Susan Wokoma

Susan Indiaba Wokoma (born 31 December 1987 in Peckham, London, England) is a British actress, writer and director. She is best known for her roles as Edith in the Enola Holmes films, Cynthia in Chewing Gum, Raquel in the E4/Netflix show Crazyhead and Fola in Cheaters. Wokoma was listed as one of Europe's Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2017 and named a BAFTA Breakthrough Brit by an international jury the same year.[1]

Susan Wokoma
Born
Susan Indiaba Wokoma

(1987-12-31) 31 December 1987
Peckham, London, England
NationalityBritish
Alma materRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation(s)Actor, writer, director
Years active2002–present

Early life and education

Wokoma was born on 31 December 1987, in London; her parents are Kalabari from Rivers State in South-South Nigeria. Her mother worked as a cleaner, and her father worked multiple jobs. He died in 2012.

Wokoma made her television debut at the age of 14 as a participant in CBBC's Serious Jungle in 2002.[2] She was also a member of The National Youth Theatre, making her professional acting debut in the BAFTA-winning That Summer Day.

She has a bachelor's degree in acting from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 2010.[3]

Career

Since graduating, her television appearances have included Phoebe Waller-Bridge's debut television show Crashing[4] as well as the film adaptation of Half of a Yellow Sun and The Inbetweeners 2.[5] Her theatre work includes productions at the Royal Court, Bush Theatre, Almeida Theatre, The Royal National Theatre, Donmar Warehouse and St. Ann's Warehouse in New York.[6] In 2017 she made her West End theatre debut alongside Martin Freeman and Tamsin Greig in the premiere of the Olivier Award-winning comedy Labour of Love by James Graham at the Noël Coward Theatre in London.[6]

In 2017, Wokoma won the RTS Best On-Screen Performance award for Crazyhead.[7] In 2016 she won Best Supporting Actor at the BBC Audio Drama Awards for her performance in the radio adaptation of Marie NDiaye's Three Strong Women.[8] Wokoma is the voice of Princess Talanji in World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth, the seventh expansion of the popular World of Warcraft game. Wokoma wrote, starred and associate produced the Sky comedy short Love The Sinner.[9] Love The Sinner went on in 2019 to be screened at the BFI London Film Festival[10] and was longlisted for the British Independent Film Awards in the British Short Film category.[11]

Wokoma co-wrote (alongside Shaun Pye) an episode of Romesh Ranganathan’s sitcom The Reluctant Landlord (Series 2), also for Sky. She was in the writers' room for the second series of the Netflix original series Sex Education.[12]

In 2019 she starred in the Channel 4 and IFC comedy Year of the Rabbit alongside Matt Berry and Freddie Fox.[4] In June and July 2019 she played Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London.[6] The Daily Telegraph said of her performance: "All are terrific and Susan Wokoma sheer bliss, delivering one of the most endearing and effortlessly funny Bottoms I've ever seen."[13] In October 2020, Wokoma starred in the Amazon Studios comedy Truth Seekers and joined the cast of the feature film adaptation of Enola Holmes alongside Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill and Helena Bonham Carter.[14] Wokoma had a leading role in the BBC drama Cheaters.[4] In May 2022, Wokoma started directing her first feature film, Three Weeks, which she also wrote and is starring in.[15]

Wokoma is currently a contestant on the 16th series of Taskmaster, which started airing in September 2023.[16]

Filmography
Key
† Denotes projects that have not yet been released

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2006 That Summer Day Marie TV film
2013 Half of a Yellow Sun Amala
Alpha: Omega Fighter Short film
2014 The Inbetweeners 2 Della
2015 The Last Hours of Laura K Jess Manning TV film
Burn Burn Burn[5] Megan
2016 Our Ex-Wife Allison TV film
Kid Gloves Lucy Short film
2018 To Provide All People Junior Doctor TV film
Susan Wokoma's Sky Comedy Short: ‘Love The Sinner’ Ann / Adult Joannah Short film
2019 The Ghost and the House of Truth[5] Bola Ogun
2020 Night Bus Natasha Short film
Enola Holmes Edith
A Response to Your Message Narrator TV film
2022 The House[5] Rosa Voice role
Save the Cinema Dolly
Lilith & Eve Lilith Short film
The Loneliest Boy in the World Susanne
Enola Holmes 2 Edith
TBC The Beautiful Game† TBC Completed

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2011 Holby City Elsa Eze Episode: "China in Your Hands"
Doctors Jen Oldham Episode: "Get Smart"
Hotel Trubble Daisy Recurring role; 5 episodes
2013 Misfits Roz Series 5, Episode 4
2015 Brain Freeze Ms Hucklebuck Series regular; 31 episodes
Uncle Cash Pig Cashier Series 2, Episode 6
Bluestone 42 Jasmine Recurring role; 3 episodes
Horrible Science Dr. Sensible Series regular; 10 episodes
2015-17 Chewing Gum Cynthia Series regular; 10 episodes
2016 Crashing Jessica Recurring role; 3 episodes
Crazyhead Raquel Series regular; 6 episodes
2017 Zapped Rina Episode: "The Party"
2017-19 Porters Frankie Series regular; 9 episodes
2019 Year of the Rabbit[17] Mabel Wisbech Series regular; 6 episodes
Dark Money Sabrina Stevens Miniseries; 4 episodes
Super Simple Love Story Episode: "Pilot"
2020 Truth Seekers[17] Helen Series regular; 8 episodes
2022 Toast of London Nina Armenian Episode: "LA Story"
Rules of the Game DI Eve Preston Recurring role; 4 episodes[18]
Cheaters[19] Fola Series regular; 18 episodes[20]
Peacock Liz Recurring role; 3 episodes
2023 Tabby McTat† Sock (voice) Upcoming[21]
Taskmaster Herself Series 16[22]

Video games
Year Title Role Notes
2017 World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth Princess Talanji

References
  1. "BAFTA Announces Breakthrough Brits of 2017". BAFTA. 25 October 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  2. "BBC - Press Office - Serious Jungle". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  3. Fabrique. "Susan Wokoma — RADA". www.rada.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  4. "Meet the cast of Enola Holmes 2". Radio Times. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  5. Paz, Maggie Dela (8 November 2022). "Where You've Seen The Cast Of Enola Homes 2 Before". Looper. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  6. Wild, Stephi (1 September 2022). "Susan Wokoma Announced as Host of The Stage Debut Awards 2022 Alongside Presenters and Performers". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  7. "RTS West of England Awards 2017". Royal Television Society. 29 March 2017.
  8. Anderson, Jane (1 February 2016). "I get stage fright, June Whitfield gets laughs and Terry Wogan gets a fitting send-off at the BBC Audio Drama Awards". Radio Times. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  9. Davies, Hannah J (29 October 2020). "Susan Wokoma: 'I thought that TV belonged to size zero models'". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  10. "Joy to the World…". BFI. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020.
  11. "Best British Short Film Long List 2019". BIFA. 25 October 2019.
  12. Lockett, Dee (22 January 2019). "Sex Education's Ncuti Gatwa Doesn't Want to Play the Gay Best Friend". Vulture.com.
  13. Allfree, Claire (6 July 2019). "A Midsummer Night's Dream, Open Air Theatre Regent's Park, review: Toxic masculinity and trippy tiffs make for a spellbinding evening". The Telegraph.
  14. N'Duka, Amanda (2 July 2019). "'Enola Holmes': 'Chewing Gum' Actress Susan Wokoma Cast in Legendary Movie". Deadline.
  15. Richardson, Jay (12 May 2022). "Susan Wokoma directs her first film, abortion rom-com Three Weeks". British Comedy Guide.
  16. "Taskmaster season 16: Release date, line-up and latest news". Radio Times. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  17. "Susan Wokoma". Royal Television Society. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  18. "Rules Of The Game". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  19. "Susan Wokoma". Royal Television Society. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  20. Robinson, Abby (15 February 2022). "Cheaters' Susan Wokoma praises sitcom's 'non-judgemental' exploration of infidelity". Radio Times.
  21. "BBC announces Tabby McTat, a star-studded animation based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler". bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. 11 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  22. Guide, British Comedy (1 June 2023). "Taskmaster Series 16 line-up revealed". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
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