Isaach de Bankolé
Zachari Bankolé[1] (born 12 August 1957), known professionally as Isaach de Bankolé, is an Ivorian actor, active primarily in France and the United States.[2][3][4] He won the 1987 César Award for Most Promising Actor for his performance in the film Black Mic Mac, and rose to international prominence for his starring role in Claire Denis' 1988 film Chocolat.
Isaach de Bankolé | |
|---|---|
 Bankolé at the 2009 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival | |
| Born | Zachari Bankolé 12 August 1957 Abidjan, Ivory Coast |
| Alma mater | University of Paris Cours Simon |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Spouse | |
| Awards | César Award for Most Promising Actor (1987, Black Mic Mac) |
| Honours |  Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur |
He is known to international film audiences for his roles in the films of director Jim Jarmusch, Mamadou in James Ivory's A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998), Timothy in Lars von Trier's Manderlay (2005), the villain Steven Obanno in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, and the River Tribe Elder in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film Black Panther (2018) and its 2022 sequel. He also played President Ule Matobo on the Fox television series 24 (2008-09).
Early life and education
De Bankolé was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to ethnic Yoruba parents from Benin.[5] His grandparents are from Nigeria.[6] He moved to Paris in 1975 for his last year of lycée, and pursued a master's degree in physics and mathematics at the University of Paris. He then attended an aviation school and earned a private pilot licence, before a chance encounter with French director Gérard Vergez led him to enroll in the Cours Simon, a Parisian drama school.[7]
Career
De Bankolé has appeared in over fifty films, including Jim Jarmusch's Night on Earth, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, Coffee and Cigarettes and The Limits of Control.[8] He has been based in the United States since 1997.[5] He appeared in the movie Machetero, in the role of journalist interviewing an imprisoned Puerto Rican revolutionary, along with the members of the New York City-based punk band Ricanstruction.
De Bankolé has also appeared in Lars von Trier's Manderlay. He portrayed Steven Obanno, a terrorist, in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale, and "The Lone Man", an assassin in Jim Jarmusch's film, The Limits of Control (2009).[9] In 2013, he starred as Ayodele Balogun in Andrew Dosunmu's Mother of George, which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and was the closing night selection for Maryland Film Festival 2013. He has also had roles in Calvary, The Last Witch Hunter, and Black Panther.
In 2007, De Bankolé was ascended to a Knight of the French Legion of Honour for his contributions to the French film industry.[10]
Personal life
De Bankolé is fluent in Yoruba, Bambara, English, French, German, and speaks some Italian.[5] He was married to musician Cassandra Wilson from 2000 to 2003.
He has resided in the United States since 2000.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Asphalt Warriors | The Blackie | |
| Comment draguer tous les mecs | Honoré Clair | ||
| L'addition | Uncredited | ||
| 1986 | Black Mic Mac | Lemi | César Award for Most Promising Actor |
| Taxi Boy | Touré | ||
| Noir et Blanc | |||
| 1987 | Lady Cops | Inspector Blaise Lacroix | |
| 1988 | Chocolat | Protée | |
| Ada dans la jungle | Bumbo | ||
| 1989 | How to Make Love to a Negro Without Getting Tired | The Old | |
| Vanille fraise | Hippolyte N'Go | Also writer | |
| 1990 | No Fear, No Die | Dah | |
| 1991 | Night on Earth | The Driver | |
| 1994 | Down to Earth | Leão | |
| 1995 | The Keeper | Jean Baptiste | |
| 1998 | A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries | Mamadou | |
| 1999 | Otomo | Frederic Otomo | |
| Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai | Raymond | ||
| Cherry | Menu Man | ||
| 2000 | Bàttu | Saar | |
| 2001 | 3 A.M. | Angus | |
| 2003 | Coffee and Cigarettes | Isaach | |
| The Killing Zone | Malcolm | New York VisionFest - Outstanding Achievement Award - Acting | |
| 2004 | From Other Worlds | Abraham | |
| Homework | Jean | ||
| 2005 | Manderlay | Timothy | |
| Stay | Professor | ||
| The Skeleton Key | Gas Station Owner | ||
| Before It Had a Name | Waiter | ||
| 2006 | Casino Royale | Steven Obanno | |
| Miami Vice | Neptune | ||
| 5up 2down | Hunter | ||
| 2007 | The Diving Bell and the Butterfly | Laurent | |
| Battle in Seattle | Abasi | ||
| The Fifth Patient | Captain Mugambe | ||
| 2008 | The Guitar | Roscoe Wasz | |
| Machetero | Jean Dumont | ||
| 2009 | White Material | The Boxer | |
| The Limits of Control | The Lone Man | ||
| 2010 | Getting High! | Hunter | Short |
| 2011 | Oka! | Bassoun | |
| 2012 | Désordres | Vincent | |
| 2013 | Mother of George | Ayodele Balogun | |
| 2014 | Calvary | Simon | |
| Run | Assa | Nominated - Trophées du Cinema - Best Supporting Actor | |
| Mirage | Francis | ||
| Where the Road Runs Out | George | ||
| 2015 | The Last Witch Hunter | Max Schlesinger | |
| 2016 | Norman | Jacques | |
| 2017 | Double Play | Ernesto | |
| 2018 | Black Panther | River Tribe Elder | |
| Black is Beltza | Wilson Clever | ||
| 2019 | Shaft | Pierro "Gordito" Carrera | |
| 2020 | French Exit | Julius | |
| 2022 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | River Tribe Elder | |
| The People We Hate at the Wedding | Henrique | ||
| TBA | The Brutalist | Filming |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles | Sgt. Barthelmy | Episode: "German East Africa, December 1916" |
| 1993 | Heart of Darkness | Mfumu | TV movie |
| 2001 | The Sopranos | Father Obosi | Episode: "Amour Fou" |
| 2005 | L'évangile selon Aîmé | Aîmé | TV movie |
| 2006 | The Unit | General Togar | Episode: "Force Majeure" |
| 2008 | 24: Redemption | President Ule Matobo | TV movie |
| 2009 | 24 | President Ule Matobo | 6 episodes |
| 2010 | I Am Slave | Bah | TV movie |
| 2013 | The Ordained | Mr. Obiku | TV movie |
| 2014 | White Collar | Luc Renaud | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | The Good Wife | Larry Oliver | Episode: "Restraint" |
| 2018 | Instinct | Ben Richfield | Episode: "Bye Bye Birdie" |
| Sacred Lies | Dr. Carter Elgin | Episode: "Chapter Eight: Wedding Day" | |
| 2019 | S.W.A.T. | Aden Syed | Episode: "Monster" |
| 2021 | Godfather of Harlem | Monsieur 98 | 7 episodes |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Author | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Quay West | Bernard-Marie Koltès | Patrice Chéreau | Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers |
| 1987 | Dans la solitude des champs de coton | Bernard-Marie Koltès | Patrice Chéreau (2) | Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers |
| 1988 | Le Retour au désert | Bernard-Marie Koltès | Patrice Chéreau (3) | Théâtre Renaud-Barrault |
| 1989 | La Force d'aimer | Martin Luther King Jr. | Patrice Chéreau (4) | Théâtre Renaud-Barrault |
Awards
- 1987 César Award for Most Promising Actor for his role in Black Mic Mac.
References
- "JORF No. 84 du 8 avril 2007, p. 6583, texte No. 3". legifrance.gouv.fr. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- "Isaach De Bankolé: De Black Mic Mac à Black Panther". NOFI. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
- "New York Times". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. 2012. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
- "Isaach De Bankolé An Unexpected Gentleman". MADMUSEUM. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
- Segun Oguntola (6 June 2011). "Isaach De Bankolé: A Flower of the Tribe". Nigerians in America. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
- "Jim Jarmusch interviews Isaach De Bankole" (in German). Filmgalerie451.de. Archived from the original on 19 February 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
- Bélanger, Denis (June–August 1989). "Entretien avec Isaach de Bankolé" (PDF). Ciné-Bulles. p. 38. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
- "The Limits of Control". The Guardian. United Kingdom. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
- Dargis, Manohla (30 April 2009). "New York Times". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
- Média, Prisma (5 July 2008). "Isaach de Bankolé: honoré par la France - Gala". Gala.fr (in French). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
External links
