O.C. Ukeje is a Nigerian actor and singer who has achieved significant success in his home country, particularly in television and film, after honing his craft in theatre. His journey began in 2006 when he won a reality TV show for actors, which marked the start of his full-time career in the entertainment industry.
Prior to his television and film career, Ukeje was involved in music from 1999 to 2004, writing and performing with various groups, including acapella, rap, and choral groups. However, he eventually shifted his focus to television and film, making his film debut in Izu Ojukwu's White Waters in 2008 alongside renowned actors Joke Silva and Rita Dominic.
Ukeje's early success in film led to him winning several awards, including the African Movie Academy Award for Best Upcoming Actor in 2008 and the City People's Award for Best New Act in 2010. He then attended the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles in 2009 to study Acting for Film, before returning to Nigeria and featuring in Jeta Amata's Black November in 2012 alongside international stars Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger, Sarah Wayne-Callies, and Hakeem Kae-Kazim.
In 2012, Ukeje returned to theatre and became part of the repertory team that showcased three plays for the Nigeria House at the London Cultural Olympiad. He also starred in the screen adaptation of Bola Agbaje's award-winning play Gone Too Far, alongside Malachi Kirby, and was directed by Destiny Ekaragha, which premiered at the 2013 London International Film Festival.
Ukeje's subsequent roles include the screen adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun in 2013, alongside Chinwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Anika Noni-Rose, and John Boyega, and directed by Biyi Bandele, which premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and also screened at the 2013 London Film Festival.
In 2015, Ukeje starred in the South African film Ayanda, directed by Sarah Blecher, which premiered at the 2015 LA Film Festival, screened at the 2015 Cannes Film Market and London Film Festival, and opened the 2015 Durban Film Festival.
Ukeje was named a TIFF 2016 Rising Star and took a certificate course in Filmmaking at the Relativity School in LA before moving to Canada. He also joined the 2017 Berlinale Talents Programme and returned to Berlin in 2020 for the premiere of Matias Mariani's Cidade Passaro/Shine Your Eyes, in which he starred.
Throughout his career, Ukeje has received numerous awards and nominations, including two Best Actor in a Drama Awards at the Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards in 2012 and 2015, and a nomination in the Best Actor category at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2013, 2016, and 2018. He is also the recipient of the 2013 Future Awards Africa Prize for Entertainment.
