Asante Duah Ma'at (born October 20, 2001), known professionally as Asante Blackk, is an American actor. He is best known for his role in the miniseries When They See Us (2019), for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.[1][2][3]
Asante Blackk | |
|---|---|
| Born | Asante Duah Ma'at October 20, 2001 Waldorf, Maryland, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Relatives | Samira Wiley (aunt) |
Early life and career
editBlackk began acting as an elementary school student at Judith P. Hoyer Montessori School. His first role was Mowgli in a performance of The Jungle Book. One of his first professional roles was in "How I Learned to Be a Kid" at the Howard Theatre in Washington, after which he got an agent. Blackk originally auditioned for the role of Korey Wise, one of the exonerated members of the Central Park Five, in the dramatized miniseries When They See Us but was instead cast as the 14-year-old Kevin Richardson in the series.[4] The role earned him an Primetime Emmy Award nomination, making him one of the youngest nominees in its history.[5] Blackk appeared as a series regular on This Is Us from 2019 until the show ended in May 2022, for which he was nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award.[6]
Blackk made his film debut in Cory Finley's Landscape with Invisible Hand, which was released in August 2023; he later appeared in Story Ave, which was released in September 2023.[7][8]
Personal life
editHe is the nephew of actress Samira Wiley.[9]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Landscape with Invisible Hand | Adam Campbell | |
| Story Ave | Kadir Grayson |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | When They See Us | Kevin Richardson (Teen) | 4 episodes |
| 2019 | Live in Front of a Studio Audience | Michael Evans | 2 episodes |
| 2019–2022 | This Is Us | Malik Hodges | Main role; 16 episodes |
| 2020 | Social Distance | Corey | Episode: "Pomp and Circumstance" |
| 2022-present | The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder | Kareem (voice) | Episode: "It All Started with an Orange Basketball" |
| 2022 | Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music & Laughter | Himself | Television Special [10] |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series | When They See Us | Nominated | |
| Black Reel Awards for Television | Outstanding Supporting Actor, Limited Series | Nominated | |||
| 2020 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | This Is Us | Nominated | |||
| Black Reel Television Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ Kaltenbach, Chris (July 16, 2019). "Maryland actor Asante Blackk earns Emmy nomination for 'When They See Us'; Robin Wright gets 'House of Cards' nod". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
- ^ Bitran, Tara (August 16, 2019). "'When They See Us' Star Asante Blackk Reveals the Role He Originally Vied For". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
- ^ Dillon, Nancy (September 22, 2019). "'It's mind-blowing!' Youngest Emmy contender Asante Blackk says of 'When They See Us' acting debut leading to nomination". New York Daily News. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
- ^ Lieberman, Mark (August 22, 2019). "Asante Blackk just graduated from high school in Maryland. He's also an Emmy nominee for 'When They See Us.'". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
- ^ "The 12 youngest Emmy award nominees and winners of all time". Business Insider.
- ^ "Breakout 'This Is Us' star Asante Blackk explains why his role is so important". TODAY.com. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
- ^ Jackson, Angelique (June 28, 2021). "'This Is Us' Actor Asante Blackk to Star With Tiffany Haddish in 'Landscape With Invisible Hand' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on June 29, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (2023-01-11). "SXSW Lineup Includes 'Dungeons & Dragons' On Opening Night, 'Evil Dead Rise', Eva Longoria's 'Flamin' Hot', A24's 'Problemista' & More". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- ^ "Did You Know Samira Wiley Was Asante Blackk's Aunt? Because They Have the Same Damn Face". The Grapevine. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- ^ Matthew, Gilbert (September 19, 2022). "This week's TV: Norman Lear at 100, a comedy about reboots, and a reboot of 'Quantum Leap'". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 19, 2022.