Anecdotes

His name is pronounced Chew-eh-tell Edge-ee-oh-for.

His father was killed in an automobile accident when Chiwetel was eleven. He survived the accident and received scars that are visible on his forehead.

He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours List and the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama. He is an actor in London, England.

Attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) in London, England.

Sung back-up vocals for a band called Blind in the early 1990s, the height of their success was playing The Rock Garden in London's Covent Garden.

He was nominated for the 2001 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award (2000 season) for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in "Blue/Orange" at the Royal National Theatre, Cottesloe stage.

On September 12, 2016, Ejiofor, as well as Cate Blanchett, Jesse Eisenberg, Peter Capaldi, Douglas Booth, Neil Gaiman, Keira Knightley, Juliet Stevenson, Kit Harington and Stanley Tucci, featured in a video from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to help raise awareness of the global refugee crisis. The video, titled "What They Took With Them", has the actors read a poem, written by Jenifer Toksvig and inspired by primary accounts of real refugees, and is part of the United Nations agency's #WithRefugees campaign, which also includes a petition to governments to expand asylum to provide further shelter, integrating job opportunities, and education.

Former member of the National Youth Theatre.

Is one of 115 people invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in 2007.

Has starred with British actor Clive Owen in back to back action thriller films: Inside Man : L'Homme de l'intérieur (2006) and Les Fils de l'homme (2006).

He was awarded the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the 2000 London Critics Circle Theatre Awards (Drama) for his performance in "Blue/Orange" at the Royal National Theatre: Lyttelton and at the Duchess Theatre.

He was awarded the 2008 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award (2007 season) for Best Actor for his performance as the title role in William Shakespeare's "Othello" at the Donmar Warehouse.

Attended and graduated from Dulwich College in London, England.

He has appeared in one film that has been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant": 12 Years a Slave (2013).

He was awarded the 2000 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer for his performance in "Blue/Orange".

Friends with Benedict Cumberbatch, Idris Elba and Andrew Lincoln.

He was honored with the Global Promise Award by The GEANCO Foundation, a non-profit welfare organization in West Africa, for his charity work in Nigeria (2015).

Had played slaves in two drama films: Amistad (1997) and 12 Years a Slave (2013).

Currently divides his time between London, England and Los Angeles, California.

Has named his five favorite films (in no order) as Raging Bull (1980), Le Parrain (1972), Fargo (1996), Miller's Crossing (1990) and Do the Right Thing (1989).

Younger sister Zain Asher is a financial news reporter at CNN International based in New York City.