Cyril Nri

Cyril Nri
Cyril Nri in 2004
Born
Cyril Ikechukwu Nri

(1961-04-25) 25 April 1961 (age 63)
Nigeria
OccupationActor
Children2

Cyril Ikechukwu Nri // ⓘ (born 25 April 1961) is a Nigerian-born English actor who is best known for playing Superintendent Adam Okaro in the police TV series The Bill. Cyril Nri plays the role of Lord Danbury in the Netflix series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023).

Early life

Nri was born in on 25 April 1961 in Nigeria. Nri's family are Igbo; they fled the country in 1968 prior to the end of the Nigerian Civil War.[1] He moved to Portugal when he was seven, and later to London.

Nri attended Holland Park School in West London and appeared in a school production of Three Penny Opera. He attended the Young Vic Youth Theatre in Waterloo, London. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Nri has lived in south London since the 1980s.

Career

He is best known for playing the role of Superintendent Adam Okaro, later chief superintendent, in the long-running ITV police drama The Bill. He also had a role as Graham, a barrister colleague of Miles and Anna, in both series of the cult BBC TV drama series This Life.

After drama school at the Bristol Old Vic, Nri started acting life at The Royal Shakespeare Company where his first role was Lucius in Ron Daniel's 1982 production of Julius Caesar. He played Ariel to Max Von Sydow's Prospero in Jonathan Miller's 1988 production of The Tempest.

In 2008, he starred alongside other former The Bill favourites Philip Whitchurch and Russell Boulter in an episode of BBC1's Waking the Dead.

In 2009, he appeared in The Observer at the Royal National Theatre.

In 2009 and 2010, he appeared in Law & Order UK as Judge Demarco and again reprised this role in the 2012 and 2013 series of the show.

In February 2010, he guest starred in Doctors.

In November 2010, he appeared in Series 4 of The Sarah Jane Adventures, in the "Lost in Time" episodes. He later reappeared in October 2011, in the opening episode of Series 5, "Sky". In late October 2016, he appeared in another Doctor Who spin-off Class.

In 2012–13, he played Cassius in Greg Doran's Royal Shakespeare Company production of Julius Caesar in Stratford upon Avon, London and New York, where in his New York Times review Ben Brantley said of Nri, "Mr. Nri's expression as he registers Caesar's words is that of a man who feels a noose tightening around his neck. Wary and sly, scared and manipulative, Mr. Nri is an excellent Cassius, capturing the climate of paranoia and politicking that thickens the air."[2]

In 2016, he earned a British Academy Television Award nomination for his performance as Lance in the Russell T. Davies TV series Cucumber. He also appeared in an episode of Goodnight Sweetheart playing a doctor at the hospital where Yvonne Sparrow loses her unborn child (series 4).

In 2016, he played Polonius in Simon Godwin's production of Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

In 2017, he also had a minor role in an episode of the long-running BBC detective programme Death in Paradise, playing a corrupt mayor, and appeared on stage at the Dorfman Theatre, London, in Barber Shop Chronicles by Inua Ellams.[3]

In 2020, he played a barrister in the BBC drama Noughts and Crosses.

In 2021, he played Sheldon in the Royal National Theatre's production of Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress.

Nri played Bill in the Young Vic's 2023 revival of Zinnie Harris' Further than the Furthest Thing.[4]

Nri's latest gig is playing Derek in BBC's 'Daddy Issues' alongside Sex Education's Aimee Lou Wood.

Personal life

Nri has been married, and now identifies as gay.[5][6] He has two grown-up children.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1989 Strapless Harold Sabola
1990 A Strike Out of Time Charlie White Television film
1995 The Steal Council Computer Operator
1997 Hidden Empire: Behind the Mask Kano Short film
1998 Tale of the Mummy Forensics
Only Love Eric Blair Television film
Besieged Priest
1999 Wing Commander Security Officer
2002 Long Time Dead Dr. Wilson
2007 Deadmeat Prime Minister
2008 Survivor Boss Short film
Bad Day Restaurant Manager
The Cornwell Estate Short film
2010 Critical Eye CCTV Controller Short film
2012 Father's Day Ade Television film
Julius Caesar Cassius Television film
2018 Jellyfish Adam Hale
Rasta Man Vibrations Dr. Urquhart Short film
2019 Backdraft 2 OFI Investigator Rickets
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker First Order Officer
2020 The Witches Chief Doorman
2022 Boys on Film 22: Love to Love You Edna May
2023 Wicked Little Letters Judge Maccleston
Just Passing Sami Short film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1989 Saracen Desmond Episode: "Three Blind Mice"
4 Play Tony Sewell Episode: "The Book Liberator"
1990 The Bill Julian Bates Episode: "A Case to Answer"
1992 Runaway Bay Paul Episode: "History Revisited"
1993 Frank Stubbs Promotes Brian Episode: "Wheels"
1994 Calling the Shots Paul Miniseries; 2 episodes
1995 Casualty Steve York Episode: "Compensation"
1996 Pie in the Sky Stuart Crowe Episode: "New Leaf"
2000 Family Affairs William McHugh Recurring role
1996–1997 This Life Graham Series regular; 22 episodes
1997 Goodnight Sweetheart Dr. Obote Episode: "How Long Has This Been Going On?"
1998 The Bill Chris Lycett Episode: "One of the Gang"
1999 A Touch of Frost Warren Barber Episode: "One Man's Meat"
Maisie Raine Paul Episode: "Old Scores"
2000 Holby City Ben Sincalir Episode: "Against All Odds"
The Bill Pascal Illunga Episode: "Beyond Conviction"
Arabian Nights Schaca Miniseries; 2 episodes
2001 Doctors Andrew Lombard Episode: "Too Posh to Push"
Down to Earth Henry Jones Episode: "Great Expectations"
2001–2002 EastEnders D.C. Burton Recurring role; 11 episodes
2002–2006 The Bill Superintendent Adam Okaro Series regular;
2003 Murder Investigation Team Superintendent Adam Okaro Episode: "Moving Targets"
2007 Holby City Lawrence Marshall Episode: "Blood Ties"
Cold Blood Colonel Harrington Smith Episode: "Dead and Buried"
2008 Waking the Dead Raymond Ayanike Episode: "Skin"
2009–2014 Law & Order: UK Judge De Marco Recurring role; 4 episodes
2010 Doctors Mark Harmer Episode: "Too Little, Too Late"
The Sarah Jane Adventures The Shopkeeper Episode: "Lost in Time"
2011 House of Anubis Mr. Lewis Recurring role; 3 episodes
Tinga Tinga Tales Peacock Recurring role; 2 episodes
Holby City Pastor Carl Episode: "In Between Days"
New Tricks Billy Green Episode: "Setting Out Your Shell"
2013 Wizards vs Aliens Nathaniel Nightjar Episode: "100 Wizards"
2014 Doctors Thomas Hakizimana Episode: "A Blind Eye"
2015 Crims Mr. Gardner[7] Episode: "Day Fifty-Seven"
Cucumber Lance Sullivan Miniseries; 6 episodes
Critical Joseph Whitnell Episode: "The Weakness of Mankind"
2016 Class Chair[8] Episode: "The Lost"
2017 Death in Paradise Mayor Joseph Richards Episode: "Erupting in Murder"
Bucket Mr. Merdon Recurring role; 2 episodes
Doctors Inspector Tony Callaghan Episode: "Running with the Pack"
Midsomer Murders Warwick Sowande Episode: "The Curse of the Ninth"
2018 On the Edge Patrick Episode: "A Mother's Love"
Zapped Quincy Peacock Episode: "Chef"
The ABC Murders Father Anselm Miniseries; 1 episode
2020 Devils Greg Recurring role; 3 episodes
2022 Holier Than Thou Seun Episode: "Pilot"
2023 The Power Eniola Ojo Episode: "A New Organ"
2024 Daddy Issues Stuart Episode: "Normal Men"

References

  1. ^ "Cyril Nri – Nigerian born star on British TV". Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  2. ^ Brantley, Ben (28 April 2013). "This Caesar Wears an African Cloak". The New York Times.
  3. ^ Billington, Michael (8 June 2017). "Barber Shop Chronicles review – close shaves and hairy tales from Harare to London". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Further than the Furthest Thing at Young Vic – review". WhatsOnStage.com. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Positive Nation: Search Results". positivenation.co.uk. Archived from the original on 31 August 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  6. ^ "100 Great Black Britons". 100greatblackbritons.com. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  7. ^ "Crims Episode Three". BBC. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  8. ^ "Gordon and French: Cyril Nri". Archived from the original on 31 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.