Carmen Ejogo

Carmen Elizabeth Ejogo (/ɪˈdʒoʊɡoʊ/; born 22 October 1973)[1][2] is an English television and film actress and singer.

Carmen Ejogo
Ejogo in 2002
Born
Carmen Elizabeth Ejogo

(1973-10-22) 22 October 1973
Kensington, London, England
OccupationActress, singer
Years active1986–present
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1998; div. 1998)​

​
​
(m. 2000; div. 2014)​
Children2
RelativesCharles Ejogo (brother)

She is best known for her roles in such films as Metro (1997), The Avengers (1998), 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), and the Netflix limited series Self Made (2020).

Early life

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.[3][4] Ejogo remembers her mother as having been "a bit of a hippie" during her childhood.[5] She attended the Oratory Roman Catholic Primary School and Glendower Preparatory School, and was then educated at Godolphin and Latymer School.

Career

She began her career as host of the Saturday Disney morning show from 1993 to 1995. Her film credits include 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[6] and was given King's blessing for her portrayal.[7]

Music career

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".

Personal life

Ejogo was briefly married to Trip-hop artist Tricky.[8] In 2000, she married American actor Jeffrey Wright, whom she met while making the HBO film Boycott. They have a son (Elijah) and a daughter (Juno).[9][10][11] Ejogo and Wright have since divorced.[12]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1986Absolute BeginnersCarmen
1997MetroRonnie Tate
1998I Want YouAmber
The AvengersBrenda
2000Love's Labour's LostMaria
2001PerfumeChloe
What's the Worst That Could Happen?Amber Belhaven
BoycottCoretta Scott King
2004NoelDr. Matthew Batiste
2007The Brave OneJackie
2008Pride and GloryTasha
2009Away We GoGrace De Tessant
2012SparkleTammy "Sister" Anderson
Alex CrossMaria Cross
2014The Purge: AnarchyEva
SelmaCoretta Scott King
2015Born to Be BlueJane / Elaine
2016Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find ThemPresident Seraphina Picquery[13]
2017It Comes at NightSarah
Alien: Covenant – Prologue: Last SupperKarine OramShort film[14]
Alien: Covenant
Roman J. Israel, Esq.Maya
2018Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of GrindelwaldPresident Seraphina Picquery
2019RattlesnakeKatrina Ridgeway

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1996Cold LazarusBlinda4 episodes
1998Catherine Cookson's Colour BlindRose Angela2 episodes
Tube TalesGirlEpisode: "Steal Away"
2000Sally Hemings: An American ScandalSally HemingsTelevision film
2001BoycottCoretta Scott KingTelevision film
2005Lackawanna BluesAlean HudsonTelevision film
2006–2007KidnappedTurner13 episodes
2007M.O.N.Y.Francine TysonTelevision film
2008Law & OrderApril LannenEpisode: "Burn Card"
2011CHAOSFay Carson13 episodes
2013Zero HourRebecca "Beck" Riley13 episodes
2017The Girlfriend ExperienceBria Jones7 episodes
2019True DetectiveAmelia Reardon8 episodes
2020Self MadeAddie4 episodes
2020Your HonorLee Delamere

Video games
Year Title Voice role
2016 Lego Dimensions Seraphina Picquery (voice)

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2015 Black Reel Awards Best Supporting Actress Selma Won
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Won
Independent Spirit Awards Best Supporting Female Nominated
2016 Canadian Screen Awards Best Actress Born to Be Blue Nominated

References
  1. Family Search. Retrieved 11/22/14.
  2. "Birth Registration Details", Ancestry.co.uk (retrieved 19 July 2009).
  3. "A Gran Day Out" CumnockChronicle.com, 24 June 2009 (retrieved 19 July 2009).
  4. "Carmen Ejogo", Global News, 16 March
  5. Rich, Katey; "Interview: Away We Go's Carmen Ejogo" CinemaBlend.com, 2 June 2009 (retrieved 19 July 2009).
  6. Juliet Izon, accessed 12/5/14 "Carmen Ejogo Talks Playing Coretta Scott King in 'Selma'", Los Angeles Confidential.
  7. Levy, Emanuel; "Selma: The Women’s Civil Rights Story", EmanuelLevy.com, 24 December 2014 (retrieved 29 December 2014).
  8. Kitty (10 October 1999). "Tricky biography". Moon-palace.de. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  9. "Actor Jeffrey Wright And Family". Bckonline.com. 31 August 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  10. "Carmen Ejogo: 'There's some kind of trauma at play'", The Independent, 4 September 2009 (retrieved 2 July 2015).
  11. "Carmen, Elijah & Juno Wright" alittlemuse.com, 7 September 2011 (retrieved 2 July 2015).
  12. Zahed, Ramin; "'Selma' allows Carmen Ejogo to play Coretta Scott King a second time", LATimes.com, 18 December 2014 (retrieved 26 December 2014).
  13. Ejogo, Carmen (15 December 2015). "[OFFICIAL TRAILER] Carmen Ejogo Stars As Seraphina in Harry Potter Spin-Off WATCH:". The B.L.A.C.K. Media. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  14. Alien Anthology. "Alien: Covenant - Prologue: Last Supper - 20th Century FOX" – via YouTube.
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