Archie Madekwe
{{Short description|British actor}}
{{Infobox person
| name =
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|2|10|df=y}}
| birth_place = Lambeth, London, England
| education = LAMDA, BRIT School
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 2014–present
| relatives = Ashley Madekwe (cousin)
}}
Archie Madekwe ({{IPAc-en|m|ə|ˈ|d|ɛ|k|w|eɪ}}, born 10 February 1995) is a British actor.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.screendaily.com/features/stars-of-tomorrow-2017-archie-madekwe-actor/5122725.article|title=Stars of Tomorrow 2017: Archie Madekwe (actor)|journal=Screen Daily|first=Louise|last=Tutt|date=2 October 2017|accessdate=25 August 2022}} On television, he is known for his role in the Apple TV+ series See (2019–2022). His films include Midsommar (2019), Gran Turismo and Saltburn (both 2023).
Early life and education
Madekwe was born in South London.{{Cite journal|url=https://theface.com/culture/archie-madekwe-see-actor-brit-school-youth-ink-converse-volume-4-issue-7|title=Archie Madekwe: "In this day and age, being a person of colour is political"|journal=The Face|first=India|last=van Spall|date=16 July 2021|accessdate=6 December 2022}} His cousin is actress Ashley Madekwe. He is of English, Nigerian and Swiss descent.{{Cite web|url=https://news.amomama.com/411955-archie-madekwes-parents-divorced-when-he.html|title=Archie Madekwe's Parents Divorced When He Was a Child – Facts about His Family & Ethnicity|first=Christell Fatima M.|last=Tudtud|date=September 8, 2023|website=news.amomama.com}}
At 14, Madekwe began attending the BRIT School. He also joined the National Youth Theatre. He furthered his studies at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), and left early when he was cast in The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? on the West End.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/archie-madekwe-interview-see-apple-tv|title=New Faces: Archie Madekwe, See's Dystopian Leading Lad|journal=W Magazine|first=Brooke|last=Marine|date=25 October 2019|accessdate=6 December 2022}}
Career
Madekwe made his television debut in 2014 with a guest appearance in an episode of the BBC medical drama Casualty.{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/BWW-Interview-Archie-Madekwe-On-THE-GOAT-OR-WHO-IS-SYLVIA-20170320|title=Interview: Archie Madekwe On THE GOAT, OR WHO IS SYLVIA?|website=BroadwayWorld|first=Marianka|last=Swain|date=20 March 2017|accessdate=6 December 2022}} He then portrayed Luca in two episodes of the Channel 4 comedy-drama Fresh Meat in 2016.
In 2017, Madekwe made his West End debut in The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? at the Theatre Royal Haymarket alongside Damian Lewis and Sophie Okonedo.{{Cite web|url=https://mytheatremates.com/news-jason-hughes-newcomer/|title=NEWS: Jason Hughes & newcomer Archie Madekwe join The Goat cast|website=My Theatre Mates|date=20 January 2017|accessdate=6 December 2022}} He landed his first named film role as Luke in Teen Spirit after the casting director saw him in the play. That year he was named a Screen International ‘Star of Tomorrow’. The same year he also appeared in the Channel 4 sitcom Hang Ups.
In 2019, Madekwe began starring as Kofun in the Apple TV+ science fiction series See,{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/08/sylvia-hoeks-archie-madekwe-join-apple-drama-series-see-from-steven-knight-francis-lawrence-1202439909/|title=Sylvia Hoeks & Archie Madekwe Join Apple Drama Series 'See' From Steven Knight & Francis Lawrence|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=3 August 2018|accessdate=3 August 2018|archive-date=4 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804003157/https://deadline.com/2018/08/sylvia-hoeks-archie-madekwe-join-apple-drama-series-see-from-steven-knight-francis-lawrence-1202439909/|url-status=live}} played Courfeyrac in the BBC One adaptation of Les Misérables, and starred as Simon in Ari Aster's A24 folk horror film Midsommar. In 2021, he appeared in the film Voyagers alongside Colin Farrell and Lily-Rose Depp and voiced Sedgwick in the Emmy winning "Ice" installment of the Netflix animated anthology series Love, Death & Robots.
In 2023, Madekwe starred in Neill Blomkamp's sports film based on a true story, Gran Turismo. {{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/gran-turismo-archie-madekwe-david-harbour-1235221308/|title=Gran Turismo Casts See Actor Archie Madekwe in Starring Role Opposite David Harbour (Exclusive)|website=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Borys|last=Kit|date=15 September 2022}} He also appeared in both Heart of Stone for Netflix and had a leading role in Emerald Fennell's Saltburn.
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2018
| Luke | |
| 2019
| Simon | |
| 2021
| Voyagers | Kai | |
| rowspan="4" | 2023
| |
| Heart of Stone
| Ivo | |
| Beau Is Afraid
| Laughing Man | |
| Saltburn
| Farleigh Start | |
| 2025
| Lurker | Oliver | Also producer |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2014
| Casualty | Benjamin Mason | Episode: "To Yourself Be True" |
| 2016
| Luca | 2 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2018
| Hang Ups | Jackson Bailey | 3 episodes |
| Informer
| Eddy | Episode: "The Masterplan" |
| 2019
| Courfeyrac | Miniseries; 3 episodes |
| 2019–2022
| See | Kofun | Lead role |
| 2020
| Louis | 1 episode |
| 2021
| Sedgwick | Voice role; episode: "Ice" |
Stage
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2017
| Billy | Theatre Royal Haymarket, London |
| 2023
| Further than the Furthest Thing | Francis | Young Vic, London |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|5994098}}
- [https://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/archie-madekwe/ Archie Madekwe] at Curtis Brown
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Madekwe, Archie}}
Category:English male film actors
Category:English male television actors
Category:English male voice actors
Category:English people of Nigerian descent
Category:English people of Swiss descent
Category:Black British male actors
Category:21st-century English male actors
Category:Male actors from London
Category:Alumni of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Category:Actors educated at the BRIT School