Arnold Oceng

Arnold Oceng
Born
Arnold Oceng

(1985-11-30) 30 November 1985 (age 39)
Uganda
NationalityUgandan, British
Other namesSnakeyman
Years active1999–present
AwardsNational Film Awards, 2017

Arnold Oceng, sometimes known as Snakeyman, (born 30 November 1985), is a Ugandan-born British actor and singer.[1] Oceng is best known for the roles in Grange Hill, Adulthood and Brotherhood.[2]

Personal life

He was born on 30 November 1985.[3] In 1986 when he was one year of age, his family moved to Brixton, South London as refugees.[1]

Career

He started acting at the age of 6 as a child artist.[4] In school, he played as 'King Herod' in the play at the Corpus Christi Roman Catholic primary school on Brixton Hill.[2]

In 1999, he made his acting debut as a child artist with the role 'Calvin Braithwaite' in the 73 episodes of BBC children's television drama serial Grange Hill. The series was highly popular and continued until 2004.[5] Since then he acted in minor supportive roles in many television serials including, Casualty, The Bill and Sold. Oceng made his maiden cinema appearance in 2008 film Adulthood. He later followed with supportive roles in independent UK films, 4.3.2.1. and My Brother The Devil.[1][2]

In 2014, he acted alongside Reese Witherspoon in the film The Good Lie, which became his first Hollywood role. In 2016, he made the role 'Charles' in the film A United Kingdom which had its premier in BFI London Film Festival. Then he starred in the Danish biopic The Greatest Man screened in 2016.[1] In the same year, he joined the cast of film Brotherhood.[2] In 2017, he was nominated for the Male Performance in Film award at Screen Nation Film and Television Awards which was held at the Park Plaza London Riverbank hotel on 7 May 2017.[6] In the same year, he won the award for the Best Supporting Actor at National Film Awards UK for his role in Brotherhood.[7]

Filmography

Key
† Denotes projects that have not yet been released

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2007 The Prodigals Marlon Short film
2008 Adulthood Henry
One of Those Days Angel Steward #4 Short film
2009 Dog Endz Quinton TV film
2010 4.3.2.1. Dark Chocolate
2011 The Tapes Nathan
Victim Jayden
Demons Never Die Curtis
Point Blank TV film
2012 My Brother the Devil Aj
Payback Season Maxy
The Knot Fulishio Akinkugbe
2013 Circle of Revenge Lil Reese
It's a Lot Aasif
2014 The Good Lie Mamere
2016 Brotherhood Henry Okocha
A United Kingdom Charles
2017 Breathe Arnold Short film
Pound for Pound Ayub Kalule
TBC Finding Forever† Marvin Pre-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1999–2004 Grange Hill Calvin Braithwaite Series regular; 73 episodes
2006 Casualty Solomon 'Sol' Lakah Recurring role; 5 episodes
2007 The Bill Wayne Tindle Episode: "The Good Old Days"
Sold Josh Series 1, Episode 3
2011 Top Boy Femi Series 1, Episode 1
2017 This World Joseph Episode: "The Attack: Terror in the UK"
2018 Age Before Beauty Leon Recurring role; 4 episodes
2019 Dark Money Ryan Osei Miniseries; 4 episodes
2022 The Underground Jaidai Miniseries

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
2015 National Film Awards Best Newcomer The Good Lie Nominated
2017 National Film Awards Best Breakthrough Performance in a Film Brotherhood Nominated
National Film Awards Best Supporting Actor Brotherhood Won
Screen Nation Film and Television Awards Male Performance in Film Brotherhood Nominated

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Arnold Oceng, Stars of Tomorrow 2016". Screen Daily. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Brixton actor Arnold Oceng on his latest role in A United Kingdom". The Resident. Archived from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Arnold Oceng: actor". The Times of India. timesofindia. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Inspirational teacher & actor Arnold Oceng, #177". 1000londoners. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Chicks Chat With Arnold Oceng". THOSE LONDON CHICKS. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  6. ^ "Susan Wokoma, Malachi Kirby, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Arnold Oceng & more nominated for the 12th Screen Nation Awards". SceneTV Ltd. 18 April 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  7. ^ Fuller, Lisa (29 March 2017). "National Film Awards 2017 winners announced". Camden Monthly. Retrieved 13 June 2019.