Owiso Odera | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1974-03-00)March , 1974 Khartoum, Sudan |
| Died | November 3, 2016(2016-11-03) (aged 42) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Education | Earlham College,University of California, San Diego |
| Spouse | Nicole Comp |
Owiso Odera (March 1974 – November 3, 2016) was a Sudanese-born Kenyan actor.[1] He was perhaps best known for his role as Papa Tunde in the television seriesThe Originals.[2][3][4] In 2015, Odera was nominated for aLucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play for his performance inKatori Hall's playOur Lady of Kibeho at theSignature Theatre.[5]
Odera was born inKhartoum, Sudan to Kenyan mother Millicent Obaso and fatherHenry Odera Oruka in March 1974.[1]
He attendedSt. Mary's School, Nairobi, graduating in the class of 1991.[1] Odera earned a scholarship to study computer science atEarlham College in 1992.[1] He graduated from Earlham College in 1996.[5] He also earned a master's degree from the graduate acting program at theUniversity of California, San Diego.[1][6][7] He graduated fromUCSD in 2005.[1]
On stage he has performed inKatori Hall'sOur Lady of Kibeho at the Signature Theatre, Mat Smart'sSamuel J. and K. withJustin Long at theWilliamstown Theatre Festival, andJay O. Sanders'Unexplored Interior at theMuseum of Jewish Heritage.[8]
He has appeared in the television seriesThe Originals,The Good Wife andMadam Secretary.[8] Other television series he has appeared in includeUnforgettable,Three Rivers,FlashForward,Minority Report,NCIS: Los Angeles,The Unit,Numbers,The Millers andBlue Bloods.[1] He also appeared in the seriesDirt.[9]
Odera also appeared in the 2007 feature filmRelative Obscurity withLarisa Oleynik.[10]
Odera was married to Nicole Comp.[1] At the time of his death, Odera was residing inSanta Monica, California.[9][11]
Odera died on November 3, 2016, after collapsing on stage during a rehearsal ofDominique Morisseau'sDetroit '67 at theGalt House inLouisville, Kentucky.[5][9] He was 42.[1] His family did not reveal the cause of his death.[9]
He is survived by his wife, Nicole, his sisters Sheila and Sharon and his half-brothers Peter and Ronnie.[12]
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