Zainab Jah | |
---|---|
Born | London, UK |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2000–present |
Zainab Jah is a British award-winning theater, television and film actress of Sierra Leonean descent. [1] She is mostly known for her theater performances as Maima (Wife Number Two) in Danai Gurira's Broadway play Eclipsed , Venus , and School Girls, among others. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
She has also worked in film and television. She plays anti-corruption minister Aminata Sissoko in the second season of Deep State , and Aby Bah in Homeland. She has also appeared on Blindspot and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit .
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | Dinner Rush | Adrian | |
2006 | Naptime | Singer | Short film |
2007 | The Summoning of Everyman | Confession | |
2008 | How to Make Afang Soup | Mama | Short film |
2015 | Emily & Tim | Helayne Specter | |
2016 | New York, I Love You | Sophie | Short film |
2016 | Buried | Zainab | Short film |
2019 | Jazz in Wakanda | Zainab | Short film |
2020 | Farewell Amor | Esther | |
2021 | False Positive | Grace Singleton | |
2021 | Out/Side Of Time | Short film | |
2021 | The Black Disquisition | Sedalia/Mom | Short film |
2022 | Sherman | Sherman | Short film |
2022 | Launch at Paradise | Elsa | Short film |
2022 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | Mining Tribe Elder | |
2023 | Drift | Etweda Kamara | |
2023 | All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt | Older Mack |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2001 | 100 Centre Street | Episode: "Lost Causes" | |
2005 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Homeless Person | Episode: "Goliath" |
2016–17 | Homeland | Aby Bah | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
2017 | Elementary | Female Crematory Worker | Episode: "High Heat" |
2018 | Blindspot | President Botros | Episode: "Defection" |
2018 | Instinct | Rebreau | Episode: "Bye Bye Birdie" |
2019 | Deep State | Aminata Sissoko | Season 2 regular; 7 episodes |
2020 | The Good Lord Bird | Harriet Tubman | Episode: "Smells Like Bear" |
2021 | Only Murders in the Building | Ndidi Idoko | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
2023 | East New York | Adama Gueye | Episode: "We Didn't Start the Fire" |
2023 | The Blacklist | Aissa Joachim | Episode: "Dr. Michael Abani (No. 198)" |
2023 | The Continental | Mazie | Mini-series; 2 episodes |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2005 | Medea | Death | |
2006 | King Lear | Regan | |
2007 | (The Blood) Electra | Electra | |
2008 | Trojan Women | Helen | |
2009 | Eclipsed | Maima (Wife #2) | |
2015 | |||
2016 | |||
2016 | Stuffed | Katey | |
2017 | Venus | Sarah Baartman | [8] [9] |
2017 | School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play | Eloise Amponsah | |
2019 | Boesman and Lena | Venus |
Awards and nominations [10] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref |
2016 | Obie Award | Obie Award for Performance | Eclipsed | Won | |
Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play | Nominated | |||
2017 | Audie Award | Audie Award for Young Listeners | 28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed the World | Won | |
2018 | Drama Desk Award | Drama Desk Ensemble Award | School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play | Won | |
2019 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Boesman and Lena | Nominated | |
Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Play | Nominated | [11] | ||
Lucille Lortel Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play | Nominated | |||
2021 | FESPACO Award | Best Actress | Farewell Amor | Won |
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