Who Is Damson Idris Related To? Meet The Family Of The Snowfall Star

Damson Idris is a British-Nigerian actor who has risen to fame for his role as Franklin Saint, a young drug dealer in Los Angeles, in the FX crime drama Snowfall. He has also appeared in other films and TV shows, such as Outside the Wire, The Twilight Zone, and Black Mirror. But who is Damson Idris related to? What is his family background and how did they influence his career? Here are some facts about the actor’s family that you may not know.

Damson Idris Was Born To Nigerian Parents In London

Damson Idris was born on 2 September 1991 in Peckham, South-East London, to Nigerian parents. He is of Yoruba Nigerian descent and has five older siblings. His parents moved to the UK in search of a better life, but he was raised by his single mother, Philippa Idris, who instilled in him ambition and hard work from a young age. According to Wikipedia, his birth name is Adamson Alade-Bo Idris, but he later changed it to Damson, which means “plum” in Yoruba.

Damson Idris Has Two Sisters And Three Brothers

Being the youngest of six children, Damson Idris comes from a large family. He has two sisters and three brothers as siblings. It is known that his older siblings have pursued successful professions in a variety of fields, such as law, business, and IT, even though their names and other personal information are not frequently revealed in the media. According to CelebCritics, Damson Idris once said that his siblings are his biggest fans and supporters, and that they always give him honest feedback on his performances.

Damson Idris Dreamed Of Being A Footballer Before Becoming An Actor

Damson Idris grew up playing football and rugby, and dreamed of being the next Cristiano Ronaldo. He also had the opportunity to shake the hand of Queen Elizabeth II when his team took part in her Golden Jubilee in 2002. However, a knee injury prevented him from pursuing a career in sports, and he began to seriously consider acting as an alternative. He studied Theatre, Film & Television Studies at Brunel University London, where he received a BA Honours degree. He then continued his training at the Identity School of Acting in London alongside other stars like John Boyega, Letitia Wright, and Malachi Kirby.

Damson Idris Made His Acting Debut On The Stage And Was Encouraged By Cathy Tyson

Damson Idris made his acting debut in 2012 on the stages of UK theatres. He played the role of Sam in Khadija Is 18 at the Finborough Theatre, which tells the story of two young refugees in the UK. He then starred in Pandora’s Box at the Arcola Theatre, which reveals the long-suppressed truths when a family spanning three generations meet in Lagos for the first time in over thirty years. He also performed at the Royal National Theatre in London before moving on to television and film roles. According to IMDb, he met actress Cathy Tyson at Brunel, who encouraged him to audition for Pandora’s Box and helped him sign with an agent.

Damson Idris Worked With John Singleton And WC To Master His Role In Snowfall

Damson Idris’s breakout role is Franklin Saint in Snowfall, which debuted in July 2017 on FX and ended in 2023 after six seasons. The show captures the early days of the crack cocaine epidemic during the 1980s in Los Angeles, and how it affected various characters whose lives collided because of drugs. Damson Idris auditioned through video in London before flying out to Los Angeles, where he spent the day with John Singleton, who wanted to ensure he had mastery of the accent and the mannerisms specific to South Central Los Angeles. Singleton was the creator and executive producer of Snowfall until his death in 2019. To prepare for his role, Damson Idris also worked with rapper WC, who tutored him on not just an authentic accent but also the culture and history of LA’s gangsta rap scene.

Damson Idris Has Also Starred In Other Films And TV Shows With Social Relevance

Besides Snowfall, Damson Idris has also starred in other films and TV shows that tackle social issues and challenges in modern society. In 2017, he made his American film debut in Megan Leavey alongside Kate Mara, who plays a marine corporal who bonds with a military dog during her service in Iraq. He also had a part as an FBI agent in The Commuter with Liam Neeson; and starred in Farming, alongside Kate Beckinsale, which is based on the true story of actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who was “farmed out” to a white family in the UK by his Nigerian parents and joined a racist skinhead gang. In 2019, he appeared in The Twilight Zone as Dorian Harrison, a college kid who faces a racist interaction with a police officer, whose mother tries to save his life over and over again by rewinding time. He also played Jaden, an intern of a large social media company, in Black Mirror, and witnessed the consequences of overactive usage of social media sites and how they can distract society from the real world. In 2021, he co-starred in Outside the Wire as Leo, a rogue android soldier who teams up with a drone pilot to stop a global catastrophe.

Damson Idris Is A Rising Star With A Bright Future

Damson Idris is a rising star who has proven his acting ability and versatility in various roles and genres. He has received critical acclaim and awards for his performances, such as the Award for Best Actor in a British Film at the Edinburgh Film Festival for Farming. He has also gained a loyal fan base and has over 1.2 million followers on Instagram. He is currently working on his next projects, such as They Cloned Tyrone, a sci-fi comedy with Jamie Foxx and John Boyega; and The Woman King, a historical drama with Viola Davis and Lupita Nyong’o. Damson Idris is definitely an actor to watch out for in the future.