Sophie Okonedo

**Sophie Okonedo CBE** (born 11 August 1968) is a reputed British actress and narrator. She has won prestigious awards like Tony Award and has been nominated like an Academy Award, three BAFTA TV Awards, an Emmy Award, two Laurence Olivier Awards, and a Golden Globe Award. Both in 2010 and 2019, she was appointed Officer and Commander of the Order of the British Empire respectively, both for services to drama. Okonedo trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and has starred in many productions and films since. She has an extensive film career beginning with Young Soul Rebels in 1991, and has since appeared in numerous films including Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, Hotel Rwanda (which earned her an Academy Award nomination), and Martian Child. Her TV work has earned her nominations for the Golden Globe Award and BAFTA TV award. She also did voice work for *Doctor Who* and played Liz Ten in the series. Sophie was born on 11 August 1968 in London. She is the daughter of Joan, a Jewish Pilates teacher and Henry Okonedo, a British Nigerian who worked for the government. Raised in her mother's Jewish faith, she spent her childhood in the Chalkhill Estate, part of the Wembley Park district in the London Borough of Brent. She then went on to train at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She has an illustrious career spanning over various media including film, television, theatre and audio drama. In her personal life, Okonedo has one daughter from a relationship with Irish film editor Eoin Martin and is married to Jamie Chalmers with whom she shares two step-children. A proud Jewish and Black woman, Okonedo has been honored for her contributions to drama with the title of Officer and Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2010 and 2019 respectively.