Archie Madekwe
Birthdate – February 10, 1995 (29 Years Old)
Birthplace – Lambeth, London, England, UK
Archie Madekwe (birthname: Archie Uchena Madekwe) is an up-and-coming young British actor who has already worked in major West End stage productions, Channel 4 series, and several theatrical releases. Madekwe’s feature debut was a supporting role in actor-turned-filmmaker Max Minghella’s American-British musical drama, Teen Spirit (2018), starring Elle Fanning and Rebecca Hall, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival.
Director-writer Ari Aster cast Madekwe in the hit folk-horror U.S.-Swedish co-production, Midsommar (2019), starring Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, and Will Poulter, which grossed a robust $48 million for distributors A24 (U.S.) and Nordisk Film (Sweden). Archie Madekwe joined a cast including some of the hottest young film acting talent—Tye Sheridan, Lily-Rose Depp, Fionn Whitehead, and Quintessa Swindell, along with Colin Farrell—in writer-director Neil Burger’s science-fiction drama, Voyagers (2021), but proving to be a commercial dud for Lionsgate ($4 million gross against a $29 million budget).
Madekwe scored his biggest movie role to date, portraying real-life Gran Turismo gamer Jann Mardenborough, opposite David Harbour and Orlando Bloom, in Columbia Pictures/PlayStation Productions’ Neill Blomkamp-directed gamer/racecar drama, Gran Turismo (2023), and released by Sony Pictures. After playing support opposite Gal Gadot in Netflix’s drama, Heart of Stone (2023), Madekwe was cast in writer-director Emerald Fennell’s second feature, Saltburn (2023), with Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, and Carey Mulligan, and selected to open the London film festival prior to an MGM release.
Personal Details
Archie Madekwe was born and raised in south London by parents who divorced when he was a child. Madekwe’s cousin is actor Ashley Madekwe. Madekwe began studying theater at age 14 at The BRIT School, a performing and creative arts school in Croyden. Madekwe subsequently studied theater at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA), while performing as a member of the National Youth Theatre. Madekwe departed LAMDA when he was cast in the West End production of Edward Albee’s The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? With Damian Lewis and Sophie Okonedo. Madekwe’s height is 6’ 4”.
Filmography
Teen Spirit
Luke (2019)
Gran Turismo
Jann Mardenborough (2023)
Beau is Afraid
(2023)
Voyagers
Kai (2021)
Midsommar
Simon (2019)
Saltburn
Farleigh Start (2023)
Some Facts About Archie Madekwe
Inspirations: Archie Madekwe has cited his inspirations as his mother (the “main driving force for me”), filmmaker/artist Steve McQueen, actor Olivia Colman, and Marion Cotillard’s performance in La Vie en Rose (2007).
Activist: Madekwe has worked with the environmentalist/climate crisis group, Extinction Rebellion.
Awards
Nominee, Best Cast, The BAM Awards (2019).
