British Nigerian actress Wunmi Mosaku, 37, recently expressed mixed feelings about her life in America, which according to her, is filled with bouts of homesickness despite the sunny California backdrop.
Maintaining her Mancunian accent proudly during a Zoom interview, Mosaku confessed to dearly missing her friends and family. She noted that she however finds solace in simple pleasures like a cup of tea and a Rich Tea biscuit while connecting with loved ones back home.
Since 2018, Mosaku has been based in Los Angeles, where she has starred in HBO’s Lovecraft Country, blending horror with racial themes, and portrayed a time-traveling cop alongside Tom Hiddleston in Marvel’s Loki, according to Daily Mail.
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The ITV dark comedy thriller “Passenger” allowed her to trade Beverly Hills’ glamour for Manchester’s familiar surroundings, staying close to her family. Despite the cozy setting, “Passenger” delved into dark themes of belonging, revolving around missing local girls, the return of a violent criminal, and mysterious occurrences in the snowy forests.
Mosaku portrayed a London detective navigating small-town life, caring for her ex’s mother while releasing frustrations through sparring at a local gym with a Polish mechanic.
Mosaku herself loves boxing: “I’d go four times a week to Miguel’s in Brixton when I lived in London.” When she told this to showrunner Andrew Buchan after the two met in 2017 to talk about her writing, he said, “Wow, I feel I’ve been writing something for you without realizing it.”
Mosaku was born in Zaria, Nigeria, to parents who were professors. They relocated to Manchester when she was very young. Her parents’ qualifications weren’t recognized in the UK, leading her mother to start a business and her father to return to Nigeria after their marriage ended.
She faced challenges in school, exacerbated by societal pressures to abandon her native Yoruba language at home, which she attributes to racism. Despite these obstacles, she persevered and was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 18.
Despite finding reading difficult, she excelled in maths and chemistry and considered pursuing an academic path. But she also had a passion for acting and singing and this led her to join the Manchester Girls Choir for 11 years. She even contemplated a career as an opera singer after being inspired by Madame Butterfly.
Her trajectory changed when she watched the film Annie and learned that its male lead, Albert Finney, had trained at Rada. Determined, she applied and successfully gained admission, a decision made more significant by her family’s financial constraints allowing for only one audition opportunity.
Mosaku’s dedication paid off, as she won a BAFTA in 2017 for her role as the mother of Damilola Taylor in the BBC drama “Damilola, Our Loved Boy,” a performance that showcased her talent and range.
Mosaku experienced a significant shift in her life when she met a talent agent from Los Angeles, whom she chose not to disclose. They fell in love with and relocated to the U.S.
They recently welcomed their first child, a baby girl, into the world. Taking advantage of last year’s four-month Sag-Aftra strike, Mosaku enjoyed her first proper break since her screen debut in 2006’s “The Women of Troy,” allowing her to take maternity leave.
Filming “Passenger” in and around Manchester enabled her family to meet her daughter, who has yet to visit Nigeria.
“But she will. It’s part of me so it will be part of her.”
