Cyril Ikechukwu Nri // (born 25 April 1961) is a Nigerian-born English actor who is best known for playing Superintendent Adam Okaro in the police TV series The Bill. Cyril Nri plays the role of Lord Danbury in the Netflix series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023).
Cyril Nri | |
|---|---|
 Cyril Nri in 2004 | |
| Born | Cyril Ikechukwu Nri 25 April 1961 Nigeria |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
Nri was born in on 25 April 1961 in Nigeria. Nri's family are Igbo; they fled the country in 1968 prior to the end of the Nigerian Civil War.[1] He moved to Portugal when he was seven, and later to London.
Nri attended Holland Park School in West London and appeared in a school production of Three Penny Opera. He attended the Young Vic Youth Theatre in Waterloo, London. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Nri has lived in south London since the 1980s.
Career
He is best known for playing the role of Superintendent Adam Okaro, later chief superintendent, in the long-running ITV police drama The Bill. He also had a role as Graham, a barrister colleague of Miles and Anna, in both series of the cult BBC TV drama series This Life.
After drama school at the Bristol Old Vic, Nri started acting life at The Royal Shakespeare Company where his first role was Lucius in Ron Daniel's 1982 production of Julius Caesar. He played Ariel to Max Von Sydow's Prospero in Jonathan Miller's 1988 production of The Tempest.
In 2008, he starred alongside other former The Bill favourites Philip Whitchurch and Russell Boulter in an episode of BBC1's Waking the Dead.
In 2009, he appeared in The Observer at the Royal National Theatre.
In 2009 and 2010, he appeared in Law & Order UK as Judge Demarco and again reprised this role in the 2012 and 2013 series of the show.
In February 2010, he guest starred in Doctors.
In November 2010, he appeared in Series 4 of The Sarah Jane Adventures, in the "Lost in Time" episodes. He later reappeared in October 2011, in the opening episode of Series 5, "Sky". In late October 2016, he appeared in another Doctor Who spin-off Class.
In 2012–13, he played Cassius in Greg Doran's Royal Shakespeare Company production of Julius Caesar in Stratford upon Avon, London and New York, where in his New York Times review Ben Brantley said of Nri, "Mr. Nri's expression as he registers Caesar's words is that of a man who feels a noose tightening around his neck. Wary and sly, scared and manipulative, Mr. Nri is an excellent Cassius, capturing the climate of paranoia and politicking that thickens the air."[2]
In 2016, he earned a British Academy Television Award nomination for his performance as Lance in the Russell T. Davies TV series Cucumber. He also appeared in an episode of Goodnight Sweetheart playing a doctor at the hospital where Yvonne Sparrow loses her unborn child (series 4).
In 2016, he played Polonius in Simon Godwin's production of Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
In 2017, he also had a minor role in an episode of the long-running BBC detective programme Death in Paradise, playing a corrupt mayor, and appeared on stage at the Dorfman Theatre, London, in Barber Shop Chronicles by Inua Ellams.[3]
In 2020, he played a barrister in the BBC drama Noughts and Crosses.
In 2021, he played Sheldon in the Royal National Theatre's production of Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress.
Nri played Bill in the Young Vic's 2023 revival of Zinnie Harris' Further than the Furthest Thing.[4]
Personal life
Nri has been married, and now identifies as gay.[5][6] He has two grown-up children.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Strapless | Harold Sabola | |
| 1990 | A Strike Out of Time | Charlie White | Television film |
| 1995 | The Steal | Council Computer Operator | |
| 1997 | Hidden Empire: Behind the Mask | Kano | Short film |
| 1998 | Tale of the Mummy | Forensics | |
| Only Love | Eric Blair | Television film | |
| Besieged | Priest | ||
| 1999 | Wing Commander | Security Officer | |
| 2002 | Long Time Dead | Dr. Wilson | |
| 2007 | Deadmeat | Prime Minister | |
| 2008 | Survivor | Boss | Short film |
| Bad Day | Restaurant Manager | ||
| The Cornwell Estate | Short film | ||
| 2010 | Critical Eye | CCTV Controller | Short film |
| 2012 | Father's Day | Ade | Television film |
| Julius Caesar | Cassius | Television film | |
| 2018 | Jellyfish | Adam Hale | |
| Rasta Man Vibrations | Dr. Urquhart | Short film | |
| 2019 | Backdraft 2 | OFI Investigator Rickets | |
| Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | First Order Officer | ||
| 2020 | The Witches | Chief Doorman | |
| 2022 | Boys on Film 22: Love to Love You | Edna May | |
| 2023 | Wicked Little Letters | Judge Maccleston | |
| Just Passing | Sami | Short film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Saracen | Desmond | Episode: "Three Blind Mice" |
| 4 Play | Tony Sewell | Episode: "The Book Liberator" | |
| 1990 | The Bill | Julian Bates | Episode: "A Case to Answer" |
| 1992 | Runaway Bay | Paul | Episode: "History Revisited" |
| 1993 | Frank Stubbs Promotes | Brian | Episode: "Wheels" |
| 1994 | Calling the Shots | Paul | Miniseries; 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Casualty | Steve York | Episode: "Compensation" |
| 1996 | Pie in the Sky | Stuart Crowe | Episode: "New Leaf" |
| 2000 | Family Affairs | William McHugh | Recurring role |
| 1996–1997 | This Life | Graham | Series regular; 22 episodes |
| 1997 | Goodnight Sweetheart | Dr. Obote | Episode: "How Long Has This Been Going On?" |
| 1998 | The Bill | Chris Lycett | Episode: "One of the Gang" |
| 1999 | A Touch of Frost | Warren Barber | Episode: "One Man's Meat" |
| Maisie Raine | Paul | Episode: "Old Scores" | |
| 2000 | Holby City | Ben Sincalir | Episode: "Against All Odds" |
| The Bill | Pascal Illunga | Episode: "Beyond Conviction" | |
| Arabian Nights | Schaca | Miniseries; 2 episodes | |
| 2001 | Doctors | Andrew Lombard | Episode: "Too Posh to Push" |
| Down to Earth | Henry Jones | Episode: "Great Expectations" | |
| 2001–2002 | EastEnders | D.C. Burton | Recurring role; 11 episodes |
| 2002–2006 | The Bill | Superintendent Adam Okaro | Series regular; |
| 2003 | Murder Investigation Team | Superintendent Adam Okaro | Episode: "Moving Targets" |
| 2007 | Holby City | Lawrence Marshall | Episode: "Blood Ties" |
| Cold Blood | Colonel Harrington Smith | Episode: "Dead and Buried" | |
| 2008 | Waking the Dead | Raymond Ayanike | Episode: "Skin" |
| 2009–2014 | Law & Order: UK | Judge De Marco | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 2010 | Doctors | Mark Harmer | Episode: "Too Little, Too Late" |
| The Sarah Jane Adventures | The Shopkeeper | Episode: "Lost in Time" | |
| 2011 | House of Anubis | Mr. Lewis | Recurring role; 3 episodes |
| Tinga Tinga Tales | Peacock | Recurring role; 2 episodes | |
| Holby City | Pastor Carl | Episode: "In Between Days" | |
| New Tricks | Billy Green | Episode: "Setting Out Your Shell" | |
| 2013 | Wizards vs Aliens | Nathaniel Nightjar | Episode: "100 Wizards" |
| 2014 | Doctors | Thomas Hakizimana | Episode: "A Blind Eye" |
| 2015 | Crims | Mr. Gardner[7] | Episode: "Day Fifty-Seven" |
| Cucumber | Lance Sullivan | Miniseries; 6 episodes | |
| Critical | Joseph Whitnell | Episode: "The Weakness of Mankind" | |
| 2016 | Class | Chair[8] | Episode: "The Lost" |
| 2017 | Death in Paradise | Mayor Joseph Richards | Episode: "Erupting in Murder" |
| Bucket | Mr. Merdon | Recurring role; 2 episodes | |
| Doctors | Inspector Tony Callaghan | Episode: "Running with the Pack" | |
| Midsomer Murders | Warwick Sowande | Episode: "The Curse of the Ninth" | |
| 2018 | On the Edge | Patrick | Episode: "A Mother's Love" |
| Zapped | Quincy Peacock | Episode: "Chef" | |
| The ABC Murders | Father Anselm | Miniseries; 1 episode | |
| 2020 | Devils | Greg | Recurring role; 3 episodes |
| 2022 | Holier Than Thou | Seun | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2023 | The Power | Eniola Ojo | Episode: "A New Organ" |
| 2024 | Daddy Issues | Stuart | Episode: "Normal Men" |
References
- ^ "Cyril Nri – Nigerian born star on British TV". Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
- ^ Brantley, Ben (28 April 2013). "This Caesar Wears an African Cloak". The New York Times.
- ^ Billington, Michael (8 June 2017). "Barber Shop Chronicles review – close shaves and hairy tales from Harare to London". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ "Further than the Furthest Thing at Young Vic – review". WhatsOnStage.com. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
- ^ "Positive Nation: Search Results". positivenation.co.uk. Archived from the original on 31 August 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
- ^ "100 Great Black Britons". 100greatblackbritons.com. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
- ^ "Crims Episode Three". BBC. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
- ^ "Gordon and French: Cyril Nri". Archived from the original on 31 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.