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 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2000–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
editFilm
edit| 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
edit| 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
edit| 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
edit| 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
edit- ^ "ZAINAB JAH". Huntington theatre. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ^ Mcphee, Ryan. "Zainab Jah and More Set for School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play Off-Broadway". Playbill. Playbill. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Eclipsed's Zainab Jah on Being an African Woman in American Theater". Elle. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ "Sahr Ngaujah and Zainab Jah in New Photos From Boesman and Lena". Theatre Mania. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ Soloski, Alexis. "Zainab Jah, 'Eclipsed' Star, Is Ready for Battle". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ "Zainab Jah, Sahr Ngaujah & Thomas Silcott to star in Signature Theatre's Boesman and Lena". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ Windman, Matt. "'Venus' review: Zainab Jah shines in superb off-Broadway drama". Amny. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ "See Suzan-Lori Parks, Zainab Jah & More Step Out for Venus' Off-Broadway Opening". Broadway. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ "Zainab Jah". iobdb. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ^ Mcphee, Ryan. "Nominations for the 2019 Drama Desk Awards Announced; Oklahoma!, Tootsie, Rags Parkland Lead the Pack". Play Bill. Retrieved 25 December 2019.