O-T Fagbenle

Born Olatunde Olateju Olaolorun Fagbenle in London on January 22, 1981, O-T Fagbenle was raised across London, Spain, and Nigeria. His early passion was music, playing the saxophone in bands that performed at venues such as the Edinburgh Festival, Wembley Arena, and the Royal Albert Hall. At 16, he secured his first acting role in a Nigerian adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” He later trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), graduating early in 2001. His theatrical career included various roles across the UK, earning him critical acclaim and awards, such as an M.E.N. Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for “Six Degrees of Separation.” He also originated the role of Perry in the Royal Court’s production of “Fallout” and played Sportin’ Life in Sir Trevor Nunn’s production of “Porgy and Bess – The Musical” at the Savoy Theatre.

Fagbenle’s film career began with appearances in movies like “Breaking and Entering” (2006) alongside Jude Law and Juliette Binoche, and “I Could Never Be Your Woman” (2007) with Michelle Pfeiffer and Paul Rudd. In 2021, he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring as Rick Mason in “Black Widow” opposite Scarlett Johansson. His television work is extensive and widely recognized, including roles in British series such as “Little Miss Jocelyn” (2004-2006), “Grownups” (2006), and “Doctor Who” (2008). He portrayed Walter Tull in the BBC’s biopic “Walter’s War” and took leading roles in “Material Girl” (2010), “Thorne” (2010), and “The Interceptor” (2015). In 2017, Fagbenle began his role as Luke Bankole in Hulu’s critically acclaimed series “The Handmaid’s Tale,” for which he earned an Emmy nomination in 2021.

Demonstrating his multifaceted talent, Fagbenle made history in 2020 by creating, writing, directing, composing, executive producing, and starring in his original TV comedy series “Maxxx,” which premiered on Channel 4 and later on Hulu. His recent significant roles include playing Barack Obama in Showtime’s “The First Lady” (2022) and Cameron Lautner in Apple TV+’s “WeCrashed” (2022), where he starred opposite Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway. Beyond his professional work, Fagbenle is involved in charitable efforts, volunteering at schools to provide drama and music classes for children and launching the ABC Foundation, dedicated to youth tech opportunities in Africa. He splits his time between Los Angeles, London, and Atlanta.