Naomi Ackie is a well-known English actress. She is known for her roles in popular TV shows like The End of the F***ing World (2019) and Master of None (2021), as well as her role in the movie Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). In 2022, she took on the role of American singer Whitney Houston in the biographical film I Wanna Dance with Somebody.
Childhood & Education
Naomi Ackie was born on 2 November 1992 in Walthamstow, London. She is the daughter of second-generation Grenadian immigrants.
Her father worked for Transport for London and her mother for the National Health Service. Ackie is the middle child with an older brother and sister, and she attended Walthamstow School for Girls.
At the young age of 11, she began her acting career by portraying the angel Gabriel in a school nativity production. After completing her studies at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, she received her degree in 2012.
Naomi Ackie’s Career
In 2016, Naomi Ackie’s career took off with her role in Lady Macbeth, earning her the British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer the following year.
Ackie joined Idris Elba in his directorial debut, the British crime drama Yardie (2018), alongside Aml Ameen and Stephen Graham. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Ackie also landed a supporting role in The Corrupted (2019), another British crime drama featuring an all-star cast including Sam Claflin, Timothy Spall, Noel Clarke, and Hugh Bonneville.
In 2019, Naomi Ackie made her debut in a major film as Jannah in J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The movie also featured well-known actors such as Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, and John Boyega, and earned a worldwide total of $1 billion at the box office.
Ackie made her debut as a co-star in the British heist film The Score (2021), directed and written by Malachi Smyth. She starred alongside Johnny Flynn and Will Poulter.
Director Kasi Lemmons selected Ackie to play Whitney Houston in the musical biography I Wanna Dance with Somebody. The film also features a talented supporting cast including Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders, Tamara Tunie, and Clarke Peters.
The movie received a mix of positive and negative reviews, but Ackie’s acting was highly acclaimed, with Variety describing her as “a veritable artist of lip-syncing.”
Additionally, Naomi Ackie played the role of Bonnie in the second season of the dark comedy series The End of the F***ing World on Netflix.
She also appeared as a school inspector in Education, a one-hour drama that is part of Steve McQueen’s Small Axe anthology film series. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ackie is also a talented vocalist and can be heard briefly in some of the early scenes.
Ackie was featured in the film Mickey 17, directed by Bong Joon-ho and adapted from Edward Ashton’s sci-fi book, sharing the screen with Robert Pattinson, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo.
In 2024, Ackie also featured in the MGM-funded suspense film, Blink Twice, Zoë Kravitz’s directorial, writing, and producing debut. The movie also stars well-known actors such as Channing Tatum, Simon Rex, Christian Slater, Geena Davis, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Kyle MacLachlan, Alia Shawcat, and Saul Williams.
Naomi Ackie also appeared alongside Samantha Morton and Hector Hewer in the sci-fi movie, 2073, which was based on Chris Marker’s short film, La Jetée (1962). This feature-length adaptation was directed and produced by Asif Kapadia and debuted at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, but not in the competition category.
Net Worth
Naomi Ackie’s impressive success in the entertainment field has resulted in a net worth of approximately $3 million, showcasing both her abilities and hard work.
