Muna Otaru, a talented actress of Nigerian descent, was born in Liverpool, England to parents Nana Otaru and Saidu Otaru, a sea-captain in the Merchant Navy. Her early life was marked by a relocation to Lagos, Nigeria, where she spent her formative years before moving to the United States in her teenage years.
Otaru's breakthrough performance came in the 2014 American action thriller film "The Keeping Room," directed by Daniel Barber. The film, which also starred Brit Marling, Hailee Steinfeld, and Sam Worthington, premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival and the BFI London Film Festival. Her critically acclaimed portrayal of 'Mad' earned her widespread international recognition.
In 2015, The Playlist featured Otaru on their list of "On The Rise 2015: 20 Actresses To Watch," while Indiewire named her one of "The 21 Biggest Indie Breakout Actors of 2014." The film was subsequently released in the UK in 2016, with Otaru receiving the prestigious Best Supporting Actress award at The Guardian's Braddie Awards.
In 2014, Otaru made her stage debut in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's play "Details," which tells the poignant story of an email exchange between two women struggling with the challenges of a long-distance relationship, exacerbated by the societal stigma surrounding same-sex relationships in Nigeria. The play was part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival's "Letters Home," a collection of four 20-minute theatrical pieces, and won a Scotsman Fringe First Award.
In 2017, Otaru starred in the BBC One original drama series "Broken," created by award-winning writer Jimmy McGovern, alongside Sean Bean. The series has received widespread critical acclaim, with many praising it as a "rare masterpiece." Otaru's performance on the series earned her an honourable mention at the 2018 Screen Nation Awards.
