| Daniel Ezra | |
| Birth Date: | 1991 12, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Birmingham, West Midlands, England |
| Occupation: | Actor, director |
| Years Active: | 2014–present |
Daniel Ezra (born 15 December 1991)[1] is a British actor and director. He is best known for his role as Spencer James on the television series All American (2018–present).[2] [3] [4]
Ezra was born in Birmingham, England.[5] Both his paternal and maternal grandparents were from Jamaica. Growing up, he was a fan of Harry Potter, Philip Pullman books, and The Lord of the Rings. He grew up playing basketball, but stopped sports when he began acting.[6] Ezra attended Great Barr School, now known as Fortis Academy in Great Barr, Birmingham. He went on to train at East 15 Acting School.[7]
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.[8] [9] 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.[10] [5] In 2018, Ezra had a recurring role in the British fantasy drama A Discovery of Witches.[6]
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.[9] [11] [12] [13] 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.[13] 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.[14] [15] He did not have an accent coach.[15] 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.[16] To prepare for the show, Ezra also watched the NFL Network constantly to learn about the rules of American football.[17] 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]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Murdered by My Boyfriend | Joseph | Television film | |
| The Village | Ghana Jones | Episode: "2.1" | ||
| Precipice Hours | Tim | |||
| Blood Cells | Thom | |||
| 2015 | Vera | Cameron Thorne | Episode: "Shadows in the Sky" | |
| No Offence | Ajamu | Episode: "1.6" | ||
| 2016 | Prey | Alan Gill | 2 episodes | |
| Undercover | Dan Johnson | 6 episodes | ||
| The Missing | Daniel Reed | 5 episodes | ||
| 2017 | Prime Suspect 1973 | DC Ashton | 6 episodes | |
| National Theatre Live: Twelfth Night | Sebastian | |||
| 2018–2022 | A Discovery of Witches | Nathaniel Wilson | 10 episodes | |
| 2018–present | All American | Spencer James | Main cast | |
| 2022 | Episode: "We Need a Resolution" | |||
| The Smeds and the Smoos | Bill | Television film | ||
| 2025 | The Running Man | TBA | Filming |