With a disarming façade and quiet intensity, actor Chiwetel Ejiofor—or Chewy for those who can’t pronounce it—has seemingly come out of nowhere to poise himself as the next Big Thing to come out of England. Whether on stage or screen—both large and small—Ejiofor has carved out an impressive career in the short time he’s been an actor. But despite all the critical acclaim and good notices that he’s received for his performances over the years, Ejiofor has remained a relative unknown across the pond.

Ejiofor was born on July 10, 1977 to Nigerian émigrés in Forest Gate, East London—his dad was a