Jimmy Akingbola

Jimmy Akingbola
Born	1978 (age 38–39) London, England
Years active	1999–present

Jimmy Akingbola (born 1978) is a British television, theatre and film actor. Born in 1978 in Plaistow, London to Nigerian parents, he was the youngest of four children (two brothers and one sister). His eldest brother Sola Akingbola is head percussionist to British jazz funk band Jamiroquai and also lead vocalist to African funky roots band Critical Mass.

Jimmy Akingbola was born in London to parents who had immigrated from Nigeria. During his early years, Akingbola’s parents divorced. When he was two, his mother became extremely ill, and he was eventually sent to a children’s home. At the age of three, he was fostered by the white Crowe family, as the youngest of four children in Silvertown, East London. The family later moved to Plaistow, where Akingbola grew up.

In 1996, Akingbola started at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA) in Wandsworth, London. He completed their 3-year, full-time acting diploma.

Akingbola started his career on stage at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in The Nativity for Bill Alexander. He continued in a production of Baby Doll at the Royal National Theatre. Next he appeared in "Naked Justice" by playwright John Mortimer at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, opposite Leslie Phillips.

Akingbola played Elvis in the poignant play Behzti at the Birmingham Rep in December 2004. He worked with rapper and actor Riz Ahmed in the hit play Prayer Room. Akingbola earned four-star reviews for his performance as Bunce.

Akingbola acted in the production of Roxanne Silbert’s play People Next Door, in which he gave a memorable performance alongside actor Fraser Ayres’ character as his best friend Marco.

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