Backstage with Richard Ridge: Chukwudi Iwuji on Living the Dream in Shakespeare in the Park's OTHELLO

"I was having a conversation with my manager... I was about to start The Low Road and I had just done Hedda Gabler in London. But I really enjoyed filming. I said, 'After I finish the Low Road, let's focus on filming. Barring, I don't know... Othello in the Park, I really don't want to do another play."

That's exactly what happened for Chukwudi Iwuji, who can currently be seen starring as the title character in Othello for The Public Theatre's Shakespeare in the Park. Below, watch as he chats with Richard Ridge about the character, the complexities of Shakespeare, and so much more!

He most recently starred as John Blanke in Michael Greif's The Low Road at The Public Theater. For his performance, Chukwudi won a 2018 Obie Award and earned nominations for a 2018 Drama League Award in the category of Distinguished Performance and a 2018 Lucille Lortel Award in the category of Outstanding Lead Actor in a play. The show was also nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award. Chukwudi is an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company, for his numerous Shakespearean performances. He received two Olivier awards for his titular role as Henry VI in the RSC's 2009 productions of parts I, II, and III. Additional theatre credits include The National Theatre's Hedda Gabler, The Public Theatre's Hamlet, King Lear, Anthony and Cleopatria, Theatre for a New Audience's Tamburlaine, and Old Vic's Richard III.