Loki to Sinners: Where You Know Oscar-Nominated Wunmi Mosaku From
A year ago, Wunmi Mosaku probably wasn’t a name on many people’s radars. Five years ago, even the most devoted cinephile might have struggled to pick her out in a crowd. But now, the actress is up for an Oscar for her work on Sinners, and she’s finally getting the flowers she deserves.
It may seem like this success has happened overnight, but Mosaku has been grinding away tirelessly for 20 years in this industry, with a load of background roles in TV shows and bit parts in underseen movies. She’s had to stay committed to the cause, but we’re sure Mosaku will now have her pick of projects for the foreseeable future.
With 60 credits to her name, you’re bound to have seen Wunmi Mosaku somewhere before she rose to prominence, so let’s take a look back at her career so far, in chronological order.
Mosaku only had a very brief role in Philomena – so much so that her character wasn’t even given a name. But this still marks a significant moment in her career. She played a young nun in this heartwarmingly emotional dramedy starring Steve Coogan and Judi Dench from 2013.
While Mosaku’s part is small, this film is packed with charm, and the fact that it’s based on a true story just adds to the weight of it all. The performances of Coogan and Dench, in particular, are absolutely fantastic, and it’s worth watching for those alone. If you like films such as Small Things Like These and Belfast, you’ll love this one.
Mosaku may not have been given superpowers for Batman v Superman, but she still managed to inflict a heavy blow to the Man of Steel. Unfortunately, it does see her side with Lex Luthor, or at least, be manipulated by the rich and powerful megalomaniac, to lie about Superman and cause chaos in the courtroom.
This film gets so much criticism, but I’ll always defend it. Yes, the plot and some of the dialogue are messy and a little bit dumb, but the action set-pieces are blistering, and Ben Affleck makes for one hell of a badass Batman. Don’t listen to the haters – load this up on Prime Video and judge for yourself.
From rubbing shoulders with superpowered alien gods to handling magical creatures in the Wizarding World, Mosaku was given more franchise work in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Admittedly, this was another small role, but clearly, Mosaku was getting recognised and earning her place in huge movies by this point. Here, she plays a character called Beryl, who works for the Magical Congress of the United States of America, if you were curious.
While the Fantastic Beasts movies do lack the energy and intrigue of the main Harry Potter series, this first entry in the spin-off timeline is perfectly serviceable. It’s got a load of cute animals, opens up new corners of the Wizarding World, and has some truly spectacular visuals and CGI work – ideal for any younger viewers who have already completed the Potter series and want more magic.
She was only in one-fifth of the episodes of Luther, but there’s no denying that being part of an acclaimed and popular BBC series can do wonders for your career. There must be something about Mosaku that just screams police work, by the way, because between this, The End of the F***ing World, and National Treasure: Kiri, she went on a great run of playing detectives over the course of a couple of years.
Luther is gripping stuff, with Idris Elba bringing a special gravitas to the titular role, while the crimes and mysteries he’s tasked with solving are guaranteed to keep you hooked. It’s a bit like a more violent, gritty, action-packed version of Sherlock, which is never a bad thing.
Despite all her earlier work, it was actually His House that first drew my attention to the actress. This eerie little horror movie, set in the urban jungle of working-class Britain, is a clever blend of social commentary and a creepy ghost story. Mosaku and her screen partner, Sope Dirisu, are phenomenal in the lead roles, bringing a haunting believability to this harrowing tale that’ll get right under your skin.
This was a Netflix production, which makes it really easy to track down. Nevertheless, while plenty of critics raved about His House at the time, I still feel like not enough people are aware of this special little film. When you see this, you’ll know exactly why Mosaku is a star these days.
2020 was quite the year for Mosaku. After earning praise for her role in His House, she also played a key supporting role in the hit TV show, Lovecraft Country. Much like that film, actually, this series masterfully blends horror and real-world issues to paint a stylish and provocative picture of man-made terror with a monstrous underbelly. The production design on this show is out of this world, with vibrant colours, amazing costume work, and convincing CGI. It’s an absolute must-watch, especially if you enjoy things like Crimson Peak, or funnily enough, Sinners (more on that later).
While Jurnee Smollett and Jonathan Majors are the stars of the show, Mosaku’s turn as Ruby Baptiste cannot be ignored. She puts in a terrific performance while tackling a complex character arc that really challenges her on a physical and emotional level as an actress.
There’s a very simple rule in Hollywood: if you want to become a household name, you just need to bag a role in the MCU. Mosaku did just that when she was cast as Hunter B-15 in the small-screen phenomenon, Loki. While it’s always going to be hard to go toe-to-toe with Tom Hiddleston, Mosaku certainly holds her own here.
Loki is arguably the best Marvel TV show to date, with high-concept ideas, mind-boggling visuals, and a story that expands the movie timeline in special ways. This is not some meandering side-plot that you can take or leave – it’s essential viewing, and a joy to watch, too.
Mosaku later reprised this role in Deadpool & Wolverine, which speaks volumes about the impact she had as the character. You can watch her and the rest of the TVA taking down anti-villains in both of these projects on Disney+ now.
Mosaku has now well and truly hit the big time, after earning an Oscar nomination for her supporting role in Ryan Coogler’s epic vampire movie, Sinners. And rightly so, too. While Michael B. Jordan may be the main man (or men) in this film, the women around him – including Hailee Steinfeld, Jayme Lawson, and Li Jun Li – are all putting in incredible work, and Mosaku’s performance as Annie is so nuanced, delicately balancing a fierceness with an endearing vulnerability that she fights to keep hidden.
The fact that this movie has become the most-nominated in the Academy Awards’ history speaks volumes. You really should need no more convincing to watch this if you haven’t already – and if you have, go ahead and watch it again, because it’s a beautifully crafted, powerful, soul-stirring picture.
