Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Bio - Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Biography

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje: Biography

Born in London, England, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje split his time as a youth between the UK and Nigeria. After earning a Masters from London's prestigious King's College University, a career in acting came his way when acclaimed director Frank Marshall cast him in Congo. This led to appearances in the films Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Legionnaire, the HBO movie Deadly Voyage, television series Cracker and New York Undercover, as well as the ABC miniseries 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Adewale recently wrapped Get Rich or Die Tryin', in which he plays the lead opposite Curtis 50 Cent Jackson. The film, which will be released this winter, was directed and produced by Oscar nominee Jim Sheridan. He also completed work on the film Mistress of Spices, a romantic comedy in which he stars opposite Aishwarya Rai. That film was written and directed by Gurinder Chada & Paul Mayeda Berges, part of the creative team behind Bend It Like Beckham.

Adewale's dramatic portrayal of the murderous drug addicted prisoner Adebisi in the television series Oz led to critical and audience acclaim, as well as two NAACP Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Ever eager to explore new ground, Adewale left Oz to focus on his film career and subsequently went on to star in blockbusters opposite Brendan Frasier in The Mummy Returns and with Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity.

Adewale's is also well known for playing the role of Mr. Eko on ABC's Lost. He was a main character on the show in it's second and third seasons.

Akinnuoye-Agbaje: I'm of Nigerian descent, from the Yoruba tribe. Names are very significant in that culture. It basically states your purpose in life.(edit)
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (on his first scene in Lost): They gave me a stick and said, 'Knock those three guys out.' There's no better way to make an entrance.(edit)
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (referring to his younger castmates on Lost): I kind of feel for the people on the show who are just coming into the business and this is their first gig. They've got a big letdown coming.(edit)
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (on what the hatch means to Mr. Eko in Lost): Salvation. It's sacred. It's the key for him. It's nirvana. It's enlightenment. In Buddhism, we have a term called eagle peak, when you reach the highest life state and enlightenment; everything is revealed to you. That's what the hatch is to Mr. Eko. It's the answer to the mystery of life.(edit)
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (on filming Lost): It's been a very arduous journey. But I also feel that through this experience, I've come of age, as a person, as an actor, and as a character. Interesting is the word. You really have to act your pants off to stay alive. I thrive on that; I rise to the occasion of the circumstances.(edit)
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (on the set of Lost): Well, filming in Hawaii, you know, is a blessing. It's one of the most beautiful places on this planet. It has a very mystic energy which informs you as an actor. You basically don't have to do anything. Just soak it up. So, you know, it's a great location. It is far, you know what I mean? Because you are cut off; but that can actually help you because we shoot in a vacuum.(edit)
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (on what his last name means): Wale means to arrive home. So the crown has arrived home. Akin is warrior or brave man. Nuoye is a brave man of chieftaincy and Agbaje means wealth and prosperity. So when you link that all together...(edit)
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje: The only way you can influence your fate is to put your soul into your performance and hope it registers with the audience.(edit)
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (talking about Lost): I've never been really great at trusting anybody, just because of the way I grew up. I was always led to believe you should take care of yourself, trust in your abilities and you're the author of your own destiny. Coming to this show is the opposite.(edit)

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje name means the following: Ade is "the crown", Wale means "to arrive", and when combined it means "the crown has arrived". Akin is "warrior" and Agbaje is "prosperity and wealth".(edit)
Adewale along with the rest of the Lost cast, won the award from the Screen Actors Guild in the category of Outstanding performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2006.(edit)
When Adewale was just 6 weeks old, both he and his four sisters were relocated from North London to Nigeria where they were raised by a foster family while their parents established their careers.(edit)
Adewale has appeared in two music videos: Mary J. Blige's Love No Limit and En Vogue's Giving Him Something He Can Feel.(edit)
Adewale came up with the name of Mr. Eko for his character on Lost.
The name Eko stems from Elekos, Lord of Legos, in Nigeria.(edit)
Adewale's movie debut was in the film Congo, alongside Ernie Hudson. Adewale and Ernie went on to work together again two years later on the HBO prison series, Oz.(edit)
Adewale is the third Lost character to be killed off the show shortly after being arrested in real life. The other two are Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros.
However Lost producers remain adamant that these incidents had nothing to do with their decisions to have their characters perish.(edit)
In the commentary track for the Oz's first season DVD, director Tom Fontana said that Adewale would display his penis in scenes where it was not required by the script but would refuse to do so when it was written in the script.(edit)
In September 2006, Adewale was arrested in Hawaii for a traffic violation. He was driving without a licence and disobeyed a police officer. He spent six hours in jail before being released on bail.(edit)
Adewale's two nicknames are Wally and Triple A. His family call him Wally and others who can't pronounce his name call him Triple A.(edit)
Adewale usually employs a deep, Nigerian timber while acting, while off-screen he has a very British, somewhat Cockney accent.(edit)
Adewale is fluent in several languages including Italian, Yoruba, Swahili, and English. He can also get along in a few other languages, including French.(edit)
Adewale called his appearance before the Hawaii Legislature "the pinnacle" of his career.(edit)
Adewale once read the traditional prayer, the 23rd Psalm, before the Hawaii State Senate.(edit)
Adewale is a devout Buddhist.(edit)
Adewale has a masters in Law from London's King's College University.(edit)
Adewale's height is 6'2" or 188 cm.(edit)
Adewale was a model in Milan. (edit)