Being a professional actor comes with lots of ups and downs, but Mamoudou Athie is glad that he has finally reached the upswing in his career. The talented actor made his on-screen debut in 2015 and he has built a very solid resume during that time. However, the last few years have been especially exciting for him. He has appeared in several successful projects and he recently became the star of a new Netflix series called Archive 81. In the show, he plays an archivist named Dan who was hired to restore old videotapes that had been damaged in a fire. During the process, however, he realizes that the tapes hold something more sinister than he ever could’ve imagined. The role has been a great way for Mamoudou to share his talent with a massive audience, and fans are hoping to see a lot more from him in the future. Keep reading to learn 10 things you didn’t know about Mamoudou Athie.
1. He Was Born In Africa
Mamoudou was born in a country in Northwest Africa called Mauritania. However, he was primarily raised in the United States because his father was a diplomat who received political asylum. The family settled in Maryland which is where Mamoudou fell in love with acting.
2. He Has An Ivy League Education
Mamoudou has put in lots of hard work over the years in order to get where he is today. He studied acting at the William Esper Studio in New York City and he also earned a master of fine arts degree from the school of drama at Yale University. While there are lots of actors who feel that formal training is unnecessary, it has certainly paid off for Mamoudou.
3. He Isn’t Into Social Media
Mamoudou’s fan base has grown significantly over the years, and there are probably lots of people who would love to follow him on social media. Unfortunately, they won’t have the choice. From what we can tell, he doesn’t have any verified social media accounts which is in line with the fact that he appears to be a very private person.
4. He Has Behind-The-Scenes Experience
The majority of Mamoudou’s time in the entertainment industry has been spent in front of the camera, but he has also shown an interest in being on the other side. He made his debut as a producer in 2019 with a TV miniseries called Oh Jerome, No. It seems likely that we’ll see him do even more production work in the future.
5. He Is A Sidney Poitier Fan
Mamoudou is on his way to building a legendary career of his own, but he also has respect for the greats who came before him. One of the actors he’s always admired is the late Sidney Poitier. During an interview with Huff Post, Mamoudou said, “Sidney Poitier exemplifies that spirit of dignity and grace…I was just thinking about what opportunities that have been availed to me that were completely closed doors to people in Sidney’s time, and I feel like I owe a great debt to all of them”.
6. He Doesn’t Typically Watch His Own Projects
Most of us probably imagine that if we were actors we would love to watch ourselves on screen. However, there are lots of actors who have admitted that they don’t particularly enjoy watching their work, and Mamoudou is one of them. He told Huff Post, “In the beginning [of my career], I was like, ‘I need to do this so I can learn. I need to know if what I think I’m doing is what I was doing.’ And now I’m a lot more secure in myself.”
7. His Role In Archive 81 Isn’t His First Time Working With Netflix
Getting the chance to be part of a Netflix production is a dream come true for many actors these days. Mamadou is proud to say that he’s already worked with the streaming giant several times. His first Netflix original was the short-lived series The Get Down. He then appeared in the 2020 movie Uncorked.
8. He’s All About Living With No Regrets
If given the chance, there are lots of people who would go back in time and change some of their decisions. Mamoudou has worked very hard not to be one of those people. Over the years, Mamadou has learned how to live life with no regrets. Instead, he appreciates every experience for what it is.
9. Jada Pinkett Smith Was His Celebrity Crush
Having a celebrity crush is a normal part of life for most people, and Mamoudou is no exception. When he was younger, he had a crush on Jada Pinkett Smith. Not only was Jada on lots of people’s celebrity crush list back in the day, but she’s still at the top of many.
10. He Likes Making Scary Faces In The Mirror
Is there something slightly weird that you like to do when you’re alone? If so, you can definitely relate to Mamoudou. While talking to Glamour, he revealed that he enjoys making scary faces at himself in the mirror. He also added that there is no real reason for doing this.Sidney Poitier
Follow Us
