Adepero Oduye

Adepero Oduye, who gave a breakout performance as the star of Dee Rees' Pariah, hails from Brooklyn, New York by way of Nigeria and is a Cornell University graduate. Her film credits include The Big Short and Twelve Years A Slave. Theater credits include Mfoniso Udofia's "Her Portmanteau" at The New York Theater Workshop, and "The Trip to Bountiful" on Broadway. Most recently: Ava Duvernay's When They See Us for Netflix, Marvel's The Falcon And The Winter Soldier for Disney+ and Five Days At Memorial for Apple TV+ and most recently the Netflix UK Limited Series Eric. To Be Free, her second short film as director and writer, has been added into the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture's permanent collection. The short stars Ms. Oduye as Nina Simone.