---
name: "Sope Dirisu"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/sope-dirisu"
fi1m_id: "sope-dirisu"
imdb_id: "nm5444837"
tmdb_id: 1479869
wikidata_id: "Q24006329"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "9 January 1991"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 75
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 7
updated: "2026-09-30T20:11:08.550301+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Sope Dirisu

## Identity

Sope Dirisu

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/sope-dirisu
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** sope-dirisu
- **IMDb ID:** nm5444837
- **TMDB ID:** 1479869
- **Wikidata ID:** Q24006329
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sope_Dirisu, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q24006329, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5444837/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1479869

Actor. Born 9 January 1991 in Edgware, London, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 9 January 1991, Edgware, London, England, UK
- **Active:** 2013–present
- **Also known as:** Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù, Sopé Dìrísù,  ソープ・ディリス
- **Average Fi1m score:** 75, as actor, over 7 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2010s 78 (2), 2020s 73 (5)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 75 to 71 across 7 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 5 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 3 of 5 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 6, Action & Adventure 2, Crime 2, Mystery 2, Sci-Fi & Fantasy 2, Comedy 1
- **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sope_Dirisu, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q24006329, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5444837/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1479869

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*My Father's Shadow*](https://film.one/film/my-fathers-shadow.md) (81), [*The Gorge*](https://film.one/film/the-gorge.md) (70)
- **Netflix:** [*His House*](https://film.one/film/his-house.md) (79), [*Black Rabbit*](https://film.one/tv/black-rabbit.md) (63)
- **AMC+:** [*Gangs of London*](https://film.one/tv/gangs-of-london.md) (74)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Sope Dirisu

> Sope Dirisu makes a convincing action lead, but his restraint is what keeps us watching. In *Gangs of London* and *My Father's Shadow*, he gives us reasons to care that have little to do with physical strength.

Between the fights in *Gangs of London* (2020), Sope Dirisu makes Elliot Finch worth watching. His physical conviction suits a programme so dependent on what bodies can do, but the stretches without violence reveal why he is worth following. He can keep our attention without the writers manufacturing another outrage around him. The gangland plotting is less persuasive than the action, and his performance does not cure that. It does make the shortcomings easier to sit through.

The breakthrough came with *Gangs of London* and *His House* (2020), following years of supporting parts and television guest roles. In the latter, his Bol brings vulnerability to a horror story about refugees. *Mr. Malcolm's List* (2022) then gave him the title role in a period romantic comedy. The move into romance makes it harder to treat the action work as the only sensible use of him.

In Akinola Davies Jr.'s *My Father's Shadow* (2025), he plays Folarin, an absent father spending a day in Lagos with his two sons. This quieter paternal part makes good use of the restraint that serves him between fights elsewhere. He gives Folarin quiet authority without making his absence from the boys' lives seem unimportant. We were moved by the patience given to that day together, because the film lets the boys spend time with a father who has not been there. Davies allows the reunion room, and Dirisu's understated performance suits the pace.

Patience has its limits: the middle of *My Father's Shadow* drifts while everyone waits for news. Nor does Dirisu's presence make the relentless brutality of *Gangs of London* easy to recommend to anyone without a strong appetite for action. We value his work in both, but neither earns an evening simply by having him in it. For anyone who would rather not spend an evening watching bodies take punishment, start with *My Father's Shadow*.

## Biography

Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù is a British actor. He was born on 9 January 1991 in Edgware, London, to Nigerian parents. He joined the National Youth Theatre in 2006, studied economics at the University of Birmingham, and trained with the Royal Shakespeare Company, where his early stage roles included Pericles.

Dirisu made his film debut in 2016 in *Sand Castle*, *Criminal* and *The Huntsman: Winter's War*. He is known for his leading role as Elliot Finch in the series *Gangs of London* (2020–), Bol Majur in the film *His House* (2020), and the title role in *Mr. Malcolm's List* (2022). He has also appeared in *Slow Horses* (2023) and *Black Rabbit* (2025).

In 2025 he played Folarin in *My Father's Shadow*, for which he received the Gotham Award for Outstanding Lead Performance. He has been nominated for a British Independent Film Award and a BAFTA Rising Star Award.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, theguardian.com, apnews.com.*

## On Fi1m (7)

- *Black Rabbit* (2025), Fi1m 63, as Wes — [page](https://film.one/tv/black-rabbit.md)
- *My Father's Shadow* (2025), Fi1m 81, as Folarin — [page](https://film.one/film/my-fathers-shadow.md)
- *The Gorge* (2025), Fi1m 70, as J.D. — [page](https://film.one/film/the-gorge.md)
- *Gangs of London* (2020), Fi1m 74, as Elliot Finch — [page](https://film.one/tv/gangs-of-london.md)
- *His House* (2020), Fi1m 79, as Bol Majur — [page](https://film.one/film/his-house.md)
- *Humans* (2015), Fi1m 74, as Fred — [page](https://film.one/tv/humans.md)
- *Utopia* (2013), Fi1m 83, as Roy — [page](https://film.one/tv/utopia.md)

## Complete filmography (36)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *End of Play* (2025), as Seven
- *My Father's Shadow* (2025), as Folarin · Executive Producer — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/my-fathers-shadow.md)
- *Black Rabbit* (2025), series, as Wes — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/black-rabbit.md)
- *The Gorge* (2025), as J.D. — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/the-gorge.md)
- *Tabby McTat* (2024), as Tabby McTat (voice)
- *Chasing the Night* (2023), as Leon
- *Mr Malcolm's List* (2022), as Jeremy Malcolm
- *Slow Horses* (2022), series, as Sean Donovan — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/slow-horses.md)
- *Digging* (2022), as Kwesi
- *Silent Night* (2021), as James
- *Mothering Sunday* (2021), as Donald
- *The Colony* (2021), as Tucker
- *Motherland* (2021), as Moussa Sidibe
- *Gangs of London* (2020), series, as Elliot Finch — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/gangs-of-london.md)
- *His House* (2020), as Bol Majur — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/his-house.md)
- *His Dark Materials* (2019), series, as Sergi (voice)
- *A Battle in Waterloo* (2019), as Coleman
- *State of the Union* (2019), series, as Giles
- *Mr. Malcolm's List* (2019), as Mr. Malcolm
- *Next of Kin* (2018), series, as DS Elliott Hart
- *RSC Live: Coriolanus* (2017), as Caius Martius Coriolanus
- *Sand Castle* (2017), as Sergeant Cole
- *five by five* (2017), series, as Michael
- *The Halcyon* (2017), series, as Sonny Sullivan
- *Criminal* (2016), as SSBN Fire & Control
- *The Huntsman: Winter's War* (2016), as Tull
- *Undercover* (2016), series, as Michael Antwi
- *Humans* (2015), series, as Fred — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/humans.md)
- *The Casual Vacancy* (2015), series, as Young Doctor
- *Siblings* (2014), series, as Zeff
- *The Mill* (2013), series, as Peter
- *Utopia* (2013), series, as Roy — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/utopia.md)
- *Black Mirror* (2011), series, as Man in Jail — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/black-mirror.md)
- *The Fight*, as Said
- *All the Sinners Bleed*, series, as Titus Crown
- *A Colt Is My Passport*, Actor

## Gallery

- ![Main Cast of My Father's Shadow at 2025 Cannes Photocall (From left to right: Funmbi Ogunbanwo, Rachel Dargvel, Akinola Davies Jr, Sope Dirisu, Wales Davies)](https://film.one/media/person/7170/gallery-afd398aaf647.jpg) Main Cast of My Father's Shadow at 2025 Cannes Photocall (From left to right: Funmbi Ogunbanwo, Rachel Dargvel, Akinola Davies Jr, Sope Dirisu, Wales Davies) — Kacy Bao, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/Main_Cast_of_My_Father%27s_Shadow_at_2025_Cannes_Photocall.jpg/1280px-Main_Cast_of_My_Father%27s_Shadow_at_2025_Cannes_Photocall.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Sope Dirisu and Akinola Davies at 2025 Cannes Photocall for My Father's Shadow](https://film.one/media/person/7170/gallery-03932ad187e5.jpg) Sope Dirisu and Akinola Davies at 2025 Cannes Photocall for My Father's Shadow — Kacy Bao, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/Sope_Dirisu_and_Akinola_Davies_at_2025_Cannes_Photocall_for_My_Father%27s_Shadow.jpg/1280px-Sope_Dirisu_and_Akinola_Davies_at_2025_Cannes_Photocall_for_My_Father%27s_Shadow.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Sope Dirisu at 2025 Cannes Photocall for My Father's Shadow](https://film.one/media/person/7170/gallery-ebf0a73e4253.jpg) Sope Dirisu at 2025 Cannes Photocall for My Father's Shadow — Kacy Bao, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Sope_Dirisu_at_2025_Cannes_Photocall_for_My_Father%27s_Shadow_1.jpg/1280px-Sope_Dirisu_at_2025_Cannes_Photocall_for_My_Father%27s_Shadow_1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Sope Dirisu at 2025 Cannes Photocall for My Father's Shadow](https://film.one/media/person/7170/gallery-1411761c7afd.jpg) Sope Dirisu at 2025 Cannes Photocall for My Father's Shadow — Kacy Bao, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Sope_Dirisu_at_2025_Cannes_Photocall_for_My_Father%27s_Shadow_2.jpg/1280px-Sope_Dirisu_at_2025_Cannes_Photocall_for_My_Father%27s_Shadow_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Sope Dirisu](https://film.one/media/person/7170/gallery-7299d6eb65fd.jpg) Sope Dirisu — Image via TMDB
- ![Sope Dirisu](https://film.one/media/person/7170/gallery-a7e2848ca5f9.jpg) Sope Dirisu — Image via TMDB
- ![Sope Dirisu](https://film.one/media/person/7170/gallery-34c02ee85b73.jpg) Sope Dirisu — Image via TMDB
- ![Sope Dirisu](https://film.one/media/person/7170/gallery-1f80a3f62b26.jpg) Sope Dirisu — Kacy Bao, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Sope_Dirisu_at_2025_Cannes_Photocall_for_My_Father%27s_Shadow_3.jpg/1280px-Sope_Dirisu_at_2025_Cannes_Photocall_for_My_Father%27s_Shadow_3.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Sope Dirisu](https://film.one/media/person/7170/gallery-1e713fec7e7a.jpg) Sope Dirisu — Image via TMDB
- ![Sope Dirisu](https://film.one/media/person/7170/gallery-cb3cab1347a0.jpg) Sope Dirisu — Image via TMDB
- ![Sope Dirisu](https://film.one/media/person/7170/gallery-1164956916d7.jpg) Sope Dirisu — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/sope-dirisu