Chiwetel Ejiofor

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

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