Devon Terrell
{{Short description|Australian actor (born 1992)}}
{{for|the singer|Devvon Terrell}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Devon Terrell
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|10|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = Long Beach, California, U.S.
| nationality = {{hlist|Australian|American}}
| other_names =
| occupation = Actor
| alma_mater = Edith Cowan University
National Institute of Dramatic Art
| known_for =
| notable_works = Barry
}}
Devon Terrell (born 23 October 1992) is an Australian actor,{{cite web|quote=It is upsetting, especially as an Australian actor. I know there's so many actors of colour in Australia that don't feel like they're represented on the screen there.|url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/perth-star-devon-terrell-stars-as-first-black-actor-to-be-cast-as-king-arthur-in-netflix-drama-cursed/news-story/7b9715b5de97ab3507a15c75e050a1a0|website=news.com.au|publisher=News Corp Australia|title=Perth star Devon Terrell stars as first black actor to be cast as King Arthur in Netflix drama, Cursed|author=Byrnes, Holly|date=16 July 2020|access-date=19 May 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/dec/16/playing-barack-obama-how-a-24-year-old-australian-actor-landed-his-dream-role|title=Playing Barack Obama: how a 24-year-old Australian actor landed his dream role|work=The Guardian|author=Harmon, Steph|date=16 December 2016|access-date=19 May 2023}} best known for playing a young Barack Obama in the 2016 biographical film Barry{{cite news |last=Zeitchik |first=Steven |title=Toronto: Young and dislocated, Devon Terrell on playing a young and dislocated Barack Obama |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-toronto-barry-obama-feature-20160908-snap-story.html |access-date=22 November 2016 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=10 September 2016}} and Arthur in the Netflix original series Cursed.
Early life and education
Terrell was born in Long Beach, California, US, to an African-American father and an Anglo-Indian mother. At age five, he moved to Perth, Western Australia, growing up in the Forest Lakes estate in Thornlie. After finishing his secondary education at Lynwood Senior High School,{{Cite web|url=https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/tv/yes-he-can-ng-ya-123228|title=Perth actor Devon Terrell's dream role playing young Barack Obama|date=5 December 2016}} he attended Edith Cowan University, specialising in drama education. He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2013.{{cite news|title=Newcomer Devon Terrell Nabs Lead Role In Steve McQueen's HBO Drama Pilot|url=http://www.blackfilm.com/read/2014/10/newcomer-devon-terrell-nabs-lead-role-in-steve-mcqueens-hbo-drama-pilot/|access-date=22 November 2016|work=blackfilm.com|date=14 October 2014|archive-date=22 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122222134/http://www.blackfilm.com/read/2014/10/newcomer-devon-terrell-nabs-lead-role-in-steve-mcqueens-hbo-drama-pilot/|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last=Thomas|first=Sarah|title=Perth actor Devon Terrell on playing Barack Obama in the Netflix film Barry|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/perth-actor-devon-terrell-on-playing-barack-obama-in-the-netflix-film-barry-20161122-gsv0j9.html|access-date=22 November 2016|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=22 November 2016}}
Career
Terrell's first role was in Steve McQueen's HBO miniseries Codes of Conduct, which was cancelled after the pilot was filmed. He then starred in the Netflix film Barry, a biopic about the college years of future US president Barack Obama. Terrell said that he felt an affinity for Obama and that the president had been his dream role since the age of 19.{{cite news|last=Tobias|first=Scott|title=How Do You Prepare to Play Barack Obama in a Movie?|url=https://www.gq.com/story/barack-obama-devon-terrell-barry|work=GQ|date=12 September 2016|access-date=22 November 2016}}{{cite news|last=McRae|first=Ross|title=WA actor shines as Barack Obama in film debut|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/33200888/devon-terrell-shines-as-barack-obama-in-netflixs-barry/|access-date=November 22, 2016|work=The West Australian|date=November 14, 2016|archive-date=22 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122224650/https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/33200888/devon-terrell-shines-as-barack-obama-in-netflixs-barry/|url-status=dead}}
To prepare for the role, Terrell worked with a dialect coach and watched Obama's speeches to master his accent and manner of speaking. He was offered the part after one audition. He also trained himself to portray the left-handed Obama, including learning how to write and play basketball with his left hand. He read Obama's book Dreams from My Father three times to get into his mindset, and he received praise for his portrayal when the film was released.{{cite magazine|last=Kosin|first=Julie|title=Devon Terrell on Becoming Barack Obama|url=http://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/news/a19217/devon-terrell-barry-interview/|access-date=16 April 2017|magazine=Harper's Bazaar|date=5 December 2016|language=en}}{{cite news|last=Mohan|first=Keerthi|title=Barry: Netflix releases trailer; Aussie actor Devon Terrell impresses as young Barack Obama|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.in/barry-netflix-releases-trailer-aussie-actor-devon-terrell-impresses-young-barack-obama-705089|access-date=22 November 2016|work=International Business Times|date=22 November 2016|language=en}}{{cite news|last=Garcia|first=Patrick|title=Devon Terrell on How He Landed the Part of a Young Barack Obama on His First Audition|url=http://www.vogue.com/article/devon-terrell-barry-obama-interview-netflix|access-date=16 April 2017|work=Vogue|date=16 December 2016|language=en}}
Later, he portrayed Arthur in the Netflix original series Cursed. The first season was released on 17 July 2020.{{cite magazine |last=Bergado |first=Gabe |date=17 July 2020 |title=Devon Terrell of Netflix's Cursed Deserves His Place as King Arthur |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a33339958/netflix-cursed-devon-terrell-interview/ |magazine=Harper's Bazaar |access-date=5 January 2025}}
Terrell played the role of Cliff in Issa Rae's comedy television series Rap Sh!t, which premiered on 21 July 2022 on HBO Max.{{cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=9 July 2021 |title='Rap Sh*t': Devon Terrell To Star In Issa Rae's HBO Max Series |url=https://deadline.com/2021/07/rap-sht-devon-terrell-issa-rae-hbo-max-series-1234789630/ |website=Deadline |access-date=5 January 2025}}
In August 2024, it was reported that Terrell had joined the cast of the crime thriller television series The Assassin.{{cite web |author= |date=23 August 2024 |title=Stan Original series 'The Assassin' commences production in Greece with Shalom Brune-Franklin, Devon Terrell part of the cast |url=https://if.com.au/stan-original-series-the-assassin-commences-production-in-greece-with-shalom-brune-franklin-devon-terrell-part-of-the-cast/ |website=IF Magazine |access-date=5 January 2025}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Barry | Barack Obama | |
| rowspan="2"|2018 | Ophelia | Horatio | |
| The Professor | Danny Albright | ||
| 2024 | It's What's Inside | Reuben |
=Television=
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Codes of Conduct | Beverly Snow | Unaired pilot |
| 2020 | Cursed | Arthur | Main cast |
| 2022 | Rap Sh!t | Cliff | Main cast |
| 2023 | Totally Completely Fine | Dane | Main cast |
| {{TableTBA}} | The Assassin | {{TableTBA}} | In production |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{instagram|devon.terrell}}
- {{IMDb name|nm6863919}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Terrell, Devon}}
Category:Male actors from Long Beach, California
Category:Male actors from Perth, Western Australia
Category:21st-century Australian male actors
Category:American emigrants to Australia
Category:Australian people of African-American descent
Category:Australian people of Anglo-Indian descent