Maynard Eziashi

Maynard Eziashi (born 1965 in London, England

Early life Eziashi was born in London, England. Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote "The lively Mr. Eziashi is good at conveying Johnson's charm and buoyancy, though much of the character's wiliness gets lost." Jay Boyar of the Orlando Sentinel wrote "Mister Johnson is a multilayered character, and Nigerian-born actor Maynard Eziashi knows just when to shed each layer." Dave Kehr of the Chicago Tribune wrote "...as Johnson, the Nigerian actor Eziashi achieves an effective manic blur that allows him to move gracefully between comedy and tragic hysteria." Ralph Novak of People wrote "Eziashi's performance as the title character is a masterful display of subtlety and insight into a man of great loyalty and deep love for his wife and child, as well as irresistible impulses to lie and steal." David Sterritt of The Christian Science Monitor wrote "The triumph of the movie, though, is Nigerian actor Maynard Eziashi playing Mister Johnson himself, in as witty and persuasive a performance as I've seen this year."

Eziashi portrayed Zweli, the son of Danny Glover's character in Bopha! (1993), which was the directorial debut of Morgan Freeman.

Eziashi also worked with Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995).

Eziashi has also starred in Twenty-One (1991) and A Good Man in Africa (1994), the latter starring Sean Connery. Eziashi reunited with Freeman and Mister Johnson director Bruce Beresford in the 2006 film, The Contract.

"It was pleasurable working with them. Some of them have become good friends and I am still in contact with them till this day," Eziashi says on the number of Hollywood top stars he has worked with.

Personal life Eziashi is not well known in Nollywood, but he is well known in Hollywood.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1990 Mister Johnson Mister Johnson 1991 Twenty-One Baldie 1993 Bopha! Zweli Mangena 1994 A Good Man in Africa Friday, Leafy's Houseman 1995 Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls Ouda 1999 Janice Beard Clive Morley 2001 When Brendan Met Trudy Edgar 2001 Kiss Kiss (Bang Bang) Gloria 2002 Anansi Sir Francis 2005 Colour Me Kubrick Adibe 2006 The Contract Robbins 2007 Saidi's Song Jite 2021 Upon the Edge Finley