Damson Idris is a British actor and producer born in 1991 in Peckham, South East London, to Nigerian parents. He is the youngest of six children, and his parents moved to the UK in search of a better life. Damson was raised by his single mother, who instilled in him ambition and hard work from a young age.
Growing up, Damson enjoyed entertaining family and friends, and his natural talent for the arts was evident early on. He initially dreamed of becoming a professional football player, even playing rugby and shaking hands with Queen Elizabeth II in 2002 when his team participated in her Golden Jubilee. However, a knee injury led him to consider a career in acting.
Damson studied Theatre, Film & Television Studies at Brunel University in England, graduating with a BA Honours degree. He then trained at the Identity School of Acting.
His acting debut was on the UK theater stages in 2012, playing the role of Sam in Khadija Is 18 at the Finborough Theatre. The play received great reviews and became a critics' choice. He also starred in Ade Solanke's play Pandora's Box at the Arcola Theatre and went on a national tour with the production.
Damson's early TV roles included small parts in British TV series such as Miranda, Doctors, and Casualty. However, it wasn't until 2017 that he made his Hollywood debut, starring as the lead in the FX crime series Snowfall as a young street entrepreneur in 1980s Los Angeles.
He continued to explore TV roles that resonated with modern society, appearing in episodes of The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror. His film debut came in 2016 with a small role in City of Tiny Lights, and he went on to take on roles with power and authority in Megan Leavey and The Commuter.
In 2018, Damson took on his most challenging role yet as Enitan, the feared leader of a white skinhead gang, in the autobiographical film Farming. He won the Award for Best Actor in a British Film at the Edinburgh Film Festival for this performance.
Damson's latest lead role is in Netflix's action sci-fi film Outside the Wire (2021).
