Malachi
Kirby

Malachi Kirby is a British actor and writer who gained prominence for his roles in the 2016 remake of “Roots” and the “Black Mirror” episode “Men Against Fire.” He won a BAFTA for his performance in “Small Axe: Mangrove” (2020).  

Kirby’s career commenced in theatre, and he considers himself a “theatre actor at heart.” His performance in the production of “Mogadishu” led to his shortlisting for Outstanding Newcomer at the 2011 Evening Standard Theatre Awards. He also appeared in various television shows and films, including a role on “EastEnders” and the lead in the television film “My Murder.” Recognised as a Screen International Star of Tomorrow in 2013. 

Malachi Kirby honed his acting skills at top drama school Identity School of Acting, where he received industry standard training in various aspects of the craft. His courses included text & performance, voice, improvisation, Stanislavski, Meisner, audition technique, radio plays & audiobooks, screen acting, monologues. Malachi was a strong performer in his text & performance classes, designed to understand, break down, and analyse a script, which prepared him for a career on screen. This rigorous training contributed to his acclaimed performance in the series “Small Axe” for which he won a BAFTA for best supporting actor. 

In 2016, Kirby portrayed Kunta Kinte in the American miniseries “Roots,” earning acclaim from critics. He also starred in an episode of “Black Mirror” titled “Men Against Fire.” 

He received the Rising Star and Male TV Performance awards at the 2016 and 2017 Screen Nation Film and Television Awards, respectively. Kirby’s performance in “Roots” garnered nominations at the 2017 Black Reel Awards and NAACP Image Awards. 

Subsequently, Kirby appeared as Michael Garwick in the 2019 Sky One dystopian drama “Curfew” and Oliver Harris in the Italian series “Devils.” He also wrote his first play, “Level Up,” which premiered at the Bush Theatre in 2019. 

Kirby portrayed Darcus Howe in Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” anthology, specifically in the “Mangrove” installment, which premiered in 2020. This marked his first opportunity to portray an explicitly Caribbean character. For this role, he won the 2021 British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor. 

In September 2021, Kirby was announced to star opposite Delroy Lindo as both of Mr. Nancy’s sons, Charlie and Spider, in the Amazon Prime adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s “Anansi Boys.”