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In-depth profiles of the entertainers, entrepreneurs, creatives and personalities making headlines — who they are and how they got here.
Celebrity Buzz From Zaria to an NBA title: Masai Ujiri, the Nigerian executive who built the 2019 Toronto Raptors
Masai Ujiri grew up in Zaria, Nigeria, played basketball in the United States and Europe, and became an NBA executive. As president of the Toronto Raptors, he built the team that won the 2019 NBA championship. His Giants of Africa foundation runs camps and builds courts across the continent.
Celebrity Buzz Seven feet four, a Congolese father and a French childhood: Victor Wembanyama, the NBA’s newest giant
Victor Wembanyama, born in France to a Congolese father and a French mother, was the first pick in the 2023 NBA draft. At around 7 foot 4, with guard skills, he was named Rookie of the Year in 2024 and won an Olympic silver medal with France.
Movies & TV The Duke of Hastings grew up in Harare: Regé-Jean Page and the Bridgerton phenomenon
Regé-Jean Page, who played the Duke of Hastings in Netflix's Bridgerton, was born in London to a Zimbabwean mother and an English father and spent much of his childhood in Harare. The 2020 series made him a global star.
Movies & TV Accra-born Hugh Quarshie played Ric Griffin in Holby City for two decades, and a Jedi-era captain in Star Wars
Hugh Quarshie, born in Accra in 1954 and raised in Britain, spent about two decades as surgeon Ric Griffin in the BBC drama Holby City. He also played Captain Panaka in Star Wars: Episode I and is a respected Shakespearean actor.
Entertainment “The ting goes skrrrahh”: how Michael Dapaah’s Big Shaq turned a parody into a global hit
Michael Dapaah, a British comedian of Ghanaian heritage, created the character Big Shaq. His 2017 freestyle "Man's Not Hot", a parody of UK drill and grime, became a viral hit, reached the UK top ten and was performed around the world.
Movies & TV Born in Addis Ababa, raised in Limerick: Ruth Negga and the Oscar nomination for Loving
Ruth Negga was born in Addis Ababa to an Ethiopian father and an Irish mother and grew up in Limerick. Her role as Mildred Loving in the 2016 film Loving earned an Academy Award nomination. Her father died in a car accident in Ethiopia when she was a child.
Celebrity Buzz A Panenka that sent Morocco into history: Achraf Hakimi and Africa’s first World Cup semi-final
Achraf Hakimi, born in Madrid to Moroccan parents, chose to play for Morocco. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, his chipped penalty knocked out Spain and helped Morocco become the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final.
Celebrity Buzz From Sarcelles to a 5,000-1 title: Riyad Mahrez and Leicester City’s miracle season
Riyad Mahrez, the son of an Algerian father and a mother of Algerian and Moroccan heritage, grew up in Sarcelles near Paris. He was the star of Leicester City's 5,000-1 Premier League title in 2016, then won more titles with Manchester City and captained Algeria to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Celebrity Buzz A Cameroonian father, an Algerian mother and a World Cup at 19: Kylian Mbappé’s story starts in Bondy
Kylian Mbappé grew up in Bondy, a suburb north-east of Paris, the son of a Cameroonian father and a French-Algerian mother. He won the World Cup with France at 19 in 2018, scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final and joined Real Madrid in 2024.
Celebrity Buzz Four Olympic golds, a knighthood and a hidden name: Mo Farah’s story from Somaliland to London
Mo Farah won the 5,000 and 10,000 metres at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. In 2022, he revealed that he had been brought to Britain illegally as a child under another boy's name and made to work as a domestic servant. His real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin.