At 1.88 meters (approximately 6. ft 2 in), the towering Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje has an unmissable on-screen presence, irrespective of the character he’s portraying. His body build has often typecast him into playing imposing, sinister characters in film and television. However, Akinnuoye-Agbaje has continued to deliver award-winning performances despite lacking due accolades.
Although Akinnuoye-Agbaje often speaks in a deep African accent in many of his roles, the British actor speaks with a slight Cockney accent in real life. The actor’s life is one big success story, breaking through barriers all his life to be the man he is today. For more about the actor, these are 7 things you probably didn’t know about Farming‘s Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Was Born To Nigerian Parents
Although born in Islington, London, England, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is the son of Nigerian immigrants of Yoruba descent. The actor was born on August 22, 1967, to parents who were still students at the time. Akinnuoye-Agbaje is also often called by his nicknames Triple-A or Wally.
He Was Place In Foster Home At 6 Weeks Old
His parents, being students in the UK in the late 60s, struggled financially to survive in the country. As such, at only six weeks old, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s parents painfully had to give him up to ensure he had a better chance at life. Together with two of his sisters, Akinnuoye-Agbaje had to live with a white family, who became his foster parents. At his foster home, there were at least 10 children, with the couple helping to assist in raising kids of financially struggling immigrants.
However, his foster father, who was only a lorry driver, had to work extra hours to provide for the entire family. His parents stayed close, occasionally visiting Tilbury, Essex, when they had the time and money. His parents had hoped to relieve his foster parents of him by sending an eight-year-old Akinnuoye-Agbaje to Nigeria. After finding it hard to integrate into the culture, his parents returned him to his foster parents at Tilbury.
He Attempted Suicide Because Of Continual Racial Abuse
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje had a difficult childhood and growing years. Back in the UK, Akinnuoye-Agbaje was often picked on by youths because of the darkness of his skin. His racial abuse soon got confrontational and physical, with the local skinheads regularly attacking and hitting him. To survive their attacks and brutality, Akinnuoye-Agbaje not only stood up to them but joined forces to abuse and attack others like him. While in a Surrey boarding school and still struggling with his background, Akinnuoye-Agbaje had attempted suicide in his mid-teen years.
How Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Got Started In Acting
After graduating from secondary school (High School), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje enrolled and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from the University of London before obtaining his Master of Law from King’s College London. To make ends meet, Akinnuoye-Agbaje worked in a clothing shop. With his towering height and build, he quickly transitioned into the world of modeling. He had a successful modeling career in Milan and Paris before focusing on acting. During his modeling days, Akinnuoye-Agbaje enjoyed playing his brief acting roles, and he figured it was a career he wanted. He left all he knew in the UK and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Is A Nichiren Buddhist
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is a member of the Soka Gakkai International Buddhist Association in Los Angeles. He’s a devoted and practicing Nichiren Buddhist. This type of Buddhism is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism that bases its teachings on extant letters and treatises of the Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren. Akinnuoye-Agbaje admitted in an interview that he had to perform more chants while playing Majestic in Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2005).
He Has Worked In The MCU And DCEU
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje joined the short list of actors who have worked in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe. Akinnuoye-Agbaje first portrayed Algrim the Strong/Kurse in the 2011 Thor sequel, Thor: The Dark World (2013). Three years later, he portrayed Waylon Jones/Killer Croc in David Ayer‘s Suicide Squad (2016). Both films were box-office successes, with Thor: The Dark World (2013) and Suicide Squad grossing $644.8 million and $747 million, respectively.
He Made His Directorial Debut In 2018
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje has proven his much more than playing buffed characters on-screen. He ventured into the world of directing in 2018, with the release of of the British biographical drama, Farming (2018). Besides directing the film, Akinnuoye-Agbaje wrote its screenplay. The movie was based on Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s childhood and growing years. However, there have been criticisms of the story’s accuracy, stating that Akinnuoye-Agbaje was neither part of nor became a leader of the depicted white-skinhead gang. With Gugu Mbatha-Raw playing Ms. Dapo, Farming was the second collaboration Akinnuoye-Agbaje has had with the British actress. Playing the character of his “father” Femi, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje also co-starred with Kate Beckinsale and Nigerian actress, Genevieve Nnaji.
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