All the Black British Actors Killing It In Hollywood Right Now
With the announcement that actor David Jonsson will be taking on the role of T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) son in “Black Panther 3,” Hollywood has been introduced to yet another Black British powerhouse ready to make a name for himself on the silver screen. But Jonsson isn’t the only one. Black British talent has steadily been taking over Hollywood, whether leading horror films, as with Chiwetel Ejiofor in “Backrooms,” or becoming the faces of iconic franchises, as with Aaron Pierre in DC’s “Lanterns.” Here are some more Black Brits who are making it big in cinema.
David Jonsson
Outside of “Black Panther 3,” David Jonsson’s acting credits range from the 2020 HBO gritty finance drama series “Industry” to the 2023 British rom-com “Rye Lane.” Most recently, he earned praise for his role as Peter McVries in the 2025 horror film “The Long Walk.”
Naomi Ackie
Naomi Ackie has made a name for herself in Hollywood through her roles in Boots Riley’s comedy film “I Love Boosters” and director Bong Joon Ho’s 2025 sci-fi movie “Mickey 17.” Now, the Black British star is set to join the DCU in the 2026 horror film “Clayface,” based on the DC villain of the same name.
Tosin Cole
After playing Michael Lasaki in the British Netflix drama “Supacell,” Tosin Cole has proven himself to have what it takes to be the next leading man in Hollywood. He also starred in the 2022 legal drama “61st Street” alongside Courtney B. Vance and will appear in “Children of Blood and Bone,” an adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s Nigerian fantasy novel of the same name.
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Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje was one of the primary antagonists in season three of HBO’s drama “Euphoria.” Other notable performances by Akinnuoye-Agbaje include Killer Croc in “Suicide Squad,” Majestic in the 2005 drama “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” and Nash in the 2014 adaptation of the musical “Annie.”
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Chiwetel Ejiofor became a Hollywood fixture after his role in the 2013 biographical drama “12 Years a Slave” and appeared in the hit 2015 film “The Martian” as Vincent Kapoor. This year, he starred in another box office success by leading the A24 horror film “Backrooms.”
Delroy Lindo
British-born actor Delroy Lindo is a Hollywood veteran with a slew of iconic roles under his belt, such as Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X,” the 2000 action film “Romeo Must Die,” and, most recently, he earned his first Academy Award nomination for his role as Delta Slim in Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners.”
Although he’s been living in the U.S. for years and years, many have been surprised to learn that he’s a Brit.
Thandiwe Newton
Thandie Newton is a household name with a long list of blockbusters such as “Mission: Impossible 2,” “The Pursuit of Happyness,” and “Solo: A Star Wars Story” under her belt. Currently, the star is working on Michaela Coel’s upcoming drama series “First Day On Earth.”
Naomie Harris
Naomie Harris has showcased her impressive acting range, having starred in the 2016 drama “Moonlight” and the 2021 James Bond film “No Time to Die.” Today, she’s reported to be working on the new BBC legal drama ” Reputation” where she’ll play a lawyer tackling a stressful high-profile celebrity case.
Wunmi Mosaku
Wunmi Mosaku was a breath of fresh air in Ryan Coogler’s Academy Award-winning film “Sinners,” capturing the heart of Hollywood. Now, the Black British actress is working on the 2026 biographical drama “The Social Reckoning” and lending her voice to season two of the DC animated series “Batman: Caped Crusader.”
Cynthia Erivo
In 2025, Cynthia Erivo got an Oscar nomination as Elphaba in “Wicked” and continued to shine in the film’s 2025 installment, “Wicked: For Good.” Erivo will continue in the fantasy realm as Admiral Kaea in “Children of Blood and Bone.”
Aaron Pierre
After exploding on the scene with “Mufasa: The Lion King,” Aaron Pierre has been collecting an impressive slate of projects under his belt. The actor is set to play the first Black Green Lantern in the 2026 DC series “Lanterns,” and he also voiced Mane Attraction in the animated sports film “GOAT.”
Damson Idris
Since breaking into Hollywood in 2017 with the FX drama “Snowfall,” Damson Idris has cemented himself as a leading man in Hollywood. He shined in the Academy Award-nominated film “F1,” is working on “Children of Blood and Bone,” and will play jazz icon Miles Davis in the biographical romance film “Miles & Juliette.”
Idris Elba
Idris Elba has been a Hollywood icon for decades, with projects like “The Wire” and “Luther” under his belt. Most recently, he starred in the 2023 thriller series “Hijack” and the 2026 film “Masters of the Universe,” and he will appear in the upcoming film “Children of Blood and Bone.”
Lucien Laviscount
Lucien Laviscount shined in the Netflix hit romance series “Emily in Paris” and is now building his acting credits by showcasing his range across multiple genres. He is in the 2026 psychological horror film “Strung” and the romance film “People We Meet on Vacation,” based on the Emily Henry novel of the same name.
John Boyega
John Boyega had a quiet period after taking on roles in the 2022 action film “The Woman King” and the 2023 thriller “They Cloned Tyrone.” But the Black British actor is getting ready to take over the silver screen again with the supernatural horror film “The Punishing.”
Lashana Lynch
Lashana Lynch has starred in multiple iconic franchises, having appeared in the James Bond film “No Time to Die” and the MCU’s “Captain Marvel.” Now, the star is joining another franchise with the film “Children of Blood and Bone.”
Michaela Coel
Michaela Coel has steadily been taking over Hollywood with her role in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and her acclaimed 2020 drama “I May Destroy You.” This year, she featured in the musical drama “Mother Mary” alongside Anne Hathaway.
Daniel Kaluuya
Jordan Peele’s right-hand man, Daniel Kaluuya, became an icon in Hollywood by becoming the first Black British actor to win an Academy Award for his role in the 2020 film “Judas and the Black Messiah.” The actor is currently working on the A24 thriller “Hotel Hotel Hotel Hotel” and starring in Chris Rock’s 2026 comedy-drama “Misty Green.”
Jodie Turner-Smith
Having worked on notable projects such as “Queen & Slim” and the 2021 drama film “After Yang,” Turner-Smith has continued to take on impressive roles. Most recently, she was in the sci-fi action film “Tron: Ares” and is a key fixture in the Netflix thriller series “The Agency.”
Regé-Jean Page
Regé-Jean Page earned tons of praise in Netflix’s “Bridgerton,” and this year he stole hearts in the rom-com “You, Me & Tuscany,” alongside Halle Bailey. Outside of romance, the Black British actor is returning to Netflix to star in the erotic thriller series “Hancock Park.”
Kingsley Ben-Adir
Kingsley Ben-Adir portrayed Malcolm X in the 2020 drama “One Night in Miami” and has continued to shine on the silver screen with roles in the 2024 musical biopic “Bob Marley: One Love” and the 2026 prison drama “Frank & Louis.”
David Oyelowo
David Oyelowo plays the lead role in the 2025 Apple TV+ comedy-drama series “Government Cheese” and the 2026 drama film “Newborn.” Following up on his latest projects, the actor is working on “Clarissa,” a film based on the novel “Mrs. Dalloway” by iconic British writer Virginia Woolf.
