Daniel Kaluuya
Encyclopedia
Daniel Kaluuya is an English actor, comedian and writer, who is best known for playing Posh Kenneth in the E4 teen-drama Skins
. He has most recently been seen starring in the BBC
dark comedy series Psychoville
playing Michael Fry (a.k.a Tealeaf) and Mac in the new BBC 3's horror drama The Fades
.
.
Kaluuya then joined the original cast of Skins
as Posh Kenneth and was a contributor on the first two series, as well as being a staff writer, and the head writer of the second series episode "Jal" and third series episode "Thomas". He also presented the Skins Podcast (also called Skinscast).
After Skins Kaluuya appeared as a guest star in many established series such as Silent Witness
, the Doctor Who
special Planet of the Dead
and Lewis. He also has been appeared in the sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Look
twice and the sketch show Harry and Paul. Kaluuya also voiced a character in the BBC Radio 4
sitcom Sneakiepeeks
.
In 2009 he became a regular cast member in the ITV comedy FM
as amateur DJ–Radio Runner "Ades" and also as Michael "Tea Leaf" Fry in dark BBC comedy Psychoville
.
At the end of 2009, the Screen International Magazine picked Kaluuya out in their annual report as a 'UK Star of Tomorrow',.
In 2010 Kaluuya played the lead role in Roy Williams
' Sucker Punch
at the Royal Court Theatre
in London for which both the play and Kaluuya won rave reviews and he won both the Evening Standard Award and Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer.
In 2011 Kaluuya was leading man in Daniel Mulloy
's Baby, which went on to win the Best Short Film Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival
as well as the Best Short Film Award at the British Independent Film Awards
. In 2011 Enda Walsh
's adaption of his stage play Chatroom
was also released with Kaluuya having a main role. He has recently appeared in the Johnny English
sequel, Johnny English Reborn
, as Agent Tucker.
(who is also an actor/writer), released a video of themselves performing their parody of Boy Better Know
's "Too Many Man". The song is titled "Too Many Weave". The video was in YouTube's Most Viewed for the 14th, 15th and 16 July that year.
They are currently working on more parody songs, including "Can I Plant the Trees" and "Put the Tip In".
Skins (TV series)
Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
. He has most recently been seen starring in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
dark comedy series Psychoville
Psychoville
Psychoville is an award-winning British dark comedy television serial written by and starring The League of Gentlemen members Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. It debuted on BBC Two on 18 June 2009. Pemberton and Shearsmith each play numerous characters, with Dawn French and Jason Tompkins in...
playing Michael Fry (a.k.a Tealeaf) and Mac in the new BBC 3's horror drama The Fades
The Fades (TV series)
The Fades is a British supernatural drama television series broadcast on BBC Three and BBC HD. The first of six episodes aired on 21 September 2011....
.
Biography
Kaluuya attended St Aloysius Secondary School. His early roles included Reece in the BBC's controversial drama Shoot the MessengerShoot the Messenger (film)
Shoot the Messenger is a television play first broadcast on BBC 2 on 30 August 2006.-Synopsis:After reading a report that black pupils from inner city schools are being failed by the education system, IT consultant Joe decides to become a teacher...
.
Kaluuya then joined the original cast of Skins
Skins (TV series)
Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
as Posh Kenneth and was a contributor on the first two series, as well as being a staff writer, and the head writer of the second series episode "Jal" and third series episode "Thomas". He also presented the Skins Podcast (also called Skinscast).
After Skins Kaluuya appeared as a guest star in many established series such as Silent Witness
Silent Witness
Silent Witness is a BBC crime thriller series focusing on a team of forensic pathology experts and their investigations into various crimes. First broadcast in February 1996, the series is still airing to the present day, with a fifteenth series expected to air in January 2012. The series was...
, the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
special Planet of the Dead
Planet of the Dead
"Planet of the Dead" is the first 2009 special of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who that was simultaneously broadcast on BBC One and BBC HD on 11 April 2009. It was the second of five special episodes broadcast throughout 2009 and early 2010, which served as lead actor...
and Lewis. He also has been appeared in the sketch show That Mitchell and Webb Look
That Mitchell and Webb Look
That Mitchell and Webb Look is a British television sketch show starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Shown on BBC Two since 2006, its first two series were directed by David Kerr, who also directed Mitchell and Webb's previous television sketch show The Mitchell and Webb Situation, whereas...
twice and the sketch show Harry and Paul. Kaluuya also voiced a character in the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
sitcom Sneakiepeeks
Sneakiepeeks
Sneakiepeeks is a situation comedy series broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between 2009 and 2010. It was written by Harry Venning and Neil Brand and produced by Katie Tyrell.-Situation:...
.
In 2009 he became a regular cast member in the ITV comedy FM
FM (TV series)
FM was a British sitcom which aired on ITV2, starring Chris O'Dowd , Kevin Bishop and Nina Sosanya . The series followed the lives of two DJs and their producer on their FM radio progamme, "Skin 86.5 FM"...
as amateur DJ–Radio Runner "Ades" and also as Michael "Tea Leaf" Fry in dark BBC comedy Psychoville
Psychoville
Psychoville is an award-winning British dark comedy television serial written by and starring The League of Gentlemen members Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. It debuted on BBC Two on 18 June 2009. Pemberton and Shearsmith each play numerous characters, with Dawn French and Jason Tompkins in...
.
At the end of 2009, the Screen International Magazine picked Kaluuya out in their annual report as a 'UK Star of Tomorrow',.
In 2010 Kaluuya played the lead role in Roy Williams
Roy Williams (playwright)
Roy Samuel Williams, OBE is an award-winning English playwright. Williams has many awards including the George Devine Award for Lift Off, the 2001 Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright for his play Clubland, the 2002 BAFTA Award for Best Schools Drama for Offside and 2004 South Bank...
' Sucker Punch
Sucker Punch (play)
Sucker Punch is a play by the award-winning British playwright Roy Williams. It was first staged in 2010 at the Royal Court Theatre in London. The play was nominated for the Evening Standard Award and the Laurence Olivier Awards for Best New Play.-Plot:...
at the Royal Court Theatre
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...
in London for which both the play and Kaluuya won rave reviews and he won both the Evening Standard Award and Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer.
In 2011 Kaluuya was leading man in Daniel Mulloy
Daniel Mulloy
Daniel Mulloy is a British artist and filmmaker. He is winner of The Golden Dragon, BIFA and BAFTA Awards.-Life and career:Born in Brixton , London, Mulloy moved to Carmarthen, Wales, as a teenager...
's Baby, which went on to win the Best Short Film Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival
Edinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival is an annual fortnight of cinema screenings and related events taking place each June. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival...
as well as the Best Short Film Award at the British Independent Film Awards
British Independent Film Awards
The Moët British Independent Film Awards is an annual award ceremony celebrating achievement in independently funded British film and cinema. Nominations and jury are announced at the beginning of November with the award ceremony taking place in late November or early December.-History:The British...
. In 2011 Enda Walsh
Enda Walsh
Enda Walsh is an Irish playwright born in Dublin and currently living in London. Walsh attended the same secondary school where both Roddy Doyle and Paul Mercier taught. Having written for the Dublin Youth Theatre, he moved to Cork where he wrote Fishy Tales for the Graffiti Theatre Company,...
's adaption of his stage play Chatroom
Chatroom (film)
Chatroom is a 2010 British drama thriller film directed by Hideo Nakata about five teenagers who meet on the internet and encourage each other's bad behaviour. The film is based on the play Chatroom by Enda Walsh.-Plot:...
was also released with Kaluuya having a main role. He has recently appeared in the Johnny English
Johnny English
Johnny English is a 2003 British action comedy film parodying the James Bond secret agent genre. The film stars Rowan Atkinson as the incompetent titular English spy, with John Malkovich, Natalie Imbruglia, Tim Pigott-Smith and Ben Miller in supporting roles...
sequel, Johnny English Reborn
Johnny English Reborn
Johnny English Reborn is a 2011 British spy comedy film parodying the James Bond secret agent genre and film franchise reboots. The film is the sequel to Johnny English , and stars Rowan Atkinson reprising his role as the title character and directed by Oliver Parker. The film has a slightly...
, as Agent Tucker.
Internet Parody Songs
On 14 July 2009, Daniel and close friend Jason LewisJason Lewis
Jason Lewis is an American actor and former fashion model. He appeared on the May 2008 cover of Men's Fitness.-Early life:...
(who is also an actor/writer), released a video of themselves performing their parody of Boy Better Know
Boy Better Know
-History:The band and label were established by Jamie Adenuga "Boy Better Know" is a registered trademark, clothing line and Boy Better Know sim cards....
's "Too Many Man". The song is titled "Too Many Weave". The video was in YouTube's Most Viewed for the 14th, 15th and 16 July that year.
They are currently working on more parody songs, including "Can I Plant the Trees" and "Put the Tip In".
Filmography
| Year | Title | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Shoot the Messenger Shoot the Messenger (film) Shoot the Messenger is a television play first broadcast on BBC 2 on 30 August 2006.-Synopsis:After reading a report that black pupils from inner city schools are being failed by the education system, IT consultant Joe decides to become a teacher... |
Reece | BBC BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff... |
| 2006 | The Whistleblowers | School Bully | Episode: "No Child Left Behind" |
| 2007 | Much Ado About a Minor Ting | Shocker | |
| 2007 | Comedy: Shuffle | Dean | Episode: "Brendon Burns" |
| 2007–2009 | Skins Skins (TV series) Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death... |
Posh Kenneth/DJ | Series 1 and 2 |
| 2008 | That Mitchell and Webb Look That Mitchell and Webb Look That Mitchell and Webb Look is a British television sketch show starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Shown on BBC Two since 2006, its first two series were directed by David Kerr, who also directed Mitchell and Webb's previous television sketch show The Mitchell and Webb Situation, whereas... |
Dancing Speedo Kid | Episode: "Series 2 Episode 2" |
| 2008 | Delta Forever | Roger | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2008 | Cass Cass (film) Cass is a 2008 British crime drama film. It stars Nonso Anozie as Cass Pennant and is directed by Jon S. Baird-Plot:Cass is based on the true story of the life of Cass Pennant, adapted from his book. The film tells of how he was adopted by an elderly white couple in 1958 and brought up in Slade... |
Young Cass | |
| 2008 | Silent Witness Silent Witness Silent Witness is a BBC crime thriller series focusing on a team of forensic pathology experts and their investigations into various crimes. First broadcast in February 1996, the series is still airing to the present day, with a fifteenth series expected to air in January 2012. The series was... |
Errol Harris | Episode: "Safe: Part 1" |
| 2009 | Doctor Who Doctor Who Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior... |
Barclay | Episode: "Planet of the Dead Planet of the Dead "Planet of the Dead" is the first 2009 special of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who that was simultaneously broadcast on BBC One and BBC HD on 11 April 2009. It was the second of five special episodes broadcast throughout 2009 and early 2010, which served as lead actor... " |
| 2009 | Lewis | Declan | Episode: "Counter Culture Blues" |
| 2009 | That Mitchell and Webb Look That Mitchell and Webb Look That Mitchell and Webb Look is a British television sketch show starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Shown on BBC Two since 2006, its first two series were directed by David Kerr, who also directed Mitchell and Webb's previous television sketch show The Mitchell and Webb Situation, whereas... |
School pupil | Episode: "Series 3 Episode 5" |
| 2009 | The Philanthropist The Philanthropist (TV series) The Philanthropist is an American action drama series that premiered on NBC on Wednesday, June 24, 2009. The program is a limited summer series, principally filmed in South Africa. It opened to strong ratings, but saw a drop in viewers in subsequent weeks. The Philanthropist is a Carnival Films... |
Episode: "Nigeria (Part 2)" | |
| 2009 | Down The Line | TBA | |
| 2009–2011 | Psychoville Psychoville Psychoville is an award-winning British dark comedy television serial written by and starring The League of Gentlemen members Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. It debuted on BBC Two on 18 June 2009. Pemberton and Shearsmith each play numerous characters, with Dawn French and Jason Tompkins in... |
Michael Fry (a.k.a Tealeaf) | Starring Role |
| 2010 | Chatroom Chatroom (film) Chatroom is a 2010 British drama thriller film directed by Hideo Nakata about five teenagers who meet on the internet and encourage each other's bad behaviour. The film is based on the play Chatroom by Enda Walsh.-Plot:... |
Mo | |
| 2010 | Harry and Paul | Parking Pataweyo | |
| 2010 | Baby | Damon | Pre-Production |
| 2010 | Happy Finish (Comedy Lab) | Various Characters | Pilot |
| 2011 | The Fades The Fades (TV series) The Fades is a British supernatural drama television series broadcast on BBC Three and BBC HD. The first of six episodes aired on 21 September 2011.... |
Mac | |
| 2011 | Johnny English Reborn Johnny English Reborn Johnny English Reborn is a 2011 British spy comedy film parodying the James Bond secret agent genre and film franchise reboots. The film is the sequel to Johnny English , and stars Rowan Atkinson reprising his role as the title character and directed by Oliver Parker. The film has a slightly... |
Special Agent Tucker | Starring Role |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Sucker Punch Sucker Punch (play) Sucker Punch is a play by the award-winning British playwright Roy Williams. It was first staged in 2010 at the Royal Court Theatre in London. The play was nominated for the Evening Standard Award and the Laurence Olivier Awards for Best New Play.-Plot:... by Roy Williams Roy Williams -Sports:*Roy Williams , New Zealand athlete*Roy Williams , 1952 Summer Olympics Canadian team member... |
Leon Davidson | winner of Evening Standard Award and Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer |
| 2008 | Oxford Street by Levi David Addai | Boy 1 | nominated for Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre as part of the ensemble cast of Oxford Street |
As Writer
| Year | Title | Episode Written | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Skins Skins (TV series) Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death... |
Staff Writer | |
| 2008 | Skins Skins (TV series) Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death... |
"Jal" | Staff Writer |
| 2009 | Skins Skins (TV series) Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death... |
"Thomas" | Staff Writer |