Chuk Iwuji

Chukwudi Iwuji (; born 15 October 1975) is a Nigerian and British actor known for his recent collaborations with James Gunn. He is an Associate Artist for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He began his career in mainstream Hollywood in 2022 as Clemson Murn / Ik Nobe Lok in the HBO Max show Peacemaker. He also joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as The High Evolutionary, for which he received critical praise. Early life and education Iwuji is one of five Nigerian siblings born to diplomat parents. When Iwuji was age 10, they joined the United Nations, and the family moved to Ethiopia. At age 12, Iwuji was sent to boarding school in England. Between 1987 and 1993, he was a student at Caterham School, Surrey. He was elected Head Boy, the first Black student to be so in the school's history. He then attended Yale University and earned his undergraduate degree in economics in 1997. He attended the Professional Theatre Training Program (PTTP) at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2000. He then moved back to the United Kingdom. Career Theatre Iwuji began to perform at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2001. He had roles in Edward Hall's production of Julius Caesar and as Claudius in Hamlet, both in 2001. In 2002, he played Fenton in The Merry Wives of Windsor and Aufidius in Coriolanus. In 2006, he replaced David Oyelowo in the title role of the Henry VI trilogy in the revival of the This England: The Histories project. Iwuji described the role, "In Henry VI, the musicality is different: the thoughts are very structured." The production won the Olivier Award for Best Revival.