Tony Okungbowa

Last updated

Tony Okungbowa
Tony Okungbowa 2013.jpg
Tony Okungbowa in 2013
Born
Anthony Victor Okungbowa

c. 1967or1968(age 56–57)
NationalityEnglish-American
Other namesTony Okungbowa, DJ Tony O.
CitizenshipAmerican
Alma mater Middlesex University
Occupation(s) Actor, film producer, DJ
Years active1994–present
Website www.tonyokungbowa.com

Anthony Victor Okungbowa (born c. 1967/1968) [1] is an English-American actor, film producer, and DJ. He was the resident DJ for The Ellen DeGeneres Show from 2003 to 2006 and again from 2008 to 2013 when he was replaced by Stephen "tWitch" Boss. He returned as a guest on April 28, 2014. Since 2019, Okungbowa plays Kofo in the CBS sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola .

Contents

Early life

Okungbowa is of Nigerian descent and was raised in Nigeria and London. [2] He has a degree in drama from Middlesex University in London. [3] He relocated to the United States in 1992, when he came to do post-graduate work at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City, later moving to Los Angeles in 1998. [1] [3]

Career

The Ellen DeGeneres Show features a DJ to provide musical accompaniment, a role Okungbowa began in 2003 to the end of season three of the show in 2006, when he left to further his acting career. [4] He was replaced at the beginning of season four by Jon Abrahams. He returned in 2007 for occasional substitute appearances, and returned to DJ full-time for the sixth season which began September 8, 2008. Okungbowa also DJ'd the 2004 Grammy Awards.

His acting roles include guest spots on The X-Files , NYPD Blue , Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and NCIS: Los Angeles in 2014.

He was executive producer of and acted in the film Restless City which had its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. [5]

As of at least January 7, 2013, Okungbowa had become a naturalized citizen of the United States. [6]

Filmography

Film
YearFilmRoleNotes
1993The PunkPunk Friend #2
2002 The Wild Thornberrys Movie RangerVoice
2003Gate to HeavenAmadou
2008Miracle of PhilSeth
2009The One Last TimeScarecow
2011 Restless City Bekay
CIS: Las GidiThe Tax Man
2013 Mother of George Biyi
2014Echo ParkAlex
Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1999 The X-Files Barnes' DriverEpisode: "The Sixth Extinction"
2000 Arli$$ Homeless JoeEpisode: "Where There's a Will"
2001 NYPD Blue Tristan L. GibbsEpisode: "Fools Russian"
2001; 2010 The Bold and the Beautiful Diver/Dempsey6 episodes
2003–06; 2008–13 The Ellen DeGeneres Show Himself/DJ1,672 Episode
2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dr. BakariEpisode: "Trials"
2014 NCIS Los Angeles Bakari DengEpisode: "Exposure"
2015Kids Say the Darndest Things NigeriaHimself/host2 episode
2017 Ballers Dr. DesterEpisode: "Alley-Oops"
2017 Ray Donovan BolajiEpisode: "Horses"
2019–2024 Bob Hearts Abishola KofoMain role

Discography

Mixed compilations

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References

  1. 1 2 King, Susan (January 8, 2006). "Putting his spin on TV talk". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Age: 38(subscription required)
  2. "Biography: Anthony Okungbowa", TV.com.
  3. 1 2 "Actor / DJ". Tony Okungbowa official website. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013..
  4. Kugel, Allison (June 1, 2006). "Tony Okungbowa: Resident Deejay on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Blazes His Own Trail in Hollywood" (Press release). Tony Okungbowa. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017 via PR.com.
  5. Anderson, John (February 1, 2011). "Review: 'Restless City'". Variety .
  6. Tony is an American Citizen!. The Ellen DeGeneres Show . January 7, 2013. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2019 via YouTube.