Cyril Nri

• Name — Cyril Nri • Birth Name — Cyril Ikechukwu Nri • Born — 25 April 1961 • Birthplace — Nigeria • Occupation — Actor • Education — Bristol Old Vic Theatre School

Nri was born on 25 April 1961 in Nigeria. Nri's paternal side of the family is Igbo, while his mother was originally from Barbados; they fled the country in 1968 before the Nigerian Civil War ended. He moved to Portugal when he was seven, and later to London. Nri attended Holland Park School in West London and appeared in a school production of Three Penny Opera. He attended the Young Vic Youth Theatre in Waterloo, London. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating in 1984. Nri has lived in South London since the 1980s.

Nri is best known for playing Superintendent Adam Okaro, later Borough Commander, for four years in the long-running ITV police drama The Bill. His character became the highest ranking black character in the show. After drama school at the Bristol Old Vic, Nri started acting life at The Royal Shakespeare Company, where his first role was Lucius in Ron Daniels' 1982 production of Julius Caesar. He played Ariel to Max Von Sydow's Prospero in Jonathan Miller's 1988 production of The Tempest. He played Graham in the BBC's legal drama This Life (1996–1997). In 2009, he appeared in The Observer at the Royal National Theatre. In 2009 and 2010, he appeared in Law & Order UK as Judge Demarco and again reprised this role in the 2012 and 2013 series of the show. In 2012–13, he played Cassius in Greg Doran's Royal Shakespeare Company production of Julius Caesar in Stratford upon Avon, London and New York, where in his New York Times review Ben Brantley said of Nri, "Mr. Nri's expression as he registers Caesar's words is that of a man who feels a noose tightening around his neck. Wary and sly, scared and manipulative, Mr. Nri is an excellent Cassius, capturing the climate of paranoia and politicking that thickens the air." In 2016, he earned a British Academy Television Award nomination for his performance as Lance in the Russell T. Davies TV series Cucumber. He also appeared in an episode of Goodnight Sweetheart playing a doctor at the hospital where Yvonne Sparrow loses her unborn child (series 4). In 2016, he played Polonius in Simon Godwin's production of Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 2017, Nri appeared on stage at the Dorfman Theatre, London, in Barber Shop Chronicles by Inua Ellams. In 2020, he played a barrister in the BBC drama Noughts and Crosses. In 2021, he played Sheldon in the Royal National Theatre's production of Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress. Nri played Bill in the Young Vic's 2023 revival of Zinnie Harris' Further than the Furthest Thing.

Nri has been married and is gay.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1989 — Saracen — Desmond — Episode: "Three Blind Mice" • 4 Play — Tony Sewell — Episode: "The Book Liberator" • 1990 — The Bill — Julian Bates — Episode: "A Case to Answer" • 1992 — Runaway Bay — Paul — Episode: "History Revisited" • 1993 — Frank Stubbs Promotes — Brian — Episode: "Wheels" • 1994 — Calling the Shots — Paul — Miniseries; 2 episodes • 1995 — Casualty — Steve York — Episode: "Compensation" • 1996 — Pie in the Sky — Stuart Crowe — Episode: "New Leaf" • 2000 — Family Affairs — William McHugh — Recurring role • 1996–1997 — This Life — Graham — Series regular; 22 episodes • 1997 — Goodnight Sweetheart — Dr. Obote — Episode: "How Long Has This Been Going On?" • 1998 — The Bill — Chris Lycett — Episode: "One of the Gang" • 1999 — A Touch of Frost — Warren Barber — Episode: "One Man's Meat" • Maisie Raine — Paul — Episode: "Old Scores" • 2000 — Holby City — Ben Sincalir — Episode: "Against All Odds" • The Bill — Pascal Illunga — Episode: "Beyond Conviction" • Arabian Nights — Schaca — Miniseries; 2 episodes • 2001 — Doctors — Andrew Lombard — Episode: "Too Posh to Push" • Down to Earth — Henry Jones — Episode: "Great Expectations" • 2001–2002 — EastEnders — D.C. Burton — Recurring role; 11 episodes • 2002–2006 — The Bill — Superintendent Adam Okaro — Series regular • 2003 — Murder Investigation Team — Superintendent Adam Okaro — Episode: "Moving Targets" • 2007 — Holby City — Lawrence Marshall — Episode: "Blood Ties" • Cold Blood — Colonel Harrington Smith — Episode: "Dead and Buried" • 2008 — Waking the Dead — Raymond Ayanike — Episode: "Skin" • 2009–2014 — Law & Order: UK — Judge De Marco — Recurring role; 4 episodes • 2010 — Doctors — Mark Harmer — Episode: "Too Little, Too Late" • The Sarah Jane Adventures — The Shopkeeper — Episode: "Lost in Time" • 2011 — House of Anubis — Mr. Lewis — Recurring role; 3 episodes • Tinga Tinga Tales — Peacock — Recurring role; 2 episodes • Holby City — Pastor Carl — Episode: "In Between Days" • New Tricks — Billy Green — Episode: "Setting Out Your Shell" • 2013 — Wizards vs Aliens — Nathaniel Nightjar — Episode: "100 Wizards" • 2014 — Doctors — Thomas Hakizimana — Episode: "A Blind Eye" • 2015 — Crims — Mr. Gardner — Episode: "Day Fifty-Seven" • Cucumber — Lance Sullivan — Miniseries; 6 episodes • Critical — Joseph Whitnell — Episode: "The Weakness of Mankind" • 2016 — Class — Chair — Episode: "The Lost" • 2017 — Death in Paradise — Mayor Joseph Richards — Episode: "Erupting in Murder" • Bucket — Mr. Merdon — Recurring role; 2 episodes • Doctors — Inspector Tony Callaghan — Episode: "Running with the Pack" • Midsomer Murders — Warwick Sowande — Episode: "The Curse of the Ninth" • 2018 — On the Edge — Patrick — Episode: "A Mother's Love" • Zapped — Quincy Peacock — Episode: "Chef" • The ABC Murders — Father Anselm — Miniseries; 1 episode • 2020 — Devils — Greg — Recurring role; 3 episodes • 2022 — Holier Than Thou — Seun — Episode: "Pilot" • 2023 — The Power — Eniola Ojo — Episode: "A New Organ" • 2024 — Daddy Issues — Stuart — Episode: "Normal Men"