Arinzé Kene

Arinzé Mokwe Kene MBE is a Nigerian-born British actor and playwright. Born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1987, he moved to London when he was four years old. Kene's early life was shaped by his experiences growing up in a new city, with a father who worked as a taxi driver and a difficult experience with bullying. This period of his life also saw him begin kickboxing, which he continued into his late teens, eventually winning two national championships. However, he decided to quit at the age of 21 to focus on his developing interest in acting. Over the years, Kene widened his expertise not only in acting but also in playwriting. His acting career includes remarkable stage performances like playing Simba in The Lion King, strutting lothario Raymond LeGrendre in Been So Long, and Sam Cooke in One Night in Miami. His writing prowess is observed in the success of plays like God's Property, and Suffocation. Kene continued to approach his career with versatility, making appearances in television series Crazyhead, and in the British soap opera entertainment, Eastenders: E20. An important milestone in his career was his starring role in the theatre production Misty, which he authored and was successfully established in Trafalgar Studios following a sold-out run. In 2020, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his services to drama and screenwriting. Recently, he was nominated for an Olivier Award for his performance in the musical Get Up, Stand Up!