Sheila Atim
Sheila Atim (born January 1991) is a Ugandan-born British actress, singer, composer, and model recognized for her versatile performances across theatre, film, and television.[1][2] Born in Uganda, she relocated to the United Kingdom with her mother as an infant and grew up in Rainham, London, where she initially pursued studies in biomedical science at King's College London before transitioning to the performing arts.[1][3] Atim first gained prominence in theatre, earning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical in 2018 for her role as Marianne in the Bob Dylan-inspired production Girl from the North Country at The Old Vic.[4][5] She secured a second Olivier Award in 2022 for Best Actress portraying Marianne in Constellations at the Donmar Warehouse, demonstrating her command of both musical and dramatic roles.[6] Her stage work extends to Shakespearean adaptations, including Twelfth Night, where she played twins Viola and Sebastian, winning Best Female Performance in Film at the 2019 Screen Nation Awards for the filmed version.[7] Transitioning to screen, Atim has appeared in films such as Bruised (2020), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), and The Woman King (2022), the latter earning praise for her portrayal of a Dahomey kingdom leader amid historical action sequences.[7] She received a BAFTA nomination for the EE Rising Star Award in 2023 and the Chopard Trophy at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, highlighting her rising profile in international cinema.[8] Additionally, Atim has composed music for theatre and modeled, contributing to her multifaceted career without notable public controversies, though her casting in high-profile roles has occasionally sparked discussions on representation in adaptations.[4][2]Early life
Family background and relocation
Sheila Atim was born in Uganda in January 1991. At five months old, she relocated to the United Kingdom with her mother, leaving behind her father, who worked as a dentist and remained in Uganda. Her mother, who raised her as a single parent, secured employment in the UK's National Health Service, eventually serving as a managing commissioner. The family settled in Rainham, in the London Borough of Havering (historically part of Essex), where Atim spent her formative years immersed in a working-class immigrant environment. This early displacement from Uganda shaped her perspective on identity and heritage, though specific details on the circumstances of the move—beyond the mother's decision to seek better opportunities abroad—remain limited in public records.Education and early aspirations
Atim attended Coopers' Company and Coborn School in Upminster, London, where she developed an early interest in drama and the performing arts.[9] As a student there, she participated in school productions and received encouragement from teachers who recognized her artistic talents over her initial academic pursuits.[10] Initially aspiring to a career in medicine, Atim applied to medical school but was rejected, prompting a reevaluation of her path.[11] [12] She enrolled in a biomedical science degree at King's College London as a practical alternative, completing it while maintaining her artistic inclinations.[1] [4] Concurrently, music emerged as her first love, leading her to consider a career as a vocalist following the medical school setback.[11] During her university years, Atim trained in acting and singing at Wac Arts College (formerly Weekend Arts Centre) in Belsize Park, London, attending classes on Sundays.[1] [13] This extracurricular pursuit, combined with her school's earlier affirmation of her dramatic skills, shifted her focus toward the performing arts, where she found acting particularly resonant despite initial resistance to fully committing.[14] By her early twenties, these experiences solidified her decision to professionalize in theatre and music over science.[15]Career
Theatre debut and breakthrough
Atim made her professional theatre debut in 2013 at Shakespeare's Globe in The Lightning Child, a musical adaptation of Euripides' The Bacchae written and directed by Ché Walker, who had mentored her during drama school.[16][17] The production, which ran from September to October 2013, featured Atim in an ensemble role amid a drag cabaret-style retelling involving themes of gender, fertility, and ancient tragedy.[18] Her first major stage appearance came in 2016 with a non-speaking role as The Woman in Les Blancs at the National Theatre, directed by Yaël Farber and based on Lorraine Hansberry's unfinished play about colonialism in Africa.[14] Despite the lack of dialogue—consisting primarily of slow-motion movements—critics highlighted her commanding presence, with one review noting it provided a "haunting" counterpoint to the spoken narrative. This performance, during the play's run from March to May 2016, secured her an agent and marked a pivotal step toward wider recognition.[14] Atim's breakthrough arrived in 2017–2018 with her portrayal of Marianne Laine, a resilient young woman enduring hardship during the Great Depression, in Conor McPherson's Girl from the North Country at The Old Vic.[5] Featuring Bob Dylan songs integrated into the script, the production transferred from its July–October 2017 premiere to a longer run, earning widespread acclaim for Atim's "soulful" and "heartbreaking" delivery of spirituals like "Tight Connection to My Heart."[19] For this role, she received the 2018 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical, held on April 8, 2018, at the Royal Albert Hall, affirming her as a rising force in British theatre.[5][20] Concurrently, her 2018 performance as Emilia in an all-female Othello at Shakespeare's Globe further showcased her versatility in Shakespearean roles.[19]Film and television roles
Atim's transition to screen acting began with recurring television roles in the late 2010s. She portrayed Limehouse Nell, a series regular, in the Hulu historical drama Harlots from 2017 to 2019.[5] Subsequent television credits included appearances in the sci-fi series The Feed (2019), the comedy Bounty Hunters (2019), and the BBC mystery The Pale Horse (2020).[5] In 2021, Atim featured in the Netflix fantasy series The Irregulars and Amazon Prime's adaptation of The Underground Railroad, directed by Barry Jenkins.[21] Her film debut came that year with Bruised, a drama directed by and starring Halle Berry, in which she played the supporting role of Bobbi "Buddhakan" Berroa, a fellow fighter.[22] She followed this with The Show (2021), portraying John Conqueror in the Apple TV+ anthology film directed by Giancarlo Esposito.[22] Atim's profile rose in 2022 with multiple film releases, including Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where she appeared as Sara Wolfe, an Illuminati member.[22] She also played Signora Vitelli in Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio and Amenza, a warrior and confidante to Viola Davis's character, in the historical action film The Woman King.[22] In television, she joined the AMC series Interview with the Vampire in a recurring capacity, with her role as the ancient vampire Akasha announced for the third season, subtitled The Vampire Lestat, set for release in 2026.[23] Later projects include the lead role of Evelyn in the poetic drama All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt (2023), voicing Ajarry in the prequel Mufasa: The Lion King (2024), and voicing Sara in the animated Marvel Zombies series (2025).[22] She is also set to appear in the upcoming film Dust Bunny (2025).[24]| Year | Title | Role | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–2019 | Harlots | Limehouse Nell | Television |
| 2019 | The Feed | Supporting | Television |
| 2019 | Bounty Hunters | Supporting | Television |
| 2020 | The Pale Horse | Supporting | Television |
| 2021 | The Irregulars | Supporting | Television |
| 2021 | The Underground Railroad | Supporting | Television |
| 2021 | Bruised | Bobbi "Buddhakan" Berroa | Film |
| 2021 | The Show | John Conqueror | Film |
| 2022 | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Sara Wolfe | Film |
| 2022 | Pinocchio | Signora Vitelli | Film |
| 2022 | The Woman King | Amenza | Film |
| 2023– | Interview with the Vampire | Akasha (Season 3) | Television |
| 2023 | All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt | Evelyn | Film |
| 2024 | Mufasa: The Lion King | Ajarry (voice) | Film |
| 2025 | Marvel Zombies | Sara (voice) | Television |
| 2025 | Dust Bunny | TBD | Film |