Judi Shekoni

Last updated

Judi Shekoni
Judi Shekoni by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Shekoni in 2015
Born
Judith Iyabo Shekoni

Manchester, England
Occupation(s)Actress, television personality, businesswoman
Notable work Twilight , Heroes Reborn , Ice , Maleficent

Judith Iyabo Shekoni is an English actress, television personality and businesswoman.

Contents

Early life and education

Born to a Yoruba Nigerian father and a British mother of English and Spanish descent, Shekoni is from Gorton, Manchester.

Career

Shekoni began her television career with a breakout role as Marjorie "Precious" Hudson (née Hulton) in the BBC1 soap EastEnders . She then moved into film with roles including Garfield 2 for Fox, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as Renee and Ali G Indahouse .

Shekoni lived and studied in Los Angeles for 10 years and appeared on US television shows including NCIS , All of Us and Damages , Fat Friends and The King of Queens .

Whilst in Los Angeles she worked with Bill Condon in the film The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2. She joined the cast as a lead in Heroes Reborn in 2015, the NBC reboot of the original show, where she played Joanne Collins opposite Zachary Levi. [1]

Relocating back to the UK in 2016, Shekoni appeared in the second season of the BBC1 drama Ordinary Lies written by Bafta winning writer Danny Brocklehurst, airing in November 2016. [2] She then filmed two seasons as the female lead opposite Donald Sutherland and Ray Winston for the American cable series Ice , directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Magnificent Seven) appearing as Lady Rah, the kingpin of LA Diamond Trade. [3]

Remaining in London, she starred as Shrike in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil for Disney, with Angelina Jolie and Michelle Pfieffer. [4]

Shekoni joined the cast of the Apple TV series Foundation as She-Bends-Light in 2023. [5]

Business interests

Shekoni co-founded with British model Amanda Van Annan Extension Evolution, a company supplying hair extensions, and is also the founder of two other companies, Make It America and Actors Evolution. [6] [7] [8] She is the CEO of Global WPM, Atap Productions and is affiliated with the Helen Bamber Foundation. [9]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1999 The World Is Not Enough Girl in casinouncredited
2000Spinning CandyflossMel
Maybe Baby Ewan's posse
It Was an AccidentSarauncredited
2002 Ali G Indahouse Jacuzzi girl
2004Echoes of WarFatima
2005Private MomentsSerena
2006 Garfield 2 Tour guide
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Renee
2010 For Christ's Sake Mia do'em
2012 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 Zafrina
2015Club Dancer [10]
2019 Maleficent: Mistress of Evil Shrike [11] [12]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1998 Casualty Mia CampbellEpisode: One from the Heart
2000 Fat Friends Imogen
2001 Murphy's Law Receptionist
2002The Hidden CityClaire
Casualty NaomiEpisode: In the Heat of the Night
AttachmentsSueEpisode: Fuck Buddy
Time Gentlemen Please Sister ElizaEpisode: This Vale of Beers
EastEnders Marjorie "Precious" Hudson (née Hulton)
2003 The King of Queens MelanieEpisode: Nocturnal Omission
2005 NCIS Natalie VanceEpisode: Model Behavior
2006 Damages Candy
All of Us AmandaEpisode: Love Do Cost a Thing and Trojan Condo
2007 Brothers & Sisters HostessEpisode: Valentine's Day Massacre
2008 When Women Rule the World Island hostNever broadcast in America [13]
2015 Backstrom Lady MahSeason 1, Episode 6: "Ancient, Chinese, Secret"
Heroes Reborn Joanne [14]
2016 NCIS: Los Angeles Alisa ChambersSeason 7, Episode 21, "Head of the Snake"
Ice Lady Rah
2023 Foundation She-Bends-LightFive episodes

References

  1. "Exclusive: Twilight Star Joins Heroes Reborn". eonline.com. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  2. "Episode 2, Series 2, Ordinary Lies - BBC One". BBC. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  3. Petski, Denise (15 August 2016). "Antoine Fuqua's Audience Drama 'Ice' Casts Judith Shekoni; 'Transparent' Adds Molly Bernard". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  4. "'Maleficent 2' Adds Judith Shekoni of 'Heroes Reborn' and 'Ice' (EXCLUSIVE)". 8 June 2018.
  5. "Judith Shekoni | Actress". IMDb .
  6. "History of Extension Evolution" . Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  7. "Make It America" . Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  8. Adams, Guy (3 November 2012). "Judi Shekoni: From EastEnders to Twilight". Independent.co.uk.
  9. "Judith Shekoni". Speakers for Schools. 26 February 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  10. "Movie Review: Club Dancer – Low brow effrontery". The Free Press Journal . 8 April 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  11. Clarke, Stewart (11 June 2018). "'Maleficent 2' Adds Judith Shekoni of 'Heroes Reborn' and 'Ice' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  12. "'Maleficent 2' Adds Judith Shekoni of 'Heroes Reborn' and 'Ice' (Exclusive)". IMDb (in European Spanish). Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  13. "Breaking News - FOX Gives Updates on "Lie to Me," Reality Projects - TheFutonCritic.com". www.thefutoncritic.com. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  14. "Heroes Reborn". NBC.com. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.