# Sope Dirisu

Sope Dirisu (Yoruba: Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù,; born 1991) is an English actor. He made his film debut in 2016 with Sand Castle, Criminal, and The Huntsman: Winter's War. Since 2020, he has starred as Elliot Carter / Finch in the Sky Atlantic series Gangs of London, while in 2022, he starred as the titular character in the period drama film Mr. Malcolm's List.

## Early life and education

Sope Dirisu was born in 1991 in London to Nigerian parents. His father had studied history and his mother law before becoming preachers.
He was educated at Bedford Modern School, where he excelled at drama, and joined the National Youth Theatre in 2006.
He later studied Economics at the University of Birmingham. While studying there he played quarterback for the University of Birmingham Lions American Football team.

## Career

In 2012, Dirisu successfully auditioned for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Open Stages Programme. His first stage role was as Pericles in Shakespeare’s Pericles, Prince of Tyre. After the Royal Shakespeare Company, Dirisu returned to the National Youth Theatre where he trained in the REP company programme for eight months.
He has subsequently acted in a number of television series including The Mill, Utopia, Humans, The Casual Vacancy, Siblings, and Undercover.
Dirisu appeared in three 2016 films, Criminal, The Huntsman: Winter's War, and Sand Castle. In 2016, he also appeared in "Nosedive", an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror.
Dirisu received a Commendation at the Ian Charleson Awards for his 2017 performance as Coriolanus in Coriolanus at the Royal Shakespeare Company.
He was nominated as Best Actor for the 2020 British Independent Film Awards for his role as Bol in the film His House.
In 2023, Dirisu played the role of Sean Donovan in the third season of the Apple TV series Slow Horses.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2012 | Lazarus Rising | Pvt. Maurice (voice) | Short film |
| 2013 | Circles | The Boy (C) | Short film |
| 2016 | Criminal | Fire Officer | |
| 2016 | The Huntsman: Winter's War | Tull | |
| 2016 | The Trip | James | Short film |
| 2016 | The Dead Sea | Emmanuel | Short film |
| 2016 | Motherland | Moussa Sidibé | Short film |
| 2017 | Sand Castle | Sgt. Cole | |
| 2017 | The Fight | Said | Short film |
| 2017 | A Battle in Waterloo | Coleman | Short film |
| 2020 | His House | Bol | |
| 2021 | Mothering Sunday | Donald | |
| 2021 | Silent Night | James | |
| 2021 | Tides | Tucker | Also released as The Colony |
| 2022 | Mr. Malcolm's List | Mr. Malcolm | |
| 2023 | Chasing the Night | Leon | Short film |
| 2025 | The Gorge | J.D | |
| TBA | My Father's Shadow | | Post-production |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2014 | Utopia | Roy | Episode #2.4 |
| 2014 | The Mill | Peter | 6 episodes |
| 2015 | The Casual Vacancy | Young Doctor | 3 episodes |
| 2015–2018 | Humans | Fred | 8 episodes |
| 2016 | Black Mirror | Man in Prison | Episode: "Nosedive" |
| 2016 | Undercover | Michael Antwi | 4 episodes |
| 2016 | Siblings | Zeff | Episode: "Golden Aunt" |
| 2017 | The Halcyon | Sonny Sullivan | 8 episodes |
| 2018 | Next of Kin | DS Stanley Hart / DS Elliot Hart | 5 episodes |
| 2019 | State of the Union | Giles | Episode: "Plaster Cast" |
| 2020–2022 | His Dark Materials | Sergi (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2020–present | Gangs of London | Elliot Carter / Elliot Finch | 18 episodes |
| 2021 | Foresight | Kwesi | Episode: "Digging" |
| 2023 | Tabby McTat | Tabby (voice) | Television film |
| 2023 | Slow Horses | Sean Donovan | 6 episodes |
| TBA | Black Rabbit | Wes | Upcoming miniseries |

### Stage

From 6 October to 3 December 2016, Dirisu played Cassius Clay in One Night in Miami by Kemp Powers, at Donmar Warehouse in London, alongside David Ajala as Jim Brown, Arinzé Kene as Sam Cooke, and Francois Battiste as Malcolm X.
Other theatre includes The Whipping Man, Tory Boyz, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Red Riding Hood, Our Days of Rage, Fallujah, and Pericles with the RSC.
Dirisu received a Commendation at the Ian Charleson Awards for his 2017 performance as Coriolanus in Coriolanus at the Royal Shakespeare Company.

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref |
| 2021 | British Independent Film Award | Best Performance by an Actor | His House | Nominated | |
| 2021 | British Academy Film Award | Rising Star Award | Rising Star Award | Nominated | |