Wunmi Mosaku

Wunmi Mosaku

Author: BBC Radio 4 March 14, 2026 Duration: 15:14

She’s already won a Bafta for her portrayal of a hoodoo healer in the Southern gothic, Sinners. But can British actress Wunmi Mosaku win an Oscar too? Mosaku says her role has helped her connect with her ancestry and find parts of herself she thought she had lost.

Born in Nigeria in 1986, Wunmi moved to Manchester as a very young child, growing up in Hulme and Chorlton with her parents and two sisters. Her first taste of performing came aged seven when she joined Manchester Girls Choir which she remained a member of until she was eighteen.

But it wasn’t just singing where she excelled. Her sixth form drama teachers spotted her talent and she successfully auditioned for RADA. A decade after graduation she won her first Bafta for her portrayal of the mother of the murdered London schoolboy Damilola Taylor. American directors must have been watching as she began spending more time working stateside. She was cast in sci-fi series Lovecraft Country followed by a trip to Baltimore for a role in We Own This City. Then director Ryan Coogler got in touch and now she’s tipped for an Oscar.

Stephen Smith charts the rise and rise of Wunmi Mosaku.


Each week, Profile from BBC Radio 4 takes a single name from the global conversation and builds a detailed portrait, moving far beyond the headlines. This isn't a simple biography or a news recap. Instead, through careful documentary storytelling and personal journal excerpts where available, the podcast constructs a nuanced examination of character and motive. You’ll hear from colleagues, critics, and sometimes the subjects themselves, piecing together what drives and defines the people shaping our world. The focus rests firmly on influence, whether in politics, the arts, science, or social movements, exploring how an individual's background and choices ripple through society and culture. Listening to this podcast feels like gaining a deeper, more textured understanding of the figures you think you know, revealing the contradictions and convictions behind the public image. It’s a thoughtful half-hour that challenges first impressions, asking what truly lies behind a name in the news.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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