Chiwetel Ejiofor was born on 10 July 1977, in Forest Gate, London, England, to mother Obiajulu, a pharmacist, and father Arinze Ejiofor, a doctor, both Nigerians of Igbo descent. He is a British actor, probably best known for his role in the film “12 Years a Slave”.
A noted actor, how rich is Chiwetel Ejiofor at present? According to sources in mid-2016, Ejiofor has established a net worth of over $12 million. His wealth has been earned during his acting career which began in the mid-‘90s.
Chiwetel Ejiofor Net Worth $12 Million
Ejiofor grew up in London, along with his three siblings. He attended London’s Dulwich College boarding school for boys, performing in various school play,s and eventually joining London’s National Youth Theatre. He enrolled in the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and went on to perform in various stage productions, such as the play “Othello” in which he played the title role in 1995 and 1996. He made his television debut with the 1996 TV film “Deadly Voyage”, and by the time he had finished his freshman year, Ejiofor had been cast in Steven Spielberg’s film “Amistad”, which led him to leave college and focus on his acting career. His net worth was established.
Speaking about his stage performances, in 2000 Ejiofor starred as Chris in Penhall’s play Blue/Orange, and as Romeo in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, earning the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer and the London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer. The same year he was cast in his first leading film role in the comedy “It Was an Accident”, and went on to capture numerous lead and supporting roles during the early 2000s, such as in the films “Dirty Pretty Things”, “Love Actually”, “Serenity”, “Children of Men”, “Kinky Boots”, “Redbelt” and “American Gangster”. He starred in the television series “Trust”, the television film “Tsunami: The Aftermath”, as well as in “The Seagull” and “Othello” plays. He also wrote and directed his own short film, the 2008 “Slapper”. Ejiofor’s performances, both on screen and on stage, earned him critical acclaim and several nominations and awards, such as the British Independent Film Award – Best Actor, the Laurence Olivier Award – Best Actor, and a Golden Globe Award, greatly contributing to his rising popularity and to his net worth as well.
In 2009 the actor was cast in one of the highest-grossing films ever, the disaster film “2012”. In the years since, he has tackled a mix of film and television work, appearing in the films “Salt” and “Savannah”, and having recurring roles in the television series “The Shadow Line” and “Dancing on the Edge”. One of Ejiofor’s most notable film roles was in the 2013 biopic “12 Years a Slave”, playing Solomon Northup, a free African-American musician who was kidnapped and forced into slavery during the 1840s. His extraordinary performance in the film won Ejiofor rave reviews, numerous nominations and awards, and significantly added to his wealth.
The actor has since appeared in several films, including “Half of a Yellow Sun”, “Z for Zachariah” and “Secret in Their Eyes”. He is currently filming the drama film “Mary Magdalene”, scheduled for release in 2017.
In his private life, Ejiofor was in a relationship with Canadian actress and model Sari Mercer. As he tends to keep his personal life away from public view, there is no information known to the media about his current relationship status.
The actor is involved in philanthropy, and has participated in various charity events for which he has been rewarded with a Global Promise Award from The GEANCO Foundation. He was featured in the UNHCR video “What They Took With Them”, helping raise awareness about the refugee crisis.
