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Daniel Ezra
British actor (born 1991) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Daniel Ezra (born 15 December 1991)[1] is a British actor. He is best known for his role as Spencer James on the television series All American (2018–present).[2][3][4]
Early life
Ezra was born on 15 December 1991 in Birmingham.[5][6][7] Both his paternal and maternal grandparents were from Jamaica.[6] Growing up, he was a fan of Harry Potter, Philip Pullman books, and The Lord of the Rings.[8] He grew up playing basketball, but stopped sports when he began acting.[8] Ezra attended Great Barr School, now known as Fortis Academy in Great Barr, Birmingham. He went on to train at East 15 Acting School.[9]
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Career
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Ezra was not interested in acting until he turned 16 when a teacher at school convinced him to take a role in a school production. On stage, Ezra appeared as Sebastian in Twelfth Night and was nominated for an Ian Charleson Award.[10][11][12] After making his screen debut in the 2014 television film Murdered by My Boyfriend, Ezra began appearing in BBC dramas, including Undercover and The Missing.[11][7] In 2018, Ezra had a recurring role in the British fantasy drama A Discovery of Witches.[8]
In March 2018, Ezra was cast in a leading role in the American sports drama series All American, which marked his U.S. acting debut and required him to use an American accent.[12][13][14][6] Once he learned that he had received the role, he spent as much time as he could in South Central Los Angeles and carried a football with him everywhere so that he could practice his accent and learn about the local culture.[6][5][15] His favorite rapper, Nipsey Hussle, was from Crenshaw, where the show takes place, so Ezra also studied every song and interview of Hussle as a way of practicing his American accent.[5][16] He did not have an accent coach.[16] In addition, Spencer Paysinger, the real-life football player on whom Ezra's character is based, drove Ezra and his costar Taye Diggs around his local neighborhood so that they could understand the neighborhood dynamics.[17] To prepare for the show, Ezra also watched the NFL Network constantly to learn about the rules of American football.[15] Ezra first realised the show was successful when he attempted to walk in Times Square and was recognised by fans who approached him.[18][19]
In October 2024, it was announced that Ezra would be joining Glen Powell in the Edgar Wright And Paramount feature The Running Man.[20]
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Filmography
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