Sally Amaka Okafor is a British actress. She is known for her work in theatre, and her roles in the film '' Greatest Days'' (2023) as well as the

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...

series ''

The Responder ''The Responder'' is a British police drama series set in Liverpool, written by former Merseyside Police officer Tony Schumacher, with Tim Mielants as leading director and starring Martin Freeman, Adelayo Adedayo, Ian Hart, and MyAnna Buring. I ...

'' (2022) and the

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

series ''

Bodies Bodies may refer to: * The plural of body * ''Bodies'' (2004 TV series), BBC television programme * Bodies (upcoming TV series), an upcoming British crime thriller limited series * "Bodies" (''Law & Order''), 2003 episode of ''Law & Order'' * ...

'' (2023).

Early life and education

Okafor was born in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

to a Nigerian reggae artist father and an Indian journalist mother, and moved around the UK growing up. She studied theatre devising at

Liverpool John Moores University , mottoeng = Fortune favours the bold , established = 1823 – Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts1992 – Liverpool John Moores University , type = Public , endowment = , coor ...

. She began her career touring community theatre in schools, prisons, and churches, and was a member of the

Unicorn Theatre The Unicorn Theatre is a children's theatre in the London Borough of Southwark, in England. It is a custom-built, RIBA Award–winning building on Tooley Street, which opened in 2005. The theatre was designed by Keith Williams, built by Arup an ...

ensemble in London for two years.

Career

Originally credited as Sally Amaka Okafor, she made her West End theatre debut playing Sofia in

Florian Zeller Florian Zeller (; born 28 June 1979) is a French novelist, playwright, theatre director, screenwriter, and film director. He won the Prix Interallié for his 2004 novel ''The Fascination of Evil'' and several awards for his plays. He wrote and ...

's ''The Son'', which transferred from Kilburn's Kiln Theatre to the

Duke of York's theatre The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the City of Westminster, London. It was built for Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte, who retained ownership of the theatre until her death in 1935. Designed by th ...

in October 2019. In 2016 she appeared in ''Peter Pan'' at the National Theatre, and played

Lady Macduff Lady Macduff is a character in William Shakespeare's ''Macbeth''. She is married to Macduff (Macbeth), Lord Macduff, the Thane of Fife. Her appearance in the play is brief: she and her Macduff's son, son are introduced in Act IV Scene II, a cli ...

in ''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

'' at the same theatre in 2018. She has appeared at the

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, Englan ...

in ''Hope Has A Happy Meal'' (2023), ''Grimly Handsome'' (2017), ''It's All Made Up'', ''The Space Between'', and ''I See You''. She has played Miranda in

's '' The Tempest'', Guildenstern in

Almeida Theatre The Almeida Theatre, opened in 1980, is a 325-seat producing house with an international reputation, which takes its name from the street on which it is located, off Upper Street, in the London Borough of Islington. The theatre produces a diver ...

's ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'', Amal in

National Theatre of Scotland The National Theatre of Scotland, established in 2006, is the national theatre company of Scotland. The company has no theatre building of its own; instead it tours work to theatres, village halls, schools and site-specific locations, both at h ...

's ''Glasgow Girls'', and an official in ''Hamlet'' at the

Barbican Centre The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhi ...

. Her other theatre credits include ''Nora: A Doll's House'' (2020), ''Bird'', and '' After The End'' (2022). Okafor's television work has included playing DI Deborah Barnes, a former colleague of the central character, Chris Carson, in the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

's ''

.'' She also appears in BBC drama '' The Split'' (2020). Okafor appears as DS Hasan in

's ''

''. Bodies is created by

Paul Tomalin Paul Tomalin is a British television screenwriter. Career Tomalin served as story editor on ''Shameless'' in 2009 on the sixth series, as well as wrote an episode. He wrote the ''Torchwood'' episode They Keep Killing Suzie (2006), with Dan M ...

, directed by

Marco Kreuzpaintner Marco Johann Kreuzpaintner (born 11 March 1977) is a German film director, executive producer and screenwriter. Career In 1999, he began his career in the role of German dubbing assistant for the Stanley Kubrick film ''Eyes Wide Shut''. In t ...

, and based on the graphic novel by

Si Spencer Si Spencer (1961 – 16 February 2021)Si Spencer, 1961-2021
at ''

and

Dean Ormston Dean Ormston is a British born comic book artist. His most notable work has been for the British comic '' 2000 AD'' and for DC Comics' Vertigo imprint. Biography Ormston was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England and earned a degree in a ...

. In one of her most prominent roles to date, Okafor stars alongside

Aisling Bea Aisling Clíodhnadh O'Sullivan (born 16 March 1984), known professionally as Aisling Bea ( ), is an Irish comedian, actor and writer. She created, wrote and starred in the comedy series '' This Way Up'' on Channel 4. As a stand-up comedian, she ...

Alice Lowe Alice Eva Lowe (born 3 April 1977)England & Wales births 1837 – 2006 is an English actress, writer, and comedian. She is best known for her roles as Dr. Haynes in '' Black Mirror: Bandersnatch'' and Madeleine Wool/Liz Asher in ''Garth Mareng ...

, and

Jayde Adams Jayde Pricilla Gail Adams (born 26 November 1984) is a British comedian, actress, writer and opera singer from Bristol. She is the winner of the 2014 Funny Women Award. Career Adams started performing stand-up comedy in 2011, following the pr ...

in ''Greatest Days'', a 2023 cinematic adaptation of

Take That Take That are an English pop group formed in Manchester in 1990. The group currently consists of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen. The original line-up also featured Jason Orange and Robbie Williams. Barlow is the group's lead singe ...

's smash-hit stage musical, The Band. ''Greatest Days'' portrays a group of school friends reuniting after 25 years. The

BFI The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

's review says that Okafor and her co-stars "make the most of the film’s more predictable plotlines and gags". Her other film work includes upcoming UK indie comedy drama ''Sweet Sue'', directed by Leo Leigh. Okafor is also known for her work in radio drama and audiobooks, portraying Kaz in long-running

soap ''

The Archers ''The Archers'' is a BBC radio drama on BBC Radio 4, the corporation's main spoken-word channel. Broadcast since 1951, it was famously billed as "an everyday story of country folk" and is now promoted as "a contemporary drama in a rural settin ...

'' (a rare, brief, occurrence of a

BAME A number of different systems of classification of ethnicity in the United Kingdom exist. These schemata have been the subject of debate, including about the nature of ethnicity, how or whether it can be categorised, and the relationship betwe ...

character in this rural soap opera). and Zoe in

Mark Ravenhill Mark Ravenhill (born 7 June 1966) is an English playwright, actor and journalist. Ravenhill is one of the most widely performed playwrights in British theatre of the late-twentieth and twenty-first centuries. His major plays include ''Shoppin ...

's adaptation of the

Dion Boucicault Dionysius Lardner "Dion" Boucicault (né Boursiquot; 26 December 1820 – 18 September 1890) was an Irish actor and playwright famed for his melodramas. By the later part of the 19th century, Boucicault had become known on both sides of the ...

play, ''

The Octoroon ''The Octoroon'' is a play by Dion Boucicault that opened in 1859 at The Winter Garden Theatre, New York City. Extremely popular, the play was kept running continuously for years by seven road companies. Among antebellum melodramas, it was con ...

'', and appearing in

Neil Gaiman Neil Richard MacKinnon GaimanBorn as Neil Richard Gaiman, with "MacKinnon" added on the occasion of his marriage to Amanda Palmer. ; ( Neil Richard Gaiman; born 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, gr ...

's podcast series, ''The Sandman''. She starred as Emily McCoy in

Tom Stoppard Sir Tom Stoppard (born , 3 July 1937) is a Czech born British playwright and screenwriter. He has written for film, radio, stage, and television, finding prominence with plays. His work covers the themes of human rights, censorship, and politi ...

's 2013 radio play, ''Darkside'', based on

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...

's classic album, ''

The Dark Side of the Moon ''The Dark Side of the Moon'' is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 1 March 1973 by Harvest Records. The album was primarily developed during live performances, and the band premiered an early version of ...

''.

Recognition

Okafor was named a 2023 ''

Screen International ''Screen International'' is a British film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by Media Business Insight, a British B2B media company. The magazine is primarily aimed at those involved in the global film business. ...

'' Star of Tomorrow.

Personal life

Okafor sings and writes music in her spare time, and has a daughter.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Okafor, Amaka Living people 21st-century English actresses Date of birth missing (living people) English film actresses English radio actresses English stage actresses English television actresses Actresses from Birmingham, West Midlands Alumni of Liverpool John Moores University Black British actresses British actresses of Asian descent English people of Indian descent English people of Nigerian descent Year of birth missing (living people)