Paapa Essiedu
Paapa Kwaakye Essiedu (/ˈpɑːpə ˌɛsiˈeɪduː/;[1][2]) is a British actor.[3] For his performance in the miniseries I May Destroy You (2020), he received Primetime Emmy and British Academy Television Award nominations. He won the 2016 Ian Charleson Award for his roles in the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Hamlet and King Lear.[4][5][6]
Paapa Essiedu | |
|---|---|
Essiedu at the 2016 Hay Festival | |
| Born | Paapa Kwaakye Essiedu Southwark, London, England |
| Alma mater | Guildhall School of Music and Drama |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2012–present |
Early life and education Edit
Born at Guy's Hospital in Southwark to Ghanaian parents, Essiedu was brought up in Walthamstow, East London by his mother, a fashion and design teacher. His father Tony had returned to Ghana, where Essiedu has a half-brother and sister, and passed away when Essiedu was 14.[7]
Essiedu attended Forest School on a scholarship. Active in sports teams and theatrical productions, while growing up he wanted to be a doctor.[8] Essiedu developed an interest in Shakespeare and was accepted to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he met and worked with Michaela Coel.[9] He lost his mother to breast cancer while at drama school.[7]
Career Edit
Theatre Edit
Essiedu joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in 2012 to play Fenton in Phillip Breen's production of The Merry Wives of Windsor. Afterwards, he joined the National Theatre, playing Burgundy and understudying Edmund in Sam Mendes’ production of King Lear. When Sam Troughton lost his voice during a performance, Essiedu stepped in and played the role to critical acclaim.[10] He appeared in Outside on the Street (Pleasance Theatre), Black Jesus (Finborough Theatre), Romeo and Juliet (Tobacco Factory), You For Me For You (Royal Court).
In 2016, Essiedu starred in the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Hamlet as the titular role and King Lear as Edmund. The judges described Essiedu's Hamlet as one the audience listened to "completely still", observing Essiedu's performance could turn on a sixpence – sweet, playful and flirtatious one minute, and fiercely intelligent the next. "Like all great actors", a judge commented, he "made all the lines his own". His Edmund in King Lear was reported to convey a chilling contempt and cynicism.[4] In 2022, Essiedu returned to the theatre in A Number at The Old Vic, with Lennie James.
Television and film Edit
Essiedu began his television career with roles as Demetrius in Russell T Davies' television film adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Otto in the period drama miniseries The Miniaturist, Nate Akindele in the Channel 4 miniseries Kiri, and Ed Washburn in the BBC One drama Press.
In 2020, Essiedu starred as Alex Dumani in the Sky Atlantic crime drama Gangs of London and Kwame in the BBC One series I May Destroy You.[9] For the latter, Essiedu received critical acclaim, a number of notable nominations, and won Best Ensemble alongside the rest of the cast at the 36th Independent Spirit Awards. He then played George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount Rochford in the 3-parter Anne Boleyn for Channel 5 in 2021.[11]
In 2022, Essiedu began starring in the Sky Max science fiction time loop series The Lazarus Project.[12] He also appeared in Alex Garland's Men and joined the cast of The Capture on BBC One for its second series as Isaac Turner, Security Minister and MP for Hazlemere South.
Audio Edit
Paapa voiced Tunde in the BBC Radio 3 drama As Innocent As You Can Get (2016) by Rex Obano,[13] and in the BBC Radio 4 drama Wide Open Spaces the same year, in which he played the role of a man determined to overcome his agoraphobia in order to keep his promise to visit his daughter's grave on the first anniversary of her death.[14]
Personal life Edit
Essiedu is in a relationship with actress and comedian Rosa Robson; they had been together for six years as of 2022.[15][7]
Filmography Edit
Film Edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Murder on the Orient Express | Sergeant Campbell | |
| 2022 | Men | James | |
| TBA | Kill the Light | Tom | Forthcoming |
| TBA | Bernard and the Genie[16] | TBA | Filming |
Television Edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Utopia | Roy | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Not Safe For Work | Paul | 1 episode |
| 2016 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Demetrius | Television film |
| 2017 | The Miniaturist | Otto | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | Kiri | Nate Akindele | 4 episodes |
| 2018 | Press | Ed Washburn | 6 episodes |
| 2018 | Black Earth Rising | Jaalen | Episode: "In Other News" |
| 2020-2022 | Gangs of London | Alex Dumani | 8 episodes |
| 2020 | I May Destroy You | Kwame | 12 episodes |
| 2021 | Anne Boleyn | George Boleyn | 3 episodes |
| 2022 | The Lazarus Project | George | 8 episodes |
| 2022 | The Capture | Isaac Turner | 6 episodes |
| 2023 | Black Mirror | Gaap | Episode: "Demon 79" |
Stage Edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Black Jesus | Gabriel | |
| 2014 | King Lear | Burgundy | The National Theatre |
| 2015 | Romeo and Juliet | Romeo | |
| 2015 | You For Me For You | Wade | |
| 2016, 2018 | Hamlet | Hamlet | Tour |
| 2016 | King Lear | Edmund | |
| 2017 | Racing Demon | Tony Ferris | Theatre Royal, Bath |
| 2018 | Pinter One | Various | |
| 2022 | A Number | Various | Old Vic Theatre[17] |
| 2023 | The Effect | Tristan | National Theatre |
Accolades Edit
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Ian Charleson Awards | The Merry Wives of Windsor | Nominated | ||
| 2016 | Hamlet, King Lear | Won | |||
| 2021 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Ensemble Cast | I May Destroy You | Won | |
| Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor – TV Movie or Limited Series | Nominated | |||
| British Academy Television Awards | Best Actor | Nominated | [18] | ||
| Dorian Awards | Best Supporting TV Performance | Nominated | |||
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Nominated | [19] | ||
| 2022 | Evening Standard Theatre Awards | Best Actor | A Number | Nominated | |
| 2023 | Broadcasting Press Guild Awards | Best Actor | The Lazarus Project, The Capture, Gangs of London | Pending | |
References Edit
- ^ "Paapa Essiedu Interview | Hamlet". Royal Shakespeare Company. 23 February 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
- ^ "Actor Paapa Essiedu | Breakthrough Brits 2018". BAFTA. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
- ^ Minamore, Bridget (8 September 2018). "Paapa Essiedu on BBC's Press and identity: 'The word diversity doesn't mean anything'" – via The Guardian.
- ^ a b Hawkins, Helen. "Paapa Essiedu wins the Ian Charleson award 2016". Sunday Times. 11 June 2017.
- ^ Snow, Georgia. "Paapa Essiedu wins 2016 Ian Charleson award". The Stage. 6 June 2017.
- ^ "Ian Charleson Awards 2016". WestEndTheatre.com. 6 June 2017.
- ^ a b c Hattenstone, Simon (11 June 2022). "Paapa Essiedu on grief, doubt and fury at Boris Johnson: 'Bigotry is the backbone of his character'". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ Kellaway, Interview by Kate (13 March 2016). "Paapa Essiedu: You can't live with your heart on your sleeve". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ^ a b "I May Destroy You's Paapa Essiedu on Going to Drama School With Michaela Coel". Vulture. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (23 January 2014). "Actor loses voice on stage during Sam Mendes's King Lear". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ^ Davies, Hannah J (7 May 2021). "Anne Boleyn comes to Channel 5 as thriller told through queen's eyes". The Guardian.
- ^ Kanter, Jake (25 January 2021). "'I May Destroy You' Star Paapa Essiedu To Lead Sky 'Groundhog Day'-Style Action Thriller 'Extinction'". Deadline.
- ^ "As Innocent As You Can Get, Drama on 3 - BBC Radio 3". BBC.
- ^ Samuel: Paapa Essiedu; May: Sarah McDonald Hughes; Aoife: Fiona Clarke; Writer: Jane Wainwright; Director: Charlotte Riches (7 November 2016). "Wide Open Spaces". Drama. BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
- ^ Harrison, Maxine (24 June 2022). "Who Is Paapa Essiedu Dating? Rosa Robson Is Also An Actor". Bustle. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ "'I May Destroy You's Paapa Essiedu Joins Melissa McCarthy In Peacock's Richard Curtis-Penned Christmas Pic". Deadline. 26 January 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ Akbar, Arifa (2 February 2022). "A Number review – Lennie James and Paapa Essiedu scintillate as father and sons". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ "Bafta TV Awards 2021: Winners and nominees in full". BBC News. 14 July 2021. from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ "'The Crown,' 'I May Destroy You,' 'Hacks,' 'Mare of Easttown' Score Major 2021 Emmy Nominations". Rolling Stone. 13 July 2021.
External links Edit
- Paapa Essiedu at IMDb