Malachi Kirby Biography

Fast Facts

• Parents migrated from Nigeria to England
• Was an athlete training six days per week in preparation for the 400m dash, but abandoned that goal in order to pursue his acting career on a full-time basis
• Studied at Identity School of Acting, the U
• K
• 's first black drama school, founded by Femi Oguns, and is professionally represented by Oguns through Identity Agency Group
• Starred in Vivienne Franzmann's acclaimed stage production Mogadishu as Jason, a role that earned him a spot on the shortlist for Outstanding Newcomer at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards in 2011
• In 2013, was named by Screen International as a U
• K
• Screen Star of Tomorrow
• Was handpicked by LeVar Burton, the actor who played Kunta Kinte in the original 1977 Roots miniseries, to inherit the role for the 2016 remake
• Is also a rapper and poet, who performs and works as an artistic associate with the Hip Hop Shakespeare Company, a music-theater production company that was founded by British rapper Akala with the help of Sir Ian McKellan