A professional journalist and an emerging writer, Jen Ehidiamen is committed to exploring and using the media as an advocacy tool for youth development and empowerment. She writes a column called “Dis Generation” in The Nation newspaper and blogs at Youth Making Change. Jen is CP-Africa’s Features Editor.

Have you seen SALT yet? British-Nigerian Chiwetel Ejiofor mesmerizes his audience yet again as he plays Peabody, a CIA counter-intelligence officer working for Winter, the mentor of Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie), an agent accused of being a Russian sleeper spy.  To say Angelina and Chiwetel thrilled their fans in this movie is an understatement! Salt which was directed by Phillip Noyce (Catch a Fire) also stars Liev Schreiber and Andre Braugher.

Who is Chiwetel Ejiofor?

Chiwetel was born July 10, 1977 in Forest Gate London to a Nigerian couple- Arinze, a doctor, and Obiajulu, a pharmacist. Arinze, his father died in a car accident when he was eleven.

Chewy, as he is fondly called, attended Dulwich College, where he started out acting in school plays at the age of thirteen and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).  He was a member of the National Youth Theatre, in London.

He ventured into the movie industry in 1996 when he was featured in Deadly Voyage and has since become a prominent stage and screen actor. Apart from SALT, some of his other works include: Endgame, 2012 (Columbia Pictures), Redbelt, Tsunami, The Aftermath (TV Mini Series), American Gangster, Slow Burn, Talk to me, Tonight at Noon, Children of men, Inside Man etc.

He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2001 (2000 season), for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Blue/Orange at the Royal National Theatre, Cottesloe stage; the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the 2000 London Critics Circle Theatre Awards (Drama) for his performance in Blue/Orange performed at the Royal National Theatre: Lyttelton and, later, at the Duchess Theatre; and the 2000 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer for his performance in Blue/Orange.

His singing and acting performance in Kinky Boots received Golden Globe and British Independent Film Award nominations. He was also nominated for the 2006 BAFTA Rising Star Award, which recognizes emerging British film talent.

Chewy’s performance in Tsunami: The Aftermath received a 2007 Golden Globe nomination for best actor in a miniseries or film made for TV. That same year, he was one of 115 people invited to join AMPAS.

He was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E) in the 2008 Queen’s Birthday Honors List for his services to drama.

What others are saying:

“With his honest eyes, sincere smile, and unmistakable onscreen presence, actor Chiwetel Ejiofor possesses the rare ability to internalize his characters to an unusually realistic degree — an ability that has gained him increasing recognition in the arena of world cinema.” -New York Times.

“The finest Othello in a generation, a scene-stealing villain in Ridley Scott’s American Gangster and now a brilliant portrayal of Thabo Mbeki – no wonder Chiwetel Ejiofor has the acting world at his mercy.” -The Guardian U.K (The Observer).

SALT – (THE TRAILER)
[pro-player]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ40WlshNwU[/pro-player]

Image via Daemonsmovies, Backseatercuddle