Judith Iyabo Shekoni is an English actress, television personality and businesswoman.
Judi Shekoni | |
|---|---|
 Shekoni in 2015 | |
| Born | Judith Iyabo Shekoni Manchester, England |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, television personality, businesswoman |
| Notable work | Twilight, Heroes Reborn, Ice, Maleficent |
Early life and education
editBorn to a Yoruba Nigerian father and a British mother of English and Spanish descent, Shekoni is from Gorton, Manchester.
Career
editShekoni began her television career with a breakout role as Marjorie "Precious" Hudson (née Hulton) in the BBC1 soap EastEnders. She then moved into film with roles including Garfield 2 for Fox, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as Renee and Ali G Indahouse.
Shekoni lived and studied in Los Angeles for 10 years and appeared on US television shows including NCIS, All of Us and Damages, Fat Friends and The King of Queens.
Whilst in Los Angeles she worked with Bill Condon in the film The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2. She joined the cast as a lead in Heroes Reborn in 2015, the NBC reboot of the original show, where she played Joanne Collins opposite Zachary Levi.[1]
Relocating back to the UK in 2016, Shekoni appeared in the second season of the BBC1 drama Ordinary Lies written by Bafta winning writer Danny Brocklehurst, airing in November 2016.[2] She then filmed two seasons as the female lead opposite Donald Sutherland and Ray Winston for the American cable series Ice, directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Magnificent Seven) appearing as Lady Rah, the kingpin of LA Diamond Trade.[3]
Remaining in London, she starred as Shrike in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil for Disney, with Angelina Jolie and Michelle Pfieffer.[4]
Shekoni joined the cast of the Apple TV series Foundation as She-Bends-Light in 2023. [5]
Business interests
editShekoni co-founded with British model Amanda Van Annan Extension Evolution, a company supplying hair extensions, and is also the founder of two other companies, Make It America and Actors Evolution.[6][7][8][better source needed] She is the CEO of Global WPM, Atap Productions and is affiliated with the Helen Bamber Foundation.[9]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | The World Is Not Enough | Girl in casino | uncredited |
| 2000 | Spinning Candyfloss | Mel | |
| Maybe Baby | Ewan's posse | ||
| It Was an Accident | Sara | uncredited | |
| 2002 | Ali G Indahouse | Jacuzzi girl | |
| 2004 | Echoes of War | Fatima | |
| 2005 | Private Moments | Serena | |
| 2006 | Garfield 2 | Tour guide | |
| The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | Renee | ||
| 2010 | For Christ's Sake | Mia do'em | |
| 2012 | The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 | Zafrina | |
| 2015 | Club Dancer[10] | ||
| 2019 | Maleficent: Mistress of Evil | Shrike[11] |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Casualty | Mia Campbell | Episode: One from the Heart |
| 2000 | Fat Friends | Imogen | |
| 2001 | Murphy's Law | Receptionist | |
| 2002 | The Hidden City | Claire | |
| Casualty | Naomi | Episode: In the Heat of the Night | |
| Attachments | Sue | Episode: Fuck Buddy | |
| Time Gentlemen Please | Sister Eliza | Episode: This Vale of Beers | |
| EastEnders | Marjorie "Precious" Hudson (née Hulton) | ||
| 2003 | The King of Queens | Melanie | Episode: Nocturnal Omission |
| 2005 | NCIS | Natalie Vance | Episode: Model Behavior |
| 2006 | Damages | Candy | |
| All of Us | Amanda | Episode: Love Do Cost a Thing and Trojan Condo | |
| 2007 | Brothers & Sisters | Hostess | Episode: Valentine's Day Massacre |
| 2008 | When Women Rule the World | Island host | Never broadcast in America[12] |
| 2015 | Backstrom | Lady Mah | Season 1, Episode 6: "Ancient, Chinese, Secret" |
| Heroes Reborn | Joanne[13] | ||
| 2016 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Alisa Chambers | Season 7, Episode 21, "Head of the Snake" |
| Ice | Lady Rah | ||
| 2023 | Foundation | She-Bends-Light | Five episodes |
References
edit- ^ "Exclusive: Twilight Star Joins Heroes Reborn". eonline.com. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
- ^ "Episode 2, Series 2, Ordinary Lies - BBC One". BBC. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
- ^ Petski, Denise (15 August 2016). "Antoine Fuqua's Audience Drama 'Ice' Casts Judith Shekoni; 'Transparent' Adds Molly Bernard". deadline.com. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
- ^ "'Maleficent 2' Adds Judith Shekoni of 'Heroes Reborn' and 'Ice' (EXCLUSIVE)". 8 June 2018.
- ^ "Judith Shekoni | Actress". IMDb.
- ^ "History of Extension Evolution". Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ "Make It America". Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ "Actors Evolution "Who we are" page". Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ "Judith Shekoni". Speakers for Schools. 26 February 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- ^ "Movie Review: Club Dancer – Low brow effrontery". The Free Press Journal. 8 April 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
- ^ Clarke, Stewart (11 June 2018). "'Maleficent 2' Adds Judith Shekoni of 'Heroes Reborn' and 'Ice' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
- ^ "Breaking News - FOX Gives Updates on "Lie to Me," Reality Projects - TheFutonCritic.com". www.thefutoncritic.com. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
- ^ "Heroes Reborn". NBC.com. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.