Moyo Akandé

Moyo Akandé is a Scottish-Nigerian actress, writer and producer.[1]

Moyo Akandé
Born
Glasgow, Scotland
NationalityScottish-Nigerian
EducationArts Educational Schools
Occupation(s)Actor, producer
Years active2010–present

Early life and education

Akandé grew up in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. Her sister, Morayo Akandé is also a writer and producer.[2] As a teenager, Moyo auditioned for the Dance School of Scotland at Knightswood Secondary School and landed a place. She says: "Out of hundreds of applicants, only eight people were chosen. But I knew that was where I belonged [...] A lot of Nigerian families would encourage their kids to become doctors or lawyers, but once my mum knew I wanted to become a performer she encouraged me all the way."[3]

Akandé trained as an actress at Arts Educational Schools, London, and graduated in 2008.[4]

Career

In 2017, Akandé produced and starred in 1745 alongside her sister. The short film focuses on two sisters torn from their home in Nigeria for slavery, who start a perilous journey from foreign hands through the Scottish Highlands in search of freedom.[5][6][7] 1745 won the Best Short Film Award at The AFRIFF (African International Film Festival) 2017 in Lagos, Nigeria. It was also nominated for the Best Short Film Award at the BIFAs (The British Independent Film Awards), London 2017 and BAFTA Scotland 2017.[8][9] In 2019, Akandé appeared in four episodes of the Scottish comedy-drama Guilt. Akandé said of the show, "It's thrilling and exciting and I loved the energy and pace of the script, I wanted to know what happened next, the twists and turns just blew my mind."[10]

In 2023, Akandé appeared in the biographical film Tetris.[11] In May 2023, she appeared as Shelley in series 8 of the dark comedy series Inside No. 9; the episode was titled "Paraskevidekatriaphobia", a fear of Friday the 13th.[12][13]

Acting credits

Film & television
Year Title Role Notes
2010 Lip Service Receptionist 1 episode; credited as Moyo Ominiyi
Taggart Kerrie MacDonald Series 27, 4 episodes
2013 Bob Servant Radio Producer Series 1 episode 1: Launch Day
2015 The Atkin Sisters Emma Atkin Short film; also producer
2017 1745 Short film; also script developer
Porridge Officer Gemmell Series 1 episode 2: The Cake
The Rebel DS Freeman Series 2, 2 episodes
Only an Excuse? Newsreader
2018 Vera SSI Sally Peters Series 8 episode 4: Darkwater
The Hurricane Heist Jaqi
Make Me Up Farrah
The Cry Defence Lawyer 4 episodes
2019 Still Game Interviewer Series 9 episode 2: Cat's Whiskers
Guilt Tina Hicks 4 episodes
The Demon Headmaster Kerri George 2 episodes
Rock, Paper, Scissors N/A Short film; producer
2021 Zebra Girl Detective Reese
Annika Mel Hetherington Series 1 episode 3
Agatha Raisin Sybilla Triast-Perkins Series 4 episode 3: A Spoonful of Poison
2022 The Wedding Mary 1 episode
Up on the Roof Kate
2023 Tetris Lincoln's executive secretary
Crime Maria Pearson 3 episodes
Inside No. 9 Shelley Series 8 episode 3: Paraskevidekatriaphobia
TBA Man & Witch Holy Woman Currently in post-production

Theatre
Year Title Role Venue
2008 The Wizard of Oz A tree
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Birmingham Repertory Theatre
2011 Sleeping Beauty The Queen Crescent Theatre[14][15]
2012 Thoroughly Modern Millie Muzzy Watermill Theatre
2013 Macbeth Witch Shakespeare's Globe
2014 The Lightning Child [16] Caster Semenya
2015 Skins & Hoods George Edinburgh Festival Fringe
2018 The Two Noble Kinsmen Hippolyta Shakespeare's Globe
2019 Interference Ida City Park, Glasgow [17]

References
  1. "Moyo Akandé". IMDb. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  2. Allan, Vicky (6 May 2018). "Hurricane Moyo. The Glaswegian actress challenging the white film industry". The Herald. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  3. Beacom, Brian (16 July 2013). "Glasgow actress Moyo is casting spells in Macbeth". The Glasgow Times. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  4. Scougall, Murray (4 November 2019). "Guilt star Moyo Akandé on inspiring the next generation of minority actresses". The Sunday Post. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  5. "Official website". 1745 An Untold Story of Slavery. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  6. "The forgotten runaways: Actors Moyo and Morayo Akandé on illuminating a dark chapter of Scotland's history". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  7. "Exposing Scotland's historical links to slavery". The Scotsman. 13 October 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  8. "Moyo Akandé - National Theatre of Scotland". National Theatre of Scotland. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  9. "#Lockdown: Watch BIFA-nominated shorts here". BIFA · British Independent Film Awards. 30 March 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  10. Dalziel, Magdalene (6 November 2019). "Glasgow actress Moyo Akande has no Guilt about starring in BBC Scotland's first comedy drama". Glasgow Live. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  11. Zee, Michaela (16 February 2023). "Taron Egerton's Tetris Movie Gets First-Look Trailer". IGN. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  12. Craig, David (27 April 2023). "Inside No. 9 season 8 release date, cast and latest news". Radio Times. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  13. "Star-studded cast joins Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton for Inside No. 9 series eight and first look image is released". BBC. 27 January 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  14. Gardner, Lyn (30 November 2011). "Sleeping Beauty - review". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  15. "Sleeping Beauty faces a reluctant prince". Birmingham Live. 2 December 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  16. Bassett, Kate (19 September 2013). "The Lightning Child, Shakespeare's Globe". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  17. Dibdin, Thom (20 March 2019). "Interference Review". The Stage. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
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