Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo

Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo (/ˈrɒŋkeɪ əˌdɛkəˈluːədʒoʊ/ RONG-kay ə-DEK-ə-LOO-ə-joh)[1][2] is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Jack Starbright in the Amazon Prime spy thriller Alex Rider (2020–) and Yvonne in the Netflix musical film Been So Long (2018). She also guest-starred in two episodes of Doctor Who (2017).

Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo
OccupationActress
Years active2006–present

On stage, her work includes Three Sisters at the National Theatre, (2020), Lava at Bush Theatre, (2021), and Blues for an Alabama Sky (2022).

Early life

Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo is an English actress of Nigerian ancestry, from London, England.[3] Adékoluẹjo studied acting for three years from 2010 at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), in London, graduating in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in acting (H Level).[4][5]

Theatre

Adékoluẹjo crafted her acting skills on the theatre stage, in productions such as Pride and Prejudice, at the Sheffield Crucible (2015), The Mountain Top at the Young Vic (2016), and Twelfth Night at the Filter Theatre in Hammersmith (2016).[3] In 2020, Adékoluẹjo appeared on stage in the role of Abosede in the live-streaming theatre play Three Sisters at National Theatre Live,[6] and was nominated for best classical stage performances by actors under the age of 30 at the Ian Charleson Awards.[7] However, the event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

In August 2021, Adékoluẹjo performed solo on stage, live-streamed worldwide, in the Benedict Lombe-directed play Lava at the Bush Theatre.[8] She won 'Best Performance Piece' for this work, at The Offies in 2022.[9]

In 2022, she starred as Delia in the all-black American tragicomedy Blues for an Alabama Sky at the National Theatre, written by Pearl Cleage, and based on the Harlem Renaissance in 1930s New York.[10] Her performance earned a nomination at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards for Best Actress[11]

Film and television

From 2014, Adékoluẹjo had some single-episode appearances in TV series until starring in Doctor Who (series 10), when she played Penny in both "Extremis" and "The Pyramid at the End of the World", alongside Peter Capaldi (the Twelfth Doctor) and his companion Pearl Mackie.[4][12] Adékoluẹjo starred as Demi-Lea Sadler in the "Nadia Cavelle" short film Lascivious Grace, which premiered at the Underwire Film festival 2017 and was an official film selection for the Bermuda International Film Festival 2018.[13][14] Adékoluẹjo was nominated for best actor at Underwire Film Festival 2017 for her performance in the short film Lascivious Grace.[13]

In 2018, Ronke starred in the Tinge Krishnan-directed Netflix musical Been So Long, as the character Yvonne, best friend of Simone, played by lead actress Michaela Coel. The film was shown at the 2018 BFI London Film Festival.[15] In 2019, Adékoluẹjo landed a main role in the Amazon Prime teenage spy thriller television series Alex Rider as Jack Starbright, Alex Rider's American primary carer and mentor.[16]

In 2021, Adékoluẹjo played Ṣadé in the pilot of the Channel 4 television production Big Age.[17]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role
2014 Broken (Short) Sabrina
2017 Stay the Burning (Short) -
2017 Lascivious Grace (Short) Demi-Lea Sadler
2018 Been So Long Yvonne
2018 Christopher Robin Katherine Dane
2018 Ready Player One Sorrento's Assistant
2018 Found (Short) Bab
2019 Cyprus Avenue Bridget (Therapist)
2020 The Big Other Amina
2020 The Forgotten C (Short) Mary
2021 Ear for Eye UK Friend 1
2022 K & J (Short) Joan

Live streaming theatre
Year Title Role
2020 National Theatre Live: Three Sisters[6] Abosede
2021 Bush Theatre: Lava[8] South African woman

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2014 Suspects Carrie Evans Episode: "Eyes Closed"
2015 Chewing Gum Amy Episode: "Tolled Road"
2016 NW Grace TV film
2016 Cold Feet Bridie Sellers Episode: "6.8"
2016 Josh Policewoman Episode: "Cut & Dried"
2017 Sick Note Theatre Nurse Episode: "Janina Kolkiewicz"
2017 Doctor Who Penny 2 episodes: "Extremis" and "The Pyramid at the End of the World"
2018 Cuckoo Job Centre Manager Episode: "Lawyer of the Year"
2018 Black Earth Rising Alice's Secretary Episode: "The Forgiving Earth"
2020 Soulmates Carly Episode 1 - Watershed
2021 Big Age [17] Ṣadé Pilot
2020–present Alex Rider Jack Starbright 16 episodes
2023 Rain Dogs Gloria 8 episodes

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2017 Underwire Film Festival Best Actor Lascivious Grace (Short film) Nominated [13]
2020 Ian Charleson Awards Three Sisters Nominated [7]
Black British Theatre Awards Best Female Actor in a Play Nominated [18]
The Offies Most Promising New Playwright Teleportation part of This is Black Nominated [19]
2022 Best Performance Piece Lava Won [9]
Evening Standard Theatre Awards Best Actress Blues For An Alabama Sky Nominated [11]

References
  1. Bernstein, Abbie (December 2, 2021). "ALEX RIDER: Actors Ronke Adekoluejo and Brenock O'Connor on Season 2 – Exclusive Interview". Assignment X. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  2. "Ronke Adekoluejo is our One To Watch". Afro Buzz UK. July 21, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  3. "Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo Spotlight". spotlight.com. 2013. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  4. "Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo". bafta.org. 2020. Archived from the original on April 12, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  5. "Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo". rada.ac.uk. 2013. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  6. "Review Three Sisters National Theatre". oughttobeclowns.com. 2020. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  7. "Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo Shortlisted for the Ian Charleston Awards 2020". scottmarshall.co.uk. 2020. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  8. "'Lava' announces further dates and online broadcast details". theatre-news.com. August 4, 2021. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  9. "Offies Winners and Nominations 2022". offies.london. 2022. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  10. Curtis, Nick (October 5, 2022). "Blues for an Alabama Sky at the National Theatre review: deliciously funny and deeply affecting". standard.co.uk. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  11. "Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2022 nominations announced". westendtheatre.com. October 17, 2022. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  12. "Extremis - Doctor Who - Series 10 Episode 6 of 12". bbc.co.uk. 2020. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  13. "Lascivious Grace Underwire Film Festival 2018". silvercatpictures.com. 2018. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  14. "Lascivious Grace, Short Film starring Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo". twitter.com. November 25, 2017. Archived from the original on March 11, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  15. "Been So Long - BFI London Film Festival 2018". culturefly.co.uk. 2018. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  16. "Meet the cast of Amazon Prime Video's Alex Rider". radiotimes.com. May 26, 2020. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  17. "Big Age - Ronke Adékoluẹjo plays Ṣadé". channel4.com. September 1, 2021. Archived from the original on September 12, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  18. "2020 Black British Theatre Awards". oughttobeclowns.com. October 25, 2020. Archived from the original on December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  19. "Offies Winners and Nominations 2020". offies.london. January 9, 2020. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
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