Archie Madekwe was born on 10 February 1995 in Lambeth, South London. He is 31 years old. From his early training in London to major roles in See, Gran Turismo and Saltburn, Madekwe has built a career that has increasingly placed him in high-profile international productions.
His father is of Nigerian and Swiss descent and worked as a plumber; his mother is English and worked as a fitness instructor. His parents divorced during his childhood, an experience he has said contributed to a sense of independence. His cousin is the actress Ashley Madekwe, known for roles in Revenge and County Lines.
Early Training and Breakthrough Roles
Archie attended the BRIT School from the age of 14 and later trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, leaving early when he was cast in a West End production of The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? opposite Damian Lewis. He also spent time with the National Youth Theatre.
Early television work included Casualty, Fresh Meat and Hang Ups. In 2019, he appeared as Simon in Ari Aster’s Midsommar and began a three-season run as Kofun in the Apple TV+ series See alongside Jason Momoa.
He played Courfeyrac in the BBC adaptation of Les Misérables. Bigger film roles followed with Gran Turismo in 2023 and a memorable turn as Farleigh Start in Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn the same year.
Lurker and Recent Recognition
In 2025, he took a leading role in Alex Russell’s Lurker, a performance that earned him a nomination for the BAFTA EE Rising Star Award and a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
He has also modelled for brands including Loewe. Standing around six foot five or six, he has spoken about being told early in training that his look and South London accent were considered too “urban” for classical roles, something that shaped how he approached casting.
Estimates of his net worth sit around 3.5 million dollars, drawn from series regular work, feature films and related opportunities.
He has described growing up in South London with parents who regularly rented films and took him to theatre, experiences that fed his interest in performance. He remains based between London and projects in the United States and continues to choose roles that place characters who look like him in spaces where they are not always expected.
Madekwe’s career continues to reflect the breadth of his training and the increasingly international scale of his work. From South London and the stage to major Hollywood and streaming productions, he has steadily carved out a place for himself among the younger British actors attracting global attention.
