{{Short description|Ghanaian British actor (born 1980)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Use British English|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox person | image = | caption = | birth_name = David Kwaku Asamoah Gyasi | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1980|1|2}} | birth_place = Hammersmith, London, England | alma_mater = Middlesex University | occupation = | years_active = 2003–present | spouse = Emma Gyasi | children = 2 }}
'''David Kwaku Asamoah Gyasi''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|æ|s|i}};<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg681oDUElc|title=The Cast Of "Carnival Row" Tells Us About Their Firsts|work=BuzzFeed Celeb|date=30 August 2019|accessdate=13 November 2020}}</ref> born 2 January 1980) is an English actor. His films include ''Cloud Atlas'' (2012) and ''Interstellar'' (2014). On television, he is known for his roles in the BBC series ''White Heat'' (2012) and ''Troy: Fall of a City'' (2018), the CW miniseries ''Containment'' (2016), the Amazon Prime series ''Carnival Row'' (2019–2023), and the Netflix political thriller ''The Diplomat'' (2023–present).
==Early life== Gyasi was born 2 January 1980 in Hammersmith, London, one of seven children to Ashanti Ghanaian parents who had arrived in England in 1966.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kebble |first=Mark |date=June 2021 |title=Living the Dream |url=https://issuu.com/zestmedialondon/docs/berkshire/s/12368583 |accessdate=2 January 2023 |website=Absolutely Berkshire magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ngimbi |first=Emmanuella |date=2020 |title=Hell On The Border: Interview With David Gyasi |url=https://www.pridemagazine.com/hell-on-the-border-interview-david-gyasi/ |journal=Pride |accessdate=6 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurweb.com/2014/11/eur-exclusive-interstellar-star-david-gyasi-discusses-key-role-in-film-watch/|title=EUR Exclusive: 'Interstellar' Star David Gyasi Discusses Key Role in Film (Watch)|work=EURweb|date=5 November 2014|access-date=7 November 2014|archive-date=7 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107170058/http://www.eurweb.com/2014/11/eur-exclusive-interstellar-star-david-gyasi-discusses-key-role-in-film-watch/|url-status=dead}}</ref> They nearly divorced when he was young. <ref>{{Cite web|title=The Diplomat's David Gyasi: 'I'm quite explicit about who Jesus is' |url=https://www.premierchristianity.com/features/the-diplomats-david-gyasi-im-quite-explicit-about-who-jesus-is/18523.article}}</ref> Gyasi grew up in Fulham and Hayes. He attended Bishopshalt School and completed his A Levels at East Berkshire College.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=12 September 2019 |title=david gyasi [carnival row] |url=https://www.abookof.us/openbook/david-gyasi |journal=A Book of Magazine |accessdate=6 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.windsor-forest.ac.uk/about-us/news/|title=College and Firestation Arts team-up to ignite new talent|website=Windsor Forest College|access-date=7 March 2023|archive-date=2 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230402172121/https://www.windsor-forest.ac.uk/about-us/news/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He went on to study Drama at Middlesex University.<ref name="es 2012"/>
==Career== Gyasi landed his first main television role as Jeremy Hands in the 2005 ITV comedy ''Mike Bassett: Manager'', a follow-up to ''Mike Bassett: England Manager'' (2001), and his first major film role that same year in Michael Caton-Jones' ''Shooting Dogs''. Gyasi appeared alongside Kit Harington in the 2008 National Theatre production of ''War Horse''.
In 2012, Gyasi starred in the science fiction film ''Cloud Atlas'' as a Moriori slave called Autua; his inaccurate casting caused controversy for perpetuating false stereotypes about Moriori people.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monji |first=Jana J. |date=2012-11-19 |title=A hovering accusation of racism shadows 'Cloud Atlas' |url=https://ageofthegeek.org/2012/11/19/a-hovering-accusation-of-racism-shadows-cloud-atlas/ |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=Age of the Geek |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=says |first=Desechables Monterrey |date=2014-03-25 |title=Accumulated Histories and Disposable People in Cloud Atlas and the Black Atlantic |url=https://sites.duke.edu/blackatlantic/sample-page/contemporary-film-and-black-atlantic/history/accumulated-histories-and-disposable-people-in-cloud-atlas-and-the-black-atlantic/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928184212/https://sites.duke.edu/blackatlantic/sample-page/contemporary-film-and-black-atlantic/history/accumulated-histories-and-disposable-people-in-cloud-atlas-and-the-black-atlantic/ |archive-date=28 September 2022 |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=The Black Atlantic |language=en-US}}</ref> He then played young Victor (played by Hugh Quarshie later in the character's life) in the BBC Two historical drama ''White Heat''. This was followed by roles in the BBC One television film ''The Whale'' (2013) and Christopher Nolan's ''Interstellar'' (2014), the latter of which earned him a Black Reel Award nomination for Best Breakthrough Performance. Gyasi was cast as the lead of ''The Interceptor'', also on BBC One, but had to drop out due to a heel injury. The role was taken over by O. T. Fagbenle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rts.org.uk/article/rise-and-rise-david-gyasi|title=The rise and rise of David Gyasi|website=Royal Television Society|first=Ben|last=Dowell|date=30 August 2019|accessdate=6 March 2023}}</ref>
Gyasi starred as Major Alex "Lex" Carnahan in 2016 the CW miniseries ''Containment''. He went on to portray Achilles in the 2018 BBC and Netflix adaptation of ''The Iliad'', titled ''Troy: Fall of a City''. From 2019 to 2023, he starred as Agreus in the Amazon Prime fantasy series ''Carnival Row''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Petski|first1=Denise|title='Carnival Row': David Gyasi, Karla Crome, Indira Varma & Tamzin Merchant Join Amazon's Fantasy Drama Series|url=https://deadline.com/2017/09/carnival-row-david-gyasi-karla-crome-indira-varma-tamzin-merchant-cast-amazon-fantasy-drama-series-1202174765/|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|accessdate=15 December 2017|date=22 September 2017}}</ref> He also led the Western film ''Hell on the Border''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/galleries/NI43NSFE5VCG7LFIWIR4OHN4HM/|title=Filming of "Hell on the Border" in Alabama|website=AL.com|first=Mary|last=Colurso|accessdate=6 March 2023}}</ref> and appeared in ''Cold Blood'', ''Maleficent: Mistress of Evil'', and ''Come Away''. He had a recurring role as Ben Chambers in series 3 of ''The A Word''.
Since 2023 he has played British Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison in the Netflix series ''The Diplomat''.
==Personal life== Gyasi began dating his wife Emma (née Llaudes) during sixth form at East Berkshire College. They had their first child, a daughter Elèna (born 1999); she is now an actress.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photos-New-Shots-of-the-Queens-of-the-SIX-UK-Tour-20210716 |title= Photos: New Shots of the Queens of the SIX UK Tour!|last=Rosky|first=Nicole|date=16 July 2021|website=BroadwayWorld|access-date=12 November 2022}}</ref> The couple married that year and later had their second child, a son Nathaniel.<ref name="es 2012">{{cite web |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/i-never-thought-about-what-my-father-went-through-when-he-came-here-7600031.html|title=I never thought about what my father went through when he came here|first=Liz|last=Hoggard|date=29 March 2012|website=Evening Standard |access-date=12 November 2022}}</ref> The family settled in a Buckinghamshire village.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://alt-africa.com/2021/10/14/29133/|title=ear for eye actor David Gyasi talks about how heart breaking having that "conversation" with 13 year old son was|journal=Alt a Review|date=14 October 2021|accessdate=6 March 2023}}</ref> Gyasi is a practising Anglican.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2021/5-february/features/interviews/interview-david-gyasi-actor|title=Interview: David Gyasi, actor|journal=Church Times|first=Terence|last=Handley MacMath|date=1 February 2021|accessdate=6 March 2023}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- | 2003 | ''What a Girl Wants'' | Ian's Band Member | |- | 2005 | ''Shooting Dogs'' | François | |- | 2006 | ''Shoot the Messenger'' | Timothy | |- | rowspan="3" | 2012 | ''Red Tails'' | Corporal | |- | ''The Dark Knight Rises'' | Skinny Prisoner | |- | ''Cloud Atlas'' | Autua / Lester Rey / Duophysite | |- | 2014 | ''Interstellar'' | Romilly | |- | rowspan="2" | 2018 | ''Annihilation'' | Daniel | |- | ''Hunter Killer'' | The Chief of the Boat of USS Arkansas | |- | rowspan="3" | 2019 | ''Cold Blood'' | Malcolm | |- | ''Maleficent: Mistress of Evil'' | Percival | |- | ''Hell on the Border'' | Bass Reeves | |- | 2020 | ''Come Away'' | Captain Hook | |- | 2021 | ''Ear for Eye'' | US Dad | |- |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class = "unsortable" | Notes |- | 2003 | ''Goal'' | Joe Saunders | 1 episode |- | 2003–2004 | ''Casualty'' | Bryce | 2 episodes |- | rowspan="2" | 2004 | ''Murder City'' | Reporter | 1 episode |- | ''William and Mary'' | Policeman | 1 episode |- | rowspan="6" | 2005 | ''Sea of Souls'' | Lucas Hegarty | 2 episodes |- | ''Dream Team'' | Marlon | 1 episode |- | ''No Angels'' | Leonard | 1 episode |- | ''The Brief'' | DS Kitson | 1 episode |- | ''Mike Bassett: Manager'' | Jeremy Hands | 5 episodes |- | ''The Bill'' | Jason Fielding | 1 episode |- | 2005–2007 | ''Doctors'' | Joe Fisher / Sean Foster | 2 episodes |- | 2006 | ''Torchwood'' | Hospital Patient | 1 episode |- | rowspan="2" | 2007 | ''Coming Up'' | Marlon | 1 episode |- | ''Silent Witness'' | DS Ian Cross | 1 episode |- | rowspan="2" | 2008 | ''Waking the Dead'' | Charlie Ayanike | 2 episodes |- | ''Apparitions'' | Father Daniel | 2 episodes |- | rowspan="3" | 2009 | ''Demons'' | Physics Teacher | 1 episode |- | ''Law & Order: UK'' | Lennie Gaines | 1 episode |- | ''Murderland'' | Will | 2 episodes |- | 2010 | ''Holby City'' | Moses Abebe | 1 episode |- | rowspan="2" | 2012 | ''White Heat'' | Victor | Main role; 6 episodes |- | ''Doctor Who'' | Harvey | 1 episode |- | 2013 | ''The Whale'' | Peterson | Television film |- | 2016 | ''Containment'' | Lex Carnahan | Lead role |- | 2017 | ''Man in an Orange Shirt'' | Steve | Episode 2 |- | 2018 | ''Troy: Fall of a City'' | Achilles | 8 episodes |- | 2019–2023 | ''Carnival Row'' | Agreus | Main role |- | 2020 | ''The A Word'' | Ben | 5 episodes |- | rowspan="2" | 2022 | ''The Sandman'' | The Grey Cat (voice) | Episode: "Dream of a Thousand Cats" |- | ''The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself'' | Marcus Edge | 3 episodes |- | 2023–present | ''The Diplomat'' | Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison | Main role |}
==Stage== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class = "unsortable" | Notes |- | 2006 | ''Much Ado About Nothing'' | Claudio | Library Theatre, Manchester<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bbashakespeare.warwick.ac.uk/people/david-gyasi|title=David Gyasi|website=BBA Shakespeare|accessdate=6 March 2023}}</ref> |- | 2008–2009 | ''War Horse'' | Lieutenant Stewart / Rudi | Royal National Theatre, London |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|1408543}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gyasi, David}} Category:Living people Category:1980 births Category:21st-century English male actors Category:Alumni of Middlesex University Category:Black British male actors Category:British Anglicans Category:English male film actors Category:English people of Ashanti descent Category:English people of Ghanaian descent Category:English male television actors Category:Actors from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Category:Male actors from London Category:People from Hammersmith Category:Actors from the London Borough of Hillingdon Category:People from Fulham Category:People from Hayes, Hillingdon Category:21st-century Black British people