The most influential black folks across the pond

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Noel Clarke, 32
Writer/Director/Actor

Noel Clarke has predictably perhaps, been called “the new Spike Lee” and hailed as one of the most powerful people in British films. It is easy to dismiss this as just media hype, but the accolades keep coming.

Born and raised in west London, it was at school that Clarke discovered his love for acting and started to follow his passion. On screen, Clarke is a popular actor whose resume includes primetime TV favorites Doctor Who and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. 

He has also appeared on stage including a lead in Christopher Shinn’s Royal court play – Where Do We Live? directed by Richard Wilson for which Clarke won The Lawrence Olivier award for most promising new performer.

In 2006 Clarke starred in the critically acclaimed flick Kidulthood, a movie made from a script he had penned a few years earlier, and which became one of the top-10 British films of the year.

It was his big-screen writing and film-acting debut that earned him kudos and more writing gigs, notably with the BBC. 

This year he added a director credit to his CV with Adulthood, the sequel to Kidulthood, and once again he also served as writer and acted in the film.  Its release marked the first time a black British film had a West End premiere. 

Adulthood, which was made for just £1m, grossed an impressive £1.36m at the box office on its opening weekend.

Clarke said:

“If anyone is proof that you can do things, then I am that proof.  I didn’t go to private school or college and I came from a council estate in west London.  People don’t have to look up to me or see me as a role model, but they should look at me and see that they can do whatever they want in life.

 ”I just want to make films and take the audience that watch my films into different directions. So I can broaden my horizons – and hopefully theirs.”

www.noelclarke.co.uk

This story is filed under: Arts & Culture

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