Chukwudi Iwuji

Early life, family and education

Iwuji was born in Nigeria to diplomat parents; he is one of five siblings. When Iwuji was 10 years old, his parents began working for the United Nations, and the family moved to Ethiopia.

At the age of 12 in 1987, Iwuji attended Caterham, a British public school. In 1993 when he was in the Upper Sixth Form, he was made Head Boy and was the first black pupil to be so in the school's history.

After graduating, he attended Yale University, earning his undergraduate degree in economics in 1997. He obtained his MFA at the Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2000. Subsequently, he returned to the UK.

Career

Theatre

Iwuji began to perform at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2001. He had roles in Edward Hall's production of Julius Caesar and as Claudius in Hamlet, both in 2001. In 2002, he played Fenton in The Merry Wives of Windsor and Aufidius in Coriolanus. In 2006, he replaced David Oyelowo in the title role of the Henry VI trilogy in the revival of the This England: The Histories project. Iwuji described the role, "In Henry VI, the musicality is different: the thoughts are very structured." The production won the Olivier Award for Best Revival.

In 2013, Iwuji played Enobarbus in the Caribbean-themed Antony and Cleopatra directed by Tarell Alvin McCraney that was a joint production between the RSC and The Public Theater in New York. In 2014, he played Edgar in King Lear. In 2016, he played Hamlet for The Public's Mobile Unit, and he described his portrayal of the role as "this ugly, relentless beast that’s about to be unleashed." In 2018, he starred as Othello at the Delacorte Theater for Shakespeare in the Park opposite Corey Stoll as Iago, and as Blanke in The Low Road at the Public.

Iwuji has worked with numerous other theaters. In 2002, he was in Peter Hall 's Bacchai at the Royal National Theatre. He played Booth in Topdog/Underdog Christy in Playboy of the Western World at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Julian in Thea Sharrock's production of The Misanthrope, and played in the large cast of The Vote at the Donmar Warehouse in 2015. He performed at the Royal National Theatre in Welcome to Thebes in 2010, the Old Vic in a 2011 Richard III, in 2014 off-Broadway in Tamburlaine for which theater critic Ben Brantley called him "a standout," and in 2016–17 with director Ivo van Hove in both Obsession and Hedda Gabler.

Television

Iwuji appeared on a number of shows, including the Doctor Who episodes "The Impossible Astronaut" / "Day of the Moon" (2011). He performed in Barry Jenkins's 2021 miniseries The Underground Railroad. In 2018, became a series regular on the legal drama The Split, and he also played the King of France for the BBC recording of King Lear which starred Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, and Florence Pugh. He had a recurring role on Netflix's When They See Us and Designated Survivor in 2019, and he starred in Peacemaker in 2022.

Film

Iwuji was in the 2016 film Barry and played Akoni in John Wick: Chapter 2 in 2017. In 2023, he portrayed the High Evolutionary in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Personal life

Iwuji lives in New York with his wife, actress/singer Angela Travino.

Filmography

Film

Television

Accolades

• 2018 Lucille Lortel - nominated for Lead Actor in a Play
• 2018 - Obie Award Winner - Performance for The Low Road (play)
• 2018 Drama League Award Nominee, Distinguished Performance for The Low Road (play)

References

References

1. (12 April 2020). "Brave New Shakespeare Challenge - ROMEO AND JULIET with Chukwudi Iwuji". The Public Theater.
2. "Associate Artists". Royal Shakespeare Company.
3. "Chuk Iwuji".
4. Iwuji, Chuk. (25 May 2017). "Finding Drama". Spring/Summer 2017, The Caterham School Society.
5. (25 May 2018). "Onstage and Off, Chukwudi Iwuji Relishes the Role of the Outsider".
6. "Interview with Chukwudi Iwuji Public Theater Mobile Unit Hamlet".
7. (27 June 2016). "Chuk Iwuji on playing Henry VI: 'There's nothing wimpy about him'".
8. "Olivier Winners 2009". Official London Theatre.
9. Iwuji, Chuk. (21 September 2016). "Interview: 'My Hamlet is an ugly beast about to be unleashed'".
10. (19 June 2018). "Review: A Cool-Tempered 'Othello' for Warm Central Park Nights".
11. Bishop, Caroline. (20 April 2011). "Gwynne, Iwuji and Jones join Richard III". Official London Theatre.
12. (18 November 2014). "It's Best Not to Make Him Angry".
13. (25 January 2022). "Chukwudi Iwuji's Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Character is Extremely Powerful and Complex".
14. Wiseman, Andreas. (October 24, 2025). "‘Moses The Black’, Starring Omar Epps, Wiz Khalifa, Quavo & Chukwudi Iwuji, Heads To AFM With Stoic; Curtis Jackson Producing".
15. "2018 Lucille Lortel Award Winners - Full List!".
16. "2018". American Theatre Wing.
17. "Drama League Awards 2018 - And the Winners are...". New York Theatre Guide.