Paapa Essiedu

Paapa Essiedu (also credited as Paapa Kwaakye Essiedu) is a British screen and stage actor born on June 11, 1990, in Southwark, London. He first built his reputation in theatre after joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2012, taking on a wide range of classics and quickly becoming known for intelligent, emotionally precise performances.

His mainstream breakthrough arrived with the HBO miniseries I May Destroy You (2020), a standout turn that brought major awards attention, including Emmy and BAFTA TV nominations. He followed with high-profile TV work such as playing George Boleyn in Anne Boleyn (2021), and leading roles across genre and action series including Gangs of London, The Lazarus Project, and Black Mirror: Demon 79.

On film, Essiedu made his feature debut in Kenneth Branagh’s Murder on the Orient Express (2017) and has since expanded into bold projects like Men (2022), Genie (as Bernard Bottle), and The Outrun (as Daynin). His stage acclaim continues alongside screen work, including National Theatre Live: The Effect (as Tristan) and Shakespeare roles such as Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.