Naomi Sarah Ackie (born 22 August 1991) is an English actress. She is known for her television roles in The End of the F***ing World (2019), for which she won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress, and Master of None (2021) and her film roles in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022), Blink Twice (2024), Sorry, Baby (2025), and Mickey 17 (2025).
Early life and education Naomi Sarah Ackie was born on 22 August 1991 in Walthamstow, London, the daughter of second-generation Grenadian immigrants. Her father was a Transport for London employee and her mother worked for the National Health Service. She has an older brother and sister.
She went to Walthamstow School for Girls. Her first role was at the age of 11, playing the angel Gabriel in a school nativity play.
She studied at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and graduated in 2012 from the Acting (Collaborative Devised Theatre) course.
Career Ackie's breakthrough film role was in Lady Macbeth (2016), for which she won the British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer in 2017.
She subsequently appeared in Idris Elba's directorial debut Yardie (2018) and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). She also portrayed Bonnie in the second season of Netflix's black comedy series The End of the F***ing World, and a school inspector in Education, an hour-long drama part of Steve McQueen's anthology film series Small Axe.
Ackie portrayed American singer Whitney Houston in the biographical film I Wanna Dance with Somebody. The film opened to mixed reviews but widespread praise for Ackie's performance, with Variety calling her "a veritable artist of lip-syncing." The Hollywood Reporter noted that Ackie herself is "a capable singer" and can be heard briefly in a few early scenes.
Ackie starred in Zoë Kravitz's directorial debut Blink Twice in 2024, and a year later starred opposite Robert Pattinson in Bong Joon Ho's Mickey 17, an adaptation of the science-fiction novel. In the same year, Ackie starred in Eva Victor's directorial debut, Sorry Baby, alongside Victor and Lucas Hedges.
Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes 2015 I Used to Be Famous Amber Short film 2016 Lady Macbeth Anna 2018 Yardie Mona 2019 The Corrupted Grace Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Jannah 2021 The Score Gloria 2022 I Wanna Dance with Somebody Whitney Houston Also executive producer 2024 Blink Twice Frida 2073 Professor2025 Sorry, Baby Lydie Mickey 17 Nasha Adjaya The Thursday Murder Club Donna De Freitas 2026 Shelter Chief Roberta Frost I Love Boosters Sade Dr. Caitlin Bates Post-productionTBA TBA Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes 2015 Doctor Who Jen Episode: "Face the Raven" 2016 The Five Gemma Morgan Miniseries, 2 episodes Damilola, Our Loved Boy Council Worker Television film 2018 Vera Louise Everitt Episode: "Black Ice" The Bisexual Ruby Recurring role 2019 Cleaning Up Beth 2 episodes The End of the F***ing World Bonnie Main cast (season 2) 2020 Small Axe Hazel Episode: "Education" 2021 Master of None Alicia Main cast (season 3) 2024 Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy Jedi Jannah (voice) Miniseries, 1 episode
Stage Year Title Role Venue Notes 2009 Success Lucy National Theatre, London with Islington Youth Theatre 2012 The Day the Waters Came Esther UK Tour with Theatre Centre2013 The Snow Queen Gowrie Greenwich Theatre, London Life Mould Rita Canada Water Library, London as part of "Write Lines Conference" by Theatre Centre Missing Kevin Godsen Engineer Theatre, Edinburgh as part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe Billy the Girl Amber Soho Theatre, London2015 The Nutcracker and the Mouse King Mama Unicorn Theatre, London Walking the Tightrope Mercedes Theatre Delicatessen Solace of the Road Grace Gibson Derby Theatre, Derby
Video game Year Title Role 2022 Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Jannah
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2017British Independent Film Award Best Supporting ActressLady Macbeth Most Promising Newcomer Evening Standard British Film Award Best Supporting Actress Screen International Star of Tomorrow 2017 Actors 2020 British Academy Television Award Best Supporting Actress The End of the F***ing World 2021 Black Reel Award for Television Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Master of None 2023 British Academy Film Awards EE Rising Star Award Trophée Chopard Female Revelation of the Year 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards Best Supporting Performance Sorry, Baby London Film Critics Circle Awards British/Irish Performer of the Year Sorry, Baby, Mickey 17, and The Thursday Murder Club
References
External links