Adepero Oduye

Life and career

Adepero Oduye was born in Brooklyn, New York, one of seven children of Nigerian parents. Although she graduated pre-med from Cornell University, she decided to pursue her passion for acting upon graduation.

Oduye's breakout role came in 2011 when she starred in Dee Rees' critically acclaimed and award-winning independent film Pariah, for which she received several awards and a nomination for Best Female Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards. During her Golden Globe acceptance speech for The Iron Lady, Meryl Streep mentioned some of her favorite performances of the year, highlighting Oduye in Pariah. The following year, she joined an all-star cast in the Steel Magnolias television remake as Annelle Dupuy-Desoto, a role originated by Daryl Hannah.

In 2013, Oduye co-starred alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor in Steve McQueen's historical drama 12 Years a Slave, winner of the 2014 Academy Award for Best Picture. She also appeared in Ava DuVernay's short film The Door part of Miu Miu's ad campaign known as The Women's Tales. In 2014, she made her directorial debut with Breaking In, a short film about a young black man's first time being stopped and frisked by the NYPD, based on her brother's early experience. The film has garnered several film festival acknowledgments and awards.

After several lead roles in regional theater productions, including Eclipsed and The Bluest Eye, Oduye made her Broadway debut opposite Cicely Tyson in Horton Foote's The Trip To Bountiful.

In 2015, Oduye co-starred with Steve Carell in Adam McKay's comedy-drama The Big Short, which won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. In 2017, she co-starred in the drama thriller The Dinner, with Richard Gere. In 2018, she appeared in films Geostorm and Widows. In 2019, she played activist Nomsa Brath in the Ava DuVernay's miniseries When They See Us.

Filmography

Film

Television

Features

• Vanity Fair – Hollywood Issue Cover (2012)
• The New York Times – Great Performances (2012)
• Time – Great Performances (2012)
• W – Best Performances issue (February 2012)

References

References

1. "Say How: O". National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.
2. [https://movies.yahoo.com/person/adepero-oduye/biography.html Adepero Oduye- Biography] {{webarchive. link. (February 4, 2015, [[Yahoo!]])
3. Williams, Brennan. (January 1, 2012). "The Power List: Adepero Oduye Primed For Hollywood Greatness".
4. Cath Clarke. (January 26, 2012). "Hot Young Movie Stars: Adepero Oduye". The Guardian.
5. (June 14, 2012). "Meryl Streep - Golden Globe Best Actress Speech 2012 - Iron Lady".
6. Nellie Andreeva, [https://deadline.com/2012/03/queen-latifah-alfre-woodard-phylicia-rashad-lead-the-cast-of-lifetimes-steel-magnolias-remake-246050/ Queen Latifah, Alfre Woodard & Phylicia Rashad Lead The Cast Of Lifetime's 'Steel Magnolias' Remake], ''[[Deadline Hollywood]]'', March 19, 2012
7. Erin Strecker, [http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/07/03/steel-magnolias-remake-lifetime-trailer/ Lifetime's 'Steel Magnolias' remake: Watch trailer here] {{Webarchive. link. (August 17, 2012, ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', June 3, 2012)
8. [http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/91844c40-a449-11e1-bcc4-123138165f92 Ruth Negga Joins Cast Of "12 Years A Slave;" Adepero Oduye ("Pariah") Confirmed As Well] {{Webarchive. link. (May 25, 2012, [[Shadow and Act]], May 22, 2012)
9. (December 17, 2013). "Style Crush – Nigerian Born American Actress, Adepero Oduye".
10. ""The Door" by Ava DuVernay Women's Tales #5".
11. Obenson, Tambay A.. "Watch: Adepero Oduye Highlights Police Harassment in New Short Film, 'Breaking In'".
12. Gold, Sylviane. (March 9, 2008). "A Girl Lost in a Chasm of Race". The New York Times.
13. "Adepero Oduye Will Succeed Condola Rashad in Broadway's Trip to Bountiful {{!}} Playbill".
14. Knight, Lewis. (June 24, 2019). "When They See Us on Netflix cast list reveals who plays who in true crime drama".
15. (January 31, 2012). "The 2012 Hollywood Cover, Revealed: 11 Thoroughly Modern Actresses".
16. "Touch of Evil: Cinematic Villainy From the Year's Best Performers". The New York Times.
17. Matutschovsky, Natalie. "Oscars 2012: Great Performances".
18. (February 1, 2012). "Best Performances".