9 Black British Actors On The Big Screen Moments That Inspired Them

I was watching television with my mother, it was some sort of variety show. I was about seven or eight and they showed a segment from the musical Annie.

It’s where all the kids in the orphanage are dancing and singing together and I noticed that one of the orphans was a little Black girl that looked a bit like me... I was mesmerised. It was rare that I saw someone that looked like me on British television at that time.

From that moment on I announced I would be an actor and never have wanted to do anything else.

Sophie is an Oscar-nominated actor, who recently starred in Ratched and is soon to be seen in Death On The Nile.

I may have been about eight when I saw What’s love Got To Do With It . Angela Bassett gave a phenomenal performance as Tina Turner. There’s a scene where Ike physically abuses Tina and falls asleep and she then takes the chance to escape. That was and still is one of the most heart-wrenching performances I’ve ever witnessed. I remember completely feeling her pain and believing it all. I was so compelled by her performance, I wanted to know how to do what she did: become another person, so utterly truthfully. Bassett was robbed of her Academy Award for that performance, but she won me over and sewed a seed in this little Nigerian girl that would help steer the course of my career, life and purpose.

Weruche Opia most recently starred as Terry in Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You, on iPlayer now.

I grew up watching the careers of Sophie Okonedo, Naomie Harris and Thandie Newton and wanting to fashion my career path like theirs. I hope they know how integral they were, and still are, in inspiring women like me to forge ahead and create a space all on our own. I thank them so deeply for their talent and presence within the industry.

Naomi Ackie has starred in The End Of The F***ing World, Star Wars Episode IX: Rise of Skywalker and will soon be seen in Small Axe.

It’s got to be my mum. For as long as I can remember, she’s taught us about our history, and personified her pride in it. The success of her career is testament not only to her brilliance, but also to how hard she had to fight. My path is easier because of the battles she helped win, but the war goes on, and I hear her voice in me every day as I wage it.

Nico Parker soon stars HBO’s THE THIRD DAY opposite Naomie Harris and Jude Law. She is the daughter of Thandie Newton.

Anna Deavere Smith's entire career as an artist, author, and practitioner is my inspiration, but in particular her one-woman play, Notes From the Field.

It rocked my world forever - I’d never seen a piece as incredible on screen as it was on the stage, an artist so tangibly committed to their craft, in writing as in practice. I’d never seen work so perfectly walk that electrical line between uncompromising creativity and a burning political, social, and humanitarian purpose.

She also once gave me a brusque, but loving lesson in set etiquette that still makes me check I’m carrying myself with the kind of pride, courage, and generosity that great actors can bring to every set I step on!

Regé-Jean Page will soon play the lead in Netflix's Bridgerton and features in Prime Video's Sylvie's Love, both coming Christmas Day 2020.

Angela Bassett was the first actor I fell in love with. I wanted to be her; I just thought she was awesome in every way. I still do.

I always remember seeing her in The Jacksons and when she repeats: 'I don’t want you, I don’t want you, I don’t want you'.

I was like, 'yes tell him!' I was so young when it came out, but my parents had copied it onto VHS and I watched it multiple times.

Jade Anouka joins the cast of His Dark Materials when it returns this November on BBC One.

My biggest inspiration has to be my favourite film: Sister Act 2!

Seeing Lauryn Hill's character pursue her passion and lick that melody into 'Joyful Joyful' at the end; watching her lean into her challenges - family pressures, being an outsider, nerves - it was so powerful and meaningful to me that a Black girl could overcome obstacles and achieve greatness.

Not to forget the whole choir living in their authentic truth, abandoning tradition and order with how they expressed themselves and their clothing. And the goddess Whoopi Goldberg's mentorship penetrated through the screen with joyous encouragement. There wasn't much visibility of people who looked like me on screen growing up and I felt seen, inspired and celebrated with this film.

Faith Alabi will soon be seen as series regular Jenny in Luca Guadagnino's We Are Who We Are.

My first 'wow' experience would definitely be watching Jada Pinkett Smith in Set it Off. I was young when I watched this and I remember being mesmerised by this beautiful Black woman with her short braids. Her acting was so powerful, raw and believable.

Another would be Viola Davis in How To Get Away With Murder. She is incredible, a superwoman. To also see Annalise taking off her wig and putting her headscarf on at night. My first thought was 'rah!' FINALLY: realness, truth.

Amarah Jae St Aubyn is soon to star in Lover’s Rock, a film which is part of Steve McQueens ‘Small Axe’ anthology series, coming to BBC One and iPlayer this November.

As a child I loved Whoopi Goldberg, she was a huge inspiration. One of the only Black women in the early 90s playing lead roles in world famous block busters.

To me, she was everything; funny, captivating and real. Watching her on screen gave me a sense of pride and excitement and, I guess, in some ways hope that there was something bigger than the world I was growing up in.

Fun fact: Whoopi also looks like my Mum, I mean they really look alike, especially in the early 1990s!

Isis Davis stars in The Secret Garden, in cinemas and on Sky Cinema 23 October.