Long regarded as one of England's preeminent stage actors, Chiwetel Ejiofor gained widespread recognition for his roles in both independent and studio films. Born July 10, 1977, in London to Nigerian émigrés, Ejiofor entered the acting world at age 13, performing with England's National Youth Theatre.Ejiofor's screen debut in HBO's Deadly Voyage caught the eye of Steven Spielberg, who then cast him in Amistad (1997). After starring opposite Audrey Tautou in the indie thriller Dirty Pretty Things (2002), Ejiofor earned a Golden Globe nod for Kinky Boots (2005) and received critical acclaim for performances in 2006's Inside Man and Children of Men.Ejiofor continues to build an impressive body of work, starring in Talk to Me and American Gangster, as well as the TV miniseries Tsunami: The Aftermath, which earned him a second Golden Globe nomination.