Chiwetel Ejiofor

Chiwetel Ejiofor is not married. He was in a relation with Sari Mercer, from 2013. The couple split after a few years. Currently, Ejiofor is in a relation with model, Frances Aaternir. Ejiofor is a supporter of the causes of the ‘LGBT’ community.

Ejiofor is a philanthropist, and has undertaken several charity works in Nigeria. He was honored with the ‘Global Promise Award,’ by the ‘GEANCO Foundation,’ for his social work. In 2016, Ejiofor, and several other actors, featured in a video created by the ‘UNHCR,’ to create awareness about the global refugee crisis.

Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor was born on July 10, 1977, in Forest Gate, London. His father, Arinze Ejiofor, was a doctor, and his mother, Obiajulu, was a pharmacist. Ejiofor has a younger sister, Zain Asher, who is currently working as a news anchor, with the ‘CNN International.’

In 1988, Ejiofor and his family traveled to their home-country, Nigeria, for attending a family function. Ejiofor, and his father, met with an accident, when their car collided with a truck. Ejiofor suffered serious injuries, and his father was killed, in the accident.

Chiwetel Ejiofor attended the ‘Dulwich College Preparatory School,’ for his early education. He was active in the school plays, and played the part of the ‘gravedigger,’ in the play, ‘Hamlet,’ by William Shakespeare. Later, he attended the ‘Dulwich College,’ and joined the ‘National Youth Theatre.’ His passion for acting brought him to the drama school, ‘London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.’ After the first year of his study, Ejiofor was selected by Steven Spielberg, for his movie, ‘Amistad.’ Ejiofor discontinued his studies, and started pursuing his acting career.

Ejiofor started his acting career with stage performances. In 1995, Ejiofor played the title role in the play, ‘Othello,’ at the ‘Bloomsbury Theatre,’ in London. In 1996, he performed at the ‘Theatre Royal,’ in Glasgow. In 1996, he made his film debut too, with the TV movie, ‘Deadly Voyage.’

In 1997, Ejiofor was selected by Steven Spielberg, for his movie, ‘Amistad.’ This marked his entry into the ‘Hollywood.’ In the movie, Ejiofor played ‘James Covey.’ Though his character was not pivotal, Ejiofor’s performance was noticed. In 1999, he starred in the British movie, ‘G: MT- Greenwich Mean Time.’

In 2000, Ejiofor acted in the British play, ‘Blue/Orange,’ written by Joe Penhall. It premiered at the ‘Royal National Theatre,’ in London. Ejiofor won the ‘Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer,’ awarded by the ‘London Evening Standard,’ for his performance in the play. He was nominated for the ‘Laurence Olivier Award’ for the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ too. In the same year, Ejiofor performed as ‘Romeo,’ in the play, ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ He won the ‘Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer,’ for this performance.

In 2000, Chiwetel Ejiofor bagged his first movie lead role, in ‘It Was an Accident.’ Ejiofor played ‘Nicky Burkett,’ an ex-convict who tried to lead a normal life. In 2002, he performed the lead role in the social thriller movie, ‘Dirty Pretty Things.’ Ejiofor played ‘Okwe,’ an illegal Nigerian immigrant, who worked in a hotel in London. Ejiofor won the ‘British Independent Film Award’ for the ‘Best Actor,’ for his brilliant performance in the movie.

In 2003, Ejiofor played a young lawyer, ‘Ashley Carter,’ in the legal drama series, ‘Trust,’ which was aired on the ‘BBC’ network. The series was short-lived. In the same year, he starred in the lead role, ‘Augustus,’ in the radio production of the poetic drama, ‘The Darker Face of Earth.’ It premiered on the ‘BBC World Service,’ on August 23, to celebrate the ‘International day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.’

Ejiofor was initially skeptical about accepting the role of ‘Solomon Northup,’ in the movie, ‘12 Years a Slave.’ Being a non-American, Ejiofor doubted whether he could do justice to the character. After accepting the role, Ejiofor learned to play violin, and practiced difficult physical jobs, so as to prepare himself for the character.