- Born
- Birth nameEbubennem Megalyn Ann Echikunwoke
- Nickname
- Megalyn E.K.
- Height5′ 6½″ (1.69 m)
- Ebubennem Megalyn Ann Echikunwoke was born May 28, in Spokane, Washington. Her father was Nigerian and her mother is of English and Scots-Irish descent. Her last name, "Echikunwoke", means "leader of men" and Megalyn is the granddaughter of a Nigerian tribal leader of the Igbo, which technically makes her African royalty. She is known for playing "Nicole Palmer" in the first season of 24 (2001), "Angie Barnett" (Kelso's girlfriend) in the seventh season of That '70s Show (1998) and "Isabelle Tyler" in The 4400 (2004). She was raised on a Navajo Indian Reservation in Chinle, Arizona. In early 2008, she starred opposite Alessandro Nivola in an independent movie, directed by Jerry Zaks, titled Who Do You Love (2008) where she played a heroin-addicted lounge singer. She did all of her own singing in the movie.- IMDb Mini Biography By: trueheritage
- Echikunwoke was raised by a single mom who is a nurse on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. Her father was a Nigerian immigrant who when Megalyn was four, lost his life to cancer weeks before he was to accept his PH.D from Gonzaga School of Law. She is the granddaughter of an Igbo tribal leader, which technically makes her African royalty. Her last name means "leader of men". She got her start after she won a scholarship to attend Idyllwild Arts Academy summer camp and was discovered in the camp showcase by a scouting manager. Megalyn Echikunwoke is made her directorial debut on Netflix April 2023 with her short film titled WEATHERING. Written by Megalyn, starring Alfre Woodard, Jermaine Fowler and Alexis Louder. Produced by Bradley Cooper's Lea Pictures, Weston Middleton and Emma Tammi. You can see her in the upcoming Marvel/Skydance video game starring along side the Black Panther and Captain America. Megalyn Echikunwoke can be seen starring along side Aubrey Plaza in the independent feature EMILY THE CRIMINAL, leading the Blumhouse horror BLOODMOON from Hulu, and opposite Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish in Universal's NIGHT SCHOOL. Additionally, she can be seen in, the Amazon feature LATE NIGHT, opposite Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling. She was recently seen on Broadway in the Roundabout Theatre Company's acclaimed APOLOGIA, opposite Stockard Channing and Hugh Dancy. She previously starred in the Nexflix comedy STEP SISTERS, Directed by Charles Stone III and produced by Lena Waithe. Additional film credit include indie films WHO DO YOU LOVE, where she played a heroin-addicted lounge singer opposite Alessandro Nivola and David Oyelewo, and Whit Stillman's DAMSELS IN DISTRESS alongside Greta Gerwig and Lorene Scafaria's THE MEDDLER . Some of her other television credits include HOUSE OF LIES, THE FOLLOWING, 24, THAT 70S SHOW, THE 4400, CSI: MIAMI and CW's ARROW where she portrayed DC Comics character VIXEN and voiced her in the VIXEN animated series on CW Seed. Echikunwoke is also the voice of the beloved MORTAL KOMBAT video game character Jacqui Briggs. Among her passions, Megalyn is a trained singer and dancer she also spends her time in support of different non-profits and social activism work fighting for criminal justice reform, mental health care reform, education and women's equality organizations all over the world. Currently, she splits her time between Los Angeles and New York.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Untitled Entertainment
- ParentsOnigwe Versato EchikunwokeAnita Laurie
- RelativesMisty Echikunwoke(Sibling)Miki Echikunwoke(Sibling)
- Echikunwoke, while not a Native American, grew up on a Navajo Indian Reservation in Chinle, Arizona.
- Echikunwoke's last name is Nigerian and it means "leader of men". She has two siblings, a brother named Miki and a sister named Misty. Her father was Nigerian of Igbo origin and reportedly of Nigerian royal descent. Her mother, Anita Laurie, is of German, Scottish, Irish and English descent.
- Loves to sing and is passionate about pursuing a career in music, as well. Other hobbies include surfing, dancing and traveling.
- Was in a relationship with comedian Chris Rock from February 2016 to March 2020.
- Friends with Olivia Wilde and Tao Ruspoli.
- I've seen shows on Showtime, and they're very provocative, if you will, but nothing to the point that's over-the-top or gratuitous.
- I definitely am drawn to strong females who are successful, smart women because I am a woman like that. I think it's important to portray those kinds of women on film and television.
- I've been to strip clubs where the dancers have these whole routines that they create just for the wow factor and to say, 'Look how strong and physically fit I am.' Most women couldn't do it, and it's not necessarily sexual. It's just a performance.
- I tend to play characters that aren't supposed to black or written black.
- We don't want to watch boring characters.
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