookson's Colour Blind Rose Angela 2 episodes
Tube Tales Girl 1 episode
2000 Sally Hemings: An American Scandal Sally Hemings Television film
2001 Boycott Coretta Scott King Television film
2005 Lackawanna Blues Alean Hudson Television film
2006–2007 Kidnapped Turner Main role, 13 episodes
2008 Law & Order April Lannen 1 episode
2011 CHAOS Fay Carson Main role, 13 episodes
2013 Zero Hour Rebecca "Beck" Riley Main role, 13 episodes
2017 The Girlfriend Experience Bria Jones Recurring role, 7 episodes
2019 True Detective Amelia Reardon Main role, 8 episodes
2020 Self Made Addie Miniseries, 4 episodes
2020–2021 Your Honor Lee Delamere Main role, 9 episodes
2023 The Crowded Room Patricia Richards Miniseries, 3 episodes
2023 I'm a Virgo Lafrancine Main role, 7 episodes
2024 The Penguin Eve Karlo Miniseries

Video games

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Year Title Voice role
2016 Lego Dimensions Seraphina Picquery

Awards and nominations

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Association Year Category Nominated work Result
Black Reel Awards 2001 Best Actress, Network/Cable Sally Hemings: An American Scandal Nominated
2006 Best Supporting Actress, Television Lackawanna Blues Won
2015 Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture Selma Won
2018 It Comes at Night Nominated
Best Supporting Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series The Girlfriend Experience Nominated
2019 True Detective Nominated
2020 Self Made Nominated
Canadian Screen Awards 2016 Best Actress Born to Be Blue Nominated
Georgia Film Critics Association 2015 Best Acting Ensemble Selma Nominated
Independent Spirit Awards 2015 Best Supporting Female Selma Nominated
NAACP Image Awards 2002 Outstanding Actress in a TV Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special Boycott Nominated
2006 Lackawanna Blues Nominated
2015 Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Selma Won
San Diego Film Critics Society 2014 Best Acting Ensemble Selma Nominated
Washington DC Area Film Critics Association 2014 Best Acting Ensemble Selma Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Family Search. Retrieved 11/22/14.
  2. ^ "Birth Registration Details", Ancestry.co.uk (retrieved 19 July 2009).
  3. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (22 February 2022). "I'm a Virgo: Brett Gray, Kara Young, Allius Barnes, Olivia Washington, Mike Epps & Carmen Ejogo Join Prime Video Series". Deadline. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  4. ^ Trybe, City (17 October 2023). "5 Prominent Global Figures with Nigerian Roots". Trybe City. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  5. ^ "A Gran Day Out" CumnockChronicle.com, 24 June 2009 (retrieved 19 July 2009).
  6. ^ "Carmen Ejogo", Global News, 16 March
  7. ^ Rich, Katey; "Interview: Away We Go's Carmen Ejogo" Archived 9 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine CinemaBlend.com, 2 June 2009 (retrieved 19 July 2009).
  8. ^ Juliet Izon, accessed 12/5/14 "Carmen Ejogo Talks Playing Coretta Scott King in 'Selma'", Los Angeles Confidential.
  9. ^ Levy, Emanuel; "Selma: The Women’s Civil Rights Story", EmanuelLevy.com, 24 December 2014 (retrieved 29 December 2014).
  10. ^ Kitty (10 October 1999). "Tricky biography". Moon-palace.de. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  11. ^ "Actor Jeffrey Wright And Family". Bckonline.com. 31 August 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  12. ^ "Carmen Ejogo: 'There's some kind of trauma at play'", The Independent, 4 September 2009 (retrieved 2 July 2015).
  13. ^ "Carmen, Elijah & Juno Wright" alittlemuse.com, 7 September 2011 (retrieved 2 July 2015).
  14. ^ Zahed, Ramin; "'Selma' allows Carmen Ejogo to play Coretta Scott King a second time", LATimes.com, 18 December 2014 (retrieved 26 December 2014).
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