Ashley Madekwe is a professionally trained actress, known for her role as social climber Ashley Davenport on the popular ABC television series Revenge. She discovered her interest in the performing arts at a young age and trained in some of the best institutions to hone her craft. She has since earned roles in several popular British and American television projects, including Bedlam, Salem, The Umbrella Academy, and Made for Love.
Madekwe played the main role in Dr. Death, a true crime drama anthology television series. On the big screen, she earned a BAFTA nomination for her role in Country Lines and played the main character in The Strays. Madekwe’s background and heritage have greatly impacted her career, shaping her journey from her formative years. We explore all you need to know about the Revenge actress before and after fame.
Ashley Madekwe’s Background and Education
Born on December 6, 1983, at Mile End Hospital in East London, Ashley Maduekwe hails from a biracial home. Her father is originally from Nigeria, while her mother is English. The family resided on a South London council estate in West Norwood until Madekwe turned 14. They later moved to the Norbury suburbs. While Madekwe doesn’t have any known siblings, Archie Madekwe is her cousin. Like Madekwe, Archie is an accomplished actor known for his roles in See, Midsommar, and Saltburn.
Growing up in London had the right impact on Ashley Madekwe’s interest in the arts. She attended the BRIT School and further honed her skills at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. Madekwe launched her acting career before graduating from RADA, steadily climbing the ladder of success. She currently has credits in notable film and television projects.
She Made Her Television Debut in the Late 1990s
Ashley Madekwe debuted in one episode of The Bill in 1999 as Janie Newton. In 2000, she continued her exploits on British television, guest-starring on Down to Earth, Hope and Glory, and the television movie Storm Damage. She continued to make guest appearances on major British television series, including Teachers on Channel 4, Drop Dead Gorgeous on BBC Three, and the BBC One medical TV shows Doctors and Casualty.
Her television career gained major recognition in 2008 when she portrayed Bambi on the ITV2 drama series Secret Diary of a Call Girl. She appeared in the second and third seasons of the British TV show from 2008 to 2010. Madekwe also played Elisha in the one-off BBC Three youth drama pilot West 10 LDN, and Ollie in six episodes of Trexx and Flipside. She wrapped up the 2000s with her first American television appearance on The Beautiful Life: TBL as Marissa Delfina and a guest role on Channel 4’s Coming Up. The former was cancelled after two episodes.
Ashley Madekwe solidified her rise to fame in 2011 with a regular role as Ashley Davenport on ABC’s Revenge. She appeared as a regular cast member in the first two seasons and left after a guest appearance in season 3. She then joined the cast of Salem in all three seasons from 2014 to 2017. In 2019, Madekwe played short roles on The Umbrella Academy and Four Weddings and a Funeral. She was a main cast member on Dr. Death season 2.
Film and Stage Credits
For her big screen debut, Ashley Madekwe starred in the 2006 British comedy film Venus alongside Peter O’Toole, Leslie Phillips, and Jodie Whittaker. The next year, she starred in her first feature film, Cassandra’s Dream, alongside Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor. The 2008 comedy film How to Lose Friends & Alienate People cast her as Vicky. She played a prominent role as Tia in Victim (2011), a British action film directed by Alex Pillai.
Ashley Madekwe landed nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Toni in Country Lines (2019). In 2023, she led the cast of The Strays as Neve / Cheryl Blake. The British horror-thriller centers on Madekwe’s character, a biracial upper-class socialite living her dream life with her family until her troubled past returns to haunt her. Madekwe’s stage credits include portraying ‘Jade’ in Shan Khan‘s Prayer Room at Birmingham Repertory Theatre, performing with the cast of Little Sweet Thing by Roy Williams, and Flight Path by David Watson.
Ashley Madekwe is Married To Her Secret Diary of a Call Girl Co-Star
After dating for a long time, Ashley Madekwe married Israeli actor Iddo Goldberg on June 2012. She celebrated their 10th anniversary on Instagram on June 17, 2022. They both made their television debut on The Bill, and collaborated on Secret Diary of a Call Girl, and Salem. In April 2023, Madekwe announced she was expecting her first child with her husband and became a first-time mother to a baby boy in late summer.
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