Zainab Jah is a British award-winning theater, television and film actress of Sierra Leonean descent.[1] She is mostly known for her theater performances as Maima (Wife Number Two) in Danai Gurira's Broadway play Eclipsed, Venus, and School Girls, among others.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

Zainab Jah
Born
London, UK
OccupationActress
Years active2000–present

She has also worked in film and television. She plays anti-corruption minister Aminata Sissoko in the second season of Deep State, and Aby Bah in Homeland. She has also appeared on Blindspot and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2000 Dinner Rush Adrian
2006 Naptime Singer Short film
2007 The Summoning of Everyman Confession
2008 How to Make Afang Soup Mama Short film
2015 Emily & Tim Helayne Specter
2016 New York, I Love You Sophie Short film
2016 Buried Zainab Short film
2019 Jazz in Wakanda Zainab Short film
2020 Farewell Amor Esther
2021 False Positive Grace Singleton
2021 Out/Side Of Time Short film
2021 The Black Disquisition Sedalia/Mom Short film
2022 Sherman Sherman Short film
2022 Launch at Paradise Elsa Short film
2022 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Mining Tribe Elder
2023 Drift Etweda Kamara
2023 All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt Older Mack

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 100 Centre Street Episode: "Lost Causes"
2005 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Homeless Person Episode: "Goliath"
2016–17 Homeland Aby Bah Recurring role; 4 episodes
2017 Elementary Female Crematory Worker Episode: "High Heat"
2018 Blindspot President Botros Episode: "Defection"
2018 Instinct Rebreau Episode: "Bye Bye Birdie"
2019 Deep State Aminata Sissoko Season 2 regular; 7 episodes
2020 The Good Lord Bird Harriet Tubman Episode: "Smells Like Bear"
2021 Only Murders in the Building Ndidi Idoko Recurring role; 4 episodes
2023 East New York Adama Gueye Episode: "We Didn't Start the Fire"
2023 The Blacklist Aissa Joachim Episode: "Dr. Michael Abani (No. 198)"
2023 The Continental Mazie Mini-series; 2 episodes

Theatre

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Year Title Role Notes
2005 Medea Death
2006 King Lear Regan
2007 (The Blood) Electra Electra
2008 Trojan Women Helen
2009 Eclipsed Maima (Wife #2)
2015
2016
2016 Stuffed Katey
2017 Venus Sarah Baartman [8][9]
2017 School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play Eloise Amponsah
2019 Boesman and Lena Venus

Awards

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Awards and nominations[10]
Year Award Category Work Result Ref
2016 Obie Award Obie Award for Performance Eclipsed Won
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Nominated
2017 Audie Award Audie Award for Young Listeners 28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed the World Won
2018 Drama Desk Award Drama Desk Ensemble Award School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play Won
2019 Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Boesman and Lena Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Play Nominated [11]
Lucille Lortel Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play Nominated
2021 FESPACO Award Best Actress Farewell Amor Won

References

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  1. ^ "ZAINAB JAH". Huntington theatre. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  2. ^ Mcphee, Ryan. "Zainab Jah and More Set for School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play Off-Broadway". Playbill. Playbill. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  3. ^ Quinn, Gwendolyn (2017-05-28). "INSIDE BROADWAY: BRITISH-BORN AFRICAN ACTRESS ZAINAB JAH STARS IN HISTORIC 'VENUS' AND SHARES HER JOURNEY FROM SIERRA LEONE TO AMERICA". EurWeb. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  4. ^ "Eclipsed's Zainab Jah on Being an African Woman in American Theater". Elle. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  5. ^ "Sahr Ngaujah and Zainab Jah in New Photos From Boesman and Lena". Theatre Mania. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  6. ^ Soloski, Alexis. "Zainab Jah, 'Eclipsed' Star, Is Ready for Battle". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  7. ^ "Zainab Jah, Sahr Ngaujah & Thomas Silcott to star in Signature Theatre's Boesman and Lena". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  8. ^ Windman, Matt. "'Venus' review: Zainab Jah shines in superb off-Broadway drama". Amny. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  9. ^ "See Suzan-Lori Parks, Zainab Jah & More Step Out for Venus' Off-Broadway Opening". Broadway. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Zainab Jah". iobdb. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  11. ^ Mcphee, Ryan. "Nominations for the 2019 Drama Desk Awards Announced; Oklahoma!, Tootsie, Rags Parkland Lead the Pack". Play Bill. Retrieved 25 December 2019.