Paapa Essiedu

Paapa Kwaakye Essiedu (; born 11 June 1990) is a British actor. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he has received numerous accolades, including a Laurence Olivier Award and an Independent Spirit Award, in addition to nominations for a British Academy Television Award and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Essiedu started his career in 2012 when he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, acting in the productions of The Merry Wives of Windsor (2012), Hamlet (2016), and King Lear (2016). His screen breakthrough came in 2020 with his role in BBC One's I May Destroy You, earning nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie and the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor. He portrayed George Boleyn in the Channel 5 historical drama Anne Boleyn in 2021, and had starring roles in the AMC+ action series Gangs of London (2020–2022), the science fiction series The Lazarus Project (2020–2023), and Black Mirror: Demon 79 (2023).

Essiedu made his feature film acting debut as a policeman in Kenneth Branagh's mystery film Murder on the Orient Express (2017). He took roles in the horror film Men (2022), the fantasy film Genie (2023), and the drama The Outrun (2024). He gained acclaim for his stage roles in Caryl Churchill's play A Number (2022), Lucy Prebble's play The Effect (2023–2024), and Arthur Miller's All My Sons (2026), earning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the latter.