Hackney actor Olufemi Ogunsanwo made MBE in Queen’s Birthday Honours list

Olufemi Ogunsanwo has been awarded an MBE for services to acting

An actor and playwright from Stoke Newington, Olufemi Ogunsanwo, has been awarded an MBE for services to acting as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Olufemi Ogunsanwo, known as Femi Oguns, founded the Identity School of Acting (IDS) in the East End in 2003. Mr Ogunsanwo started up his school by handing out flyers around East London and offering free drama lessons.

The school has now trained more than 350 pupils and is fast becoming a powerhouse in the promotion of black and minority ethnic talent, attracting the attention of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre.

The Identity School of Acting was set up after Mr Ogunsanwo noticed a lack of representation in mainstream media schools for black actors. The drama school now has a partnered talent agency, Identity Talent Group in Covent Garden, and a sister school in Birmingham.

Also a playwright, Mr Ogunsanwo’s first play, Torn, premiered at the Arcola Theatre in Dalston in 2007 and explored the issues of race and ethnicity in the Nigerian and Jamaican communities in London.

Mr Ogunsanwo told the Hackney Citizen: “I am honored to be awarded an Honour for my services to the acting industry.”