Tony Okungbowa
Encyclopedia
Anthony "Tony" Victor Okungbowa (born December 6, 1967) is an English actor, film producer, and disc jockey
. He has been the resident DJ for The Ellen DeGeneres Show
.
Okungbowa is of Nigeria
n descent and was raised in Nigeria and London
. He has a degree in drama from Middlesex University
in London. He relocated to the United States in 1992, when he came to do post-graduate work at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute
in New York City, later moving to Los Angeles in 1998.
His acting roles include guest spots on The X-Files
, NYPD Blue
and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
.
Unlike most talk shows, The Ellen DeGeneres Show
features a DJ to provide musical accompaniment, a role Okungbowa began in 2003 to end of season three of the show in 2006, where he left to further his acting career. He was replaced at the beginning of season four by Jon Abrahams
. He returned in 2007 for occasional substitute appearances, and returned to DJ full time for the sixth season which began September 8, 2008. Okungbowa also DJ'd the 2004 Grammy Awards.
He was executive producer of and acted in the film Restless City which had its debut at the Sundance Film Festival
in 2011.
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
. He has been the resident DJ for The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
.
Okungbowa is of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n descent and was raised in Nigeria and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He has a degree in drama from Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
in London. He relocated to the United States in 1992, when he came to do post-graduate work at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute
Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute
__notoc__The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute is an acting school located at 115 East 15th Street between Union Square East and Irving Place in the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, as well as at 7936 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, California...
in New York City, later moving to Los Angeles in 1998.
His acting roles include guest spots on The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
, NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
.
Unlike most talk shows, The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
features a DJ to provide musical accompaniment, a role Okungbowa began in 2003 to end of season three of the show in 2006, where he left to further his acting career. He was replaced at the beginning of season four by Jon Abrahams
Jon Abrahams
Jon Avery Abrahams is an American film and television actor.-Life and career:Abrahams attended Saint Ann's School in Brooklyn....
. He returned in 2007 for occasional substitute appearances, and returned to DJ full time for the sixth season which began September 8, 2008. Okungbowa also DJ'd the 2004 Grammy Awards.
He was executive producer of and acted in the film Restless City which had its debut at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
in 2011.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 2002 | The Wild Thornberrys Movie The Wild Thornberrys Movie The Wild Thornberrys Movie is a 2002 American animated feature film based on the television series of the same name. It was distributed by Paramount Pictures and produced by Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Movies, and was released on December 20, 2002.-Plot:... |
Ranger | Voice |
| 2003 | Gate to Heaven | Amadou | |
| 2008 | Miracle of Phil | Seth | |
| 2009 | The One Last Time | Scarecow | |
| 2011 | Restless City | Bekay | |
| CIS: Las Gidi | The Tax Man | ||
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | The Punk | Punk Friend #2 | 1 episode |
| 1999 | The X-Files The X-Files The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s... |
Barnes' Driver | 1 episode |
| 2000 | Arli$$ Arliss -Criticism:This show, which ran for seven seasons, is a prime example of how HBO differs from traditional networks due to its nature as a network its viewers specifically pay to be able to watch. Arliss was cited by so many viewers as the sole reason that they paid for the network that its... |
Homeless Joe | 1 episode |
| 2001 | NYPD Blue NYPD Blue NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan... |
Tristan L. Gibbs | 1 episode |
| 2001-2010 | The Bold and the Beautiful The Bold and the Beautiful The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS Daytime. It premiered on March 23, 1987.... |
Diver/Dempsey | 6 episodes |
| 2003–2006; 2008–present | The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show... |
Himself/DJ | |
| 2008 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced... |
Dr. Bakari | 1 episode |