Abraham Popoola is amongst the few British actors who have gone from West End stages to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a John Wick spinoff, and a Star Wars series in the space of a few years. Raised in London by Nigerian parents, he built his name in theatre before becoming one of the busiest British-Nigerian faces in Hollywood blockbusters and prestige streaming shows. Here is everything you need to know about his life, career, family, and finances.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Abraham Popoola |
| Date of Birth | June 9, 1991 |
| Place of Birth | Hackney, London, England |
| Nationality | British (Nigerian heritage) |
| Height | 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) |
| Education | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) |
| Occupation | Actor, director |
| Known For | The Rig, Andor, Cruella, Morbius, The Marvels, Ballerina, Spider-Noir |
| Relationship Status | Not publicly disclosed |
| Net Worth | Estimated between $500,000 and $700,000 |
Biography
Abraham Popoola was born on June 9, 1991, in Hackney, London, to Nigerian parents who raised him with a strong connection to his roots. He picked up basic Yoruba at home even as he grew up immersed in British culture, giving him a dual identity that would later shape his acting range. In terms of ethnicity, Popoola is British-Nigerian, born and raised in London, with a close connection to his family’s Yoruba heritage. He has two younger siblings, though their names and details have never been made public.
In an interview with the YouTube channel Ross Perspective, Popoola said he knew he wanted to act as early as age eight, taking part in school plays before enrolling in part-time programs, including the Young Actors Theatre and Identity Drama School, as a teenager. While studying English Literature at the University of Westminster’s Regent Street campus, he kept training alongside his degree, picking up fringe theatre roles and even some French-language stage work in the process. He eventually left university altogether to pursue acting full time, a decision he later wrote about publicly around the January 2023 premiere of The Rig, which was held at a cinema on the same campus he had dropped out of roughly 11 years earlier.
Popoola trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), one of the world’s most respected drama schools, graduating in 2016. His time there sharpened his voice work, physicality, and character development, skills that would carry him from small London stages to some of the biggest franchises in film and television. Long before Hollywood came calling, Popoola was building a reputation the old-fashioned way: through live theatre.
Career
Popoola’s breakout moment came in 2017, when he won the inaugural Stage Debut Award for Best Actor in a Play for his lead performance in Othello at the Tobacco Factory Theatre. Two years later, he starred in productions of Party Time and Celebration during the “Pinter at the Pinter” season at the Harold Pinter Theatre, a run that earned him praise in a Variety review. Those theatre credentials gave him a foundation that few young screen actors have.
Speaking with The Stage Media Company after his Stage Debut Award win, Popoola said he came from “no theatre background” and had no clear path into the industry when he first knew he wanted to act, relying on fringe work to find his way in. He described the acting community as “so loving and encouraging” toward newcomers trying to break in without connections.
He also used the moment to speak about representation in casting, drawing a distinction between diversity and representation. He said representation meant seeing “a version of me” on stage and screen, and that watching people who look like him take on roles he “never thought I’d ever see” was something he believed everyone deserved the chance to experience.
His screen career took off around the same period. Early film work included Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, followed by Disney’s Cruella and the Marvel film Morbius. In 2021, he landed a starring role in Amazon Prime Video’s supernatural thriller The Rig, which became one of his most recognizable parts and even earned him a National Television Award nomination. By 2022, his profile had grown enough that he signed with the Agency for the Performing Arts (APA), a sign that major studios were paying attention.
Speaking with Ross Perspective about Morbius, Popoola described a preparation process built around a dedicated combat team, who ran him through a fight test and taught him several versions of his fight scene before he ever stepped on set opposite Jared Leto. Around the same period, he was also filming The Curse and told the channel that working alongside comedic actor and stand-up Tom Davis led to some of the first times in his career he found himself corpsing, or breaking character from laughter, mid-take.
He also spoke about the different discipline required for Cruella, where he played a largely non-speaking bodyguard role. Popoola described it as an “aesthetic” part that demanded constant physical focus without dialogue to lean on, and highlighted the experience of working alongside Emma Thompson, Emma Stone, and Mark Strong. He noted that his size has made him a natural fit for imposing, intimidating characters, but singled out his role in The Great as a rare chance to play someone more emotional and less self-assured.
The momentum kept building. Popoola appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film The Marvels in 2023 and joined the John Wick universe with a role in Ballerina in 2025. He also picked up a main role in the Star Wars series Andor and a leading part in the Prime Video series Spider-Noir, playing Tombstone opposite Nicolas Cage. His willingness to move between blockbuster franchises and character-driven television has made him one of the more versatile British actors of his generation.
Speaking to Awards Buzz ahead of the Spider-Noir premiere, Popoola explained what he thinks makes Spider-Man endure as a character, pointing to “the idea that with great power comes great responsibility” and the hero’s mix of vulnerability, humor, and emotional honesty. He also described leaning entirely on the scripts rather than prior Spider-Man material to build his performance as Tombstone, calling outside references “more like garnish” once the showrunners had established the show’s own identity.
In an interview with the YouTube channel Marvel Cinematic Universe News, Popoola talked about being the first actor to bring Tombstone to life on screen, tracing his connection to the character back to childhood, when he skipped school lunches to buy comic books instead. He also praised co-star Nicolas Cage’s dedication on set, saying it was “like being around a magician” to watch him lead the cast through such an ambitious production.
Movies and TV Shows
On the big screen, Popoola has appeared in Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020) as Rogers, Cruella (2021) as George, Morbius (2022) as Ryan, The Marvels (2023) as Dag, Atlas (2024) as Casca Decius alongside Jennifer Lopez, Simu Liu, and Sterling K. Brown, and Ballerina (2025) as Frank.
His television work spans Will and Electric Dreams (2017), Les Misérables and A Christmas Carol (2019), Breeders and The Great (2020), Starstruck (2021 to 2023), Andor (2022), The Curse (2022 to 2023) in a main role, Extraordinary (2023 to 2024) in a recurring part, The Rig (2023 to 2025) in a main role, Slow Horses (2025), and Spider-Noir, which premiered in 2026. He has also lent his voice to the video game Tales of Kenzera: Zau and narrated the Harry Potter audiobook series as Kingsley Shacklebolt, further stretching his range beyond acting on camera.
Personal Life
Popoola keeps his romantic life almost entirely private. He has not publicly confirmed a girlfriend, boyfriend, or partner, and no reliable outlet has reported on his dating history. Given how guarded he is about this part of his life, any claims about a current relationship should be treated with caution until he addresses it himself.
He is similarly private about his extended family life, sharing little about his parents or siblings beyond confirming his Nigerian heritage and that he grew up with two younger siblings in Hackney. There is no public information suggesting he has children.
On social media, Popoola is active on Instagram under the handle @abesees, where he shares glimpses of his projects and personal life. He keeps his footprint relatively modest compared to actors of similar profile, favoring quality over frequency in what he posts.
Away from acting, Popoola told Ross Perspective that writing his own material is an important creative outlet, one he treats as seriously as his on-camera work. He also said that studying film and theatre closely and staying busy between roles are part of how he copes with the rejection that comes with regularly auditioning in the industry.
Net Worth
Abraham Popoola has not disclosed his earnings, and no financial publication has published a verified figure for his wealth. Building an estimate from his known income streams instead gives a clearer picture. His income comes primarily from acting fees across major studios and streamers, including Disney, Marvel, Amazon Prime Video, and the John Wick franchise, plus his main and recurring television roles on shows like The Rig, The Curse, and Spider-Noir, which typically pay more per episode than single guest appearances.
Additional income likely comes from voice work, including his role in Tales of Kenzera: Zau and his narration for the Harry Potter audiobook series, as well as his ongoing theatre credits. Signing with a major talent agency like APA in 2022 also suggests that his per-project quote has risen alongside his profile. Based on these combined sources, Abraham Popoola’s net worth is estimated to fall between $500,000 and $700,000, with room to grow if his lead role in Spider-Noir and continued franchise work keep paying off.
Frequently Asked Questions
What languages does Abraham Popoola speak? He speaks English and basic Yoruba, which he learned from his Nigerian parents while growing up in London.
What is Abraham Popoola’s background? He was born in Hackney, London, to Nigerian parents, and trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), graduating in 2016.
What is Abraham Popoola known for? He is known for his main role in Amazon Prime Video’s The Rig, his part in the Star Wars series Andor, and appearances in major franchises including Cruella, Morbius, The Marvels, and Ballerina. He currently stars as Tombstone in Spider-Noir.
How tall is Abraham Popoola? He stands at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) tall, according to his self-verified IMDb profile.
Does Abraham Popoola have a girlfriend? He has not publicly confirmed a girlfriend, boyfriend, or partner, and no reliable source has reported on his dating history.
What is Abraham Popoola’s net worth? His net worth is estimated to fall between $500,000 and $1.5 million, based on his acting fees, voice work, and theatre credits, since he has not disclosed an exact figure.
What is Abraham Popoola’s ethnicity? He is British-Nigerian, born and raised in Hackney, London, to Nigerian parents, with a close connection to his family’s Yoruba heritage.
