Diksha Arya
‘Gran Turismo’ is a biographical sports drama film, directed by Neill Blomkamp and based on the life of Jann Mardenborough, the teenage video game player who makes the journey from a winner of Nissan competitions to an actual professional race car driver. In the film, Archie Madekwe managed to give a remarkable performance by stepping into the role of the protagonist. In a short amount of time, he has managed to establish himself as a multifaceted talent, seamlessly transitioning from theaters to cinematic screens, and is set to become a captivating force in the world of entertainment.
With ‘Gran Turismo,’ he has taken the challenge of bringing a real-life narrative to life, pushing him further into the spotlight. Impressed with his journey, we wanted to know everything about the 2017 Screen International Star of Tomorrow, from his early beginning to his current status as a rising star. If you’re curious about the same, fret not, for we have found all the details required to help you learn everything about Archie Madekwe.
Archie Madekwe’s Mixed Ethnicity: A Rich Tapestry
Born on February 10, 1995, in South London in England, the UK, in either Lambeth or Croydon, Archie Madekwe has roots across the globe. With Swiss-German, Scottish, and English ancestry, this 28-year-old Nigerian-born British citizen has a diverse background. Living in South London for most of his life, he was exposed to the vibrant and dynamic city life, which also shaped his worldview and gave richness to his performance. Archie’s family background is a rich tapestry reflecting the multiculturalism of London. With a mother of English origin, Mandy Mitchell, and a father of Nigerian-Swiss descent, Stephen Madekwe, he embodies the spirit of diversity.
Archie’s parents got divorced at an early age, which definitely shaped his early life experience and made him fiercely independent. He also has a younger brother named Alby Madekwe, but there is not a lot that the actor has shared about him. When he was a teenager, he had the privilege of seeing his cousin, Ashley Madekwe, a BAFTA-nominated actor, which eventually led him to his path in the entertainment industry. He completed his education at The BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology, an institute known for nurturing the talents of young artists.
From there, he joined the National Youth Theatre and was admitted to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) where he solidified his commitment to acting. While growing up, Sophie Okonedo was one of the people he looked up to because her being the only mixed-race British actor he’d ever seen gave him a sense of belonging and hope. Talking about his identity with the Dazed, the actor mentioned, “At drama school, there was an illusion of who people thought I was, or should be, based on the color of my skin. ‘Too urban’ and ‘too street’ were comments I heard frequently. These weren’t accurate depictions but comments on my ethnicity.”
He further added, “I want to show histories people never knew existed, and help people understand the many faces and realities of what it means to be black or brown.” The actor has helped young people involved in criminal justice with arts education through Black Curriculum. In an interview with Wonderland Magazine, the actor shared about his involvement with the social enterprise, saying, “Showing people of color in all the varieties of humanity that they fall under, not just the very minute way that they are sometimes represented, I want to blow up the weird idea that Black people, people of color, didn’t exist within Britain until the Windrush.”
Archie Madekwe’s Professional Journey
Prior to his acting career, Archie Madekwe showcased his talent and honed his acting skills in multiple dramas in the theater world, including ‘The Tempest’, ‘Further Than The Further Thing’, ‘Happy and Odd Jobs’, ‘Pericles, Prince of Tyre’, ‘The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?’ and more. In an interview with W Magazine, Madekwe spoke about his theatre days. “We were really thrown every kind of curveball under the sun. From the theater catching fire during a show—and this was also a few days after Grenfell, so it was super heightened—to one of our actors almost collapsing on stage,” he said.
Archie had a modest ascent in the entertainment industry in 2014, when he made a guest appearance in an episode of the BBC medical drama, ‘Casualty’. This marked the beginning of a career that would take off in an unexpected way. After this, he had small roles in a number of shows such as ‘Legacy’, ‘Teen Spirit’, ‘Hang Ups’, ‘Fresh Meat’, and ‘Les Misérables (British TV series)’.
However, the movie that is considered to be Archie’s breakout appearance is ‘Midsommar,’ an unsettling yet captivating horror that established the actor as a talent to watch. Another notable performance of his is the role of Kofun in the Apple TV+ Sci-Fi series ‘See,’ wherein he gives a layer of depth and nuance to his character and shows his versatility. Some of his other big roles include in movies such as ‘Gran Turismo,’ ‘Saltburn,’ and ‘Heart of Stone’.
Archie Madekwe Likes to Keep His Dating Life Private
Archie Madekwe has kept the details of his personal life relatively guarded, which has also sparked curiosity about his romantic life. Despite being a public figure, the actor has remained tight-lipped about his dating life. Moreover, the absence of a special someone on his social media profile heavily hints at the possibility of him being single as of writing. Therefore, unless the 28-year-old confirms otherwise, we infer that he is putting all his focus on soaring new heights in his professional career.
Interestingly, Archie is an adventurer and his journey has taken him across continents, from Romania to Toronto and the US. Through these experiences, he has expanded his horizons and gained a better understanding of the global landscape. He is also passionate about a wide range of causes, including diversity, representation, mental health, toxic masculinity, climate change, and the planet. Well, single or not, we are sure Archie Madekwe’s fans would only want him to excel in all spheres of life, and for that, we wish him all the best!
Read More: Is Gran Turismo Based on a True Story?
