Chiwetel Ejiofor Credits His Igbo Name For His Hollywood Success

Chiwetel Ejiofor who is born to Nigerian parents in London describes how he was advised to change his surname when he was first starting acting, but refused to do so and is happy.
He says;

”I couldn’t understand what the problem was. I mean, bring it on. Let’s do that!
”They seemed to think it was a negative, but it allowed me to work in Africa, in England and in the States.”

Though he has been working in theatre since he was 15 years old, the actor never imagined he’d make it as a film star and his mother did not want him to become one.

He said: ”I got good grades, so she wanted me to go to university at least. But at 15 I was quite wilful and demanding. I got a scholarship to MALDA and said I’d support myself with this job and that. It was a fait accompli, you know.”