Sally Amaka Okafor
Sally Amaka Okafor is a British actress renowned for her work in theatre and her roles in the film "Greatest Days" (2023), the BBC One series "The Responder" (2022), and the Netflix series "Bodies" (2023).
Early Life and Education
Okafor was born in Birmingham to a Nigerian reggae artist father and an Indian journalist mother. Growing up, she moved around the UK. She studied theatre devising at Liverpool John Moores University. She began her career touring community theatre in schools, prisons, and churches and was a member of the Unicorn Theatre ensemble in London for two years.
Career
Originally credited as Sally Amaka Okafor, she made her West End theatre debut playing Sofia in Florian Zeller's "The Son," which transferred from Kilburn's Kiln Theatre to the Duke of York's Theatre in October 2019. In 2016, she appeared in "Peter Pan" at the National Theatre and played Lady Macduff in "Macbeth" at the same theatre in 2018. She has also appeared at the Royal Court Theatre in "Hope Has A Happy Meal" (2023), "Grimly Handsome" (2017), "It's All Made Up," "The Space Between," and "I See You."
She has portrayed Miranda in Unicorn Theatre's "The Tempest," Guildenstern in Almeida Theatre's "Hamlet," Amal in National Theatre of Scotland's "Glasgow Girls," and an official in "Hamlet" at the Barbican Centre. Her other theatre credits include "Nora: A Doll's House" (2020), "Bird," and "After The End" (2022).
Okafor's television work includes playing DI Deborah Barnes, a former colleague of the central character, Chris Carson, in the BBC's "The Responder." She also appears in the BBC drama "The Split" (2020) and as DS Hasan in Netflix's "Bodies," created by Paul Tomalin, directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner, and based on the graphic novel by Si Spencer and Dean Ormston.
In one of her most prominent roles to date, Okafor stars alongside Aisling Bea, Alice Lowe, and Jayde Adams in "Greatest Days," a 2023 cinematic adaptation of Take That's smash-hit stage musical, "The Band." "Greatest Days" portrays a group of school friends reuniting after 25 years. The BFI's review praises Okafor and her co-stars for making the most of the film’s plotlines and gags. Her other film work includes the upcoming UK indie comedy-drama "Sweet Sue," directed by Leo Leigh.
Okafor is also known for her work in radio drama and audiobooks, portraying Kaz in the long-running BBC soap "The Archers" and Zoe in Mark Ravenhill's adaptation of the Dion Boucicault play, "The Octoroon." She has appeared in Neil Gaiman's podcast series, "The Sandman," and starred as Emily McCoy in Tom Stoppard's 2013 radio play, "Darkside," based on Pink Floyd's classic album, "The Dark Side of the Moon."
Recognition
Okafor was named a 2023 Screen International Star of Tomorrow.
Personal Life
Okafor sings and writes music in her spare time and has a daughter.