Boris Kodjoe Biography

The Star of Showtimes Original Series SOUL FOOD, Boris Kodjoe, was born in Vienna, Austria, to Ursula Kodjoe, a psychologist from Germany, and Eric Kodjoe, a physician from Ghana, West Africa.

Boris Kodjoe grew up in Germany with brother Patrick and sister Nadja, where he went to school and where his parents exposed him to athletics and the arts early in his life. He became one of the best Tennis players in the country and was amongst the top ten junior players in the world when a severe back injury cut his professional Tennis career short. In the fall of 1992 he decided to accept a Tennis scholarship to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

While studying in Richmond, he was approached by an agent of the Ford Modeling agency in New York, but went on to earn his marketing degree in May of 1996. In June he joined Ford in New York and his career skyrocketed immediately when he booked twelve campaigns such as Ralph Lauren, Perry Ellis, Yves Saint Laurent, the GAP, within the first seven months. He worked with photographers like Bruce Weber, Herb Ritts, Mathew Rolston, and Marco Glaviano for all the major publications, such as Vogue, GQ, and Esquire, making him one of the few recognizable faces amongst male Supermodels. Boris impressive track record was awarded with a Supermodel Award at the Fall 98 fashion shows.

Hollywood soon took notice in Boris. While studying with acting coach Janet Alhanti, he started guest starring on such sitcoms as Steve Harvey and For Your Love, and he was featured in the Spike Lee produced feature film Love and Basketball, starring Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan.

Soon he was starring in Brown Sugar, a film also starring Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, and Nicole Ari Parker. Audience test screenings for Brown Sugar rated Boris higher than any other cast member, prompting an instant onslaught of scripts from all major studios. During hiatus from Soul Food he also starred in the feature film The Playmaker, then sold a pitch, named Papa was¦, to Fox Searchlight. He will star and produce. In January he wrote and sold a Reality TV show, named Undercover, to VH1. He will be the Executive-producer.

In April, Boris will star in the SonyScreen Gems produced Hard Time. He will be a Co-executive producer. He will also produce and star in the ParamountUPN pilot Second Time Around. A project he developed with Paramount and writerproducer Ralph Farquar.

Boris received three NAACP Award Nominations for Outstanding supporting actor in a drama, and one for Outstanding supporting actor in a feature. Soul Food the series continues to be one of TVs biggest hits, raking in record-breaking ratings and winning three NAACP Awards for best drama.

As a renowned expert and highly sought-after speaker, Boris Kodjoe's expertise is in high demand. To book Boris Kodjoe for your next event, conference, or workshop, please contact our speaker booking agency. Our experienced team will work closely with you to understand your specific needs and help secure Boris Kodjoe's participation. With our professional guidance and seamless booking process, you can ensure a memorable and impactful experience for your audience. Don't miss the opportunity to engage your audience with Boris Kodjoe's compelling insights and inspire positive change within your organization. Fill out the booking request form to take the first step in securing Boris Kodjoe for your next speaking engagement.