Uzo Aduba, born Uzoamaka Nwanneka Aduba, on February 10, 1981, is an American actress who achieved fame for her portrayal of Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren on the popular Netflix series Orange Is the New Black from 2013 to 2019. Throughout her time on the show, she received critical acclaim, winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2014, an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2015, and two SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series in 2014 and 2015. Notably, she is one of just two actors to have won an Emmy Award in both comedy and drama categories for the same character.
Profile Summary
| Full Name: | Uzoamaka Nwanneka Aduba |
| Date Of Birth: | February 10, 1981 |
| Place Of Birth: | Medfield, Massachusetts, U.S |
| Nationality: | Nigerian-American |
| Spouse: | Robert Sweeting |
| Occupation(s): | Actress |
| Net Worth: | $2 million |
Early Life And Education
Uzo Aduba was born and raised in Medfield, Massachusetts, to Nigerian parents of Igbo descent. She completed her education at Medfield High School in 1999 before pursuing higher studies at Boston University.
While at college, she focused on classical vocal training and was also a competitive track and field athlete.
Aduba comes from a family with a strong passion for sports, with her younger brother, Obi, following in her footsteps by playing hockey at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and professionally for six seasons.
Career
Aduba’s acting career began to gain traction in 2003, with her notable performance in Translations of Xhosa at the Olney Theatre Center for the Arts landing her a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play.
She continued to showcase her talent in various productions, including portraying Amphiarus in The Seven at both the New York Theatre Workshop and La Jolla Playhouse in 2006 and 2008 respectively.
Making her Broadway debut in 2007, Aduba took on the role of Toby in Helen Edmundson’s Coram Boy at the Imperial Theatre. Throughout the years, she continued to diversify her acting portfolio by appearing in both stage productions and on television, displaying her versatility and talent in a range of roles.
In 2013, Uzo Aduba joined the cast of Orange Is the New Black as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren, earning acclaim for her performance. She won multiple awards, including Emmys for both comedy and drama categories for the same role.
Aduba’s career expanded beyond television when she showcased her vocal talents at a Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS benefit concert in March 2014.
Alongside Rachel Bay Jones, they performed a moving rendition of “Lily’s Eyes” from The Secret Garden. The following year, she delighted audiences as Glinda the Good Witch in the NBC live musical event The Wiz Live!, earning praise from critics for her performance.
After her role in Orange Is the New Black, Aduba portrayed Shirley Chisholm in Mrs. America, a Hulu miniseries released in 2020. The show garnered acclaim, and Aduba received a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance.
Aduba was set to star in the HBO Max miniseries Americanah, but the project did not proceed. She also had roles in films like Really Love and the fourth season of In Treatment as Dr. Brooke Taylor.
In 2021, Aduba graced Broadway in the Lynn Nottage play Clyde’s and received a Tony Award nomination.
In the year 2023, she portrayed Edie Flowers in Netflix’s Painkiller, a limited series delving into the causes of the Opioid Epidemic in the U.S.
Netflix announced in February 2023 that Aduba would headline The Residence, a murder mystery series set in the White House, created by Shonda Rhimes.
Advocacy
During June 2018, Aduba embraced a new role as the inaugural celebrity ambassador to Africa for Heifer International. Witnessing the organization’s meaningful work during visits to Uganda in 2016 and 2018, she was deeply inspired by the impact of Heifer’s initiatives firsthand.
In July 2020, Aduba’s involvement in the sports industry expanded as she was revealed as a minority investor in an unrevealed Los Angeles team, later revealed as Angel City FC.
The team is slated to debut in the National Women’s Soccer League in 2022, marking a significant venture for Aduba in the realm of professional sports.
Uzo Aduba Net Worth
With a flourishing career in the entertainment industry, combined with her diverse talents and versatility as an actress, Uzo Aduba has amassed an impressive net worth of $2 million.
Personal Life
In a low-key ceremony in New York in 2020, Uzo Aduba, tied the knot with filmmaker Robert Sweeting.
In an unexpected twist at the 2023 Tony Awards, Aduba announced her pregnancy with Sweeting.
After giving birth on November 30, 2023, Aduba and Sweeting celebrated the arrival of their daughter, Adaiba Lee Nonyem.
Awards And Nominations
Uzo Aduba has received numerous awards and nominations throughout her career.
Some of her notable wins include the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2014.
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2015, and
The Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Comedy Series in 2015.
These are just a few examples of the accolades she has earned for her impressive work in television.
Filmography
Film
2015 – Pearly Gates
2016 – Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip
2016 – Tallulah
2016 – American Pastoral
2016 – Showing Roots
2017 – My Little Pony: The Movie
2018 – Candy Jar
2018 – We Are Boats
2019 Beats
2019 – Steven Universe: The Movie
2019 – Miss Virginia
2020 – Really Love
2021- National Champions
2022 – Lightyear
2024 – The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat
2024 – Greedy People
Television
2012 – Blue Bloods
2013 – How to Live Like a Lady
2013-2019 Oran Is the New Black
2014 – Saturday Night Live
2015 – Comedy Bang! Bang!
2015 – The Wiz Live!
2016-2019 Steven Universe
2018-2019 3Below: Tales of Arcadia
2020 – Steven Universe Future
2020 – Mrs. America
2021 – In Treatment
2021 – Solos
2021 – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
2022 – Animal
2022 – Ada Twist, Scientist
2023 – Painkiller
2024 – Magicampers