ACTORS from Ethiopia

Top 2

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Ethiopian Actors of all time. This list of famous Ethiopian Actors is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Ruth Negga (b. 1982)

With an HPI of 41.73, Ruth Negga is the most famous Ethiopian Actor.  Her biography has been translated into 43 different languages on wikipedia.

Ruth Negga ( NAY-gə; born 4 May 1981) is an Irish actress known for her roles in the AMC television series Preacher (2016–2019) and the film Loving (2016). For her portrayal of Mildred Loving in the latter, Negga received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. For her Broadway debut as Lady Macbeth in a production of Shakespeare's Macbeth in 2022, she earned a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. Negga has also appeared in the films Isolation (2005), Breakfast on Pluto (2005), Warcraft (2016), Ad Astra (2019) and Passing (2021). Other television projects include the BBC mini-series Criminal Justice (2008–2019), RTÉ's Love/Hate (2010–2011), E4's Misfits (2010), ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–2015), and Apple TV+'s Presumed Innocent (2024).

2. Mahder Assefa (b. 1987)

With an HPI of 28.21, Mahder Assefa is the 2nd most famous Ethiopian Actor.  Her biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Mahder Assefa (born 5 October 1987) is an Ethiopian actress. She has performed leading roles in Seberta, Yalteneka Amalayu, Ye Bet Lij, Shefu, FBI 2, Made In China and the Triangle trilogy. Mahder also garnered a public attention in 2011 late night television drama series Sew le sew, starring as Medhanit.