Fola Evans-Akingbola is a prominent British actress, model, and filmmaker of Nigerian descent through her father. She earned mainstream recognition for her role in the Popular Netflix Series The Night Agent and the freeform drama Siren.
Essential Data
- Full Name: Fola Evans Akingbola
- Stage Name: Fola Evans Akingbola
- Born: September 26, 1994
- Age: 31 years old
- Birthplace: London, England
- Nationality: British,Nigerian
- Occupation: Actress,Model,Filmmaker
- Height: 5′ 7½″ (1.71 m)
- Religion: Christianity
- Parents: Sola Akingbola,Gillian Evans
- Siblings: 1
- Spouse: Curtis Lum
- Children: None
- Relationship: Curtis Lum
- Net Worth: $2 million
Early Life and Education
Fola Evans-Akingbola was born on September 26, 1994, in London, England, to Gillian Evans, an English anthropologist, and Sola Akingbola, a Nigerian musician.
She was raised in a multicultural environment, growing up with her sister in Bermondsey, South London, and influenced by both her father’s Nigerian Yoruba heritage and her mother’s English background.
Fola is close to her uncle Jimmy Akingbola, a British actor known for his television work. His industry experience supported her early interest in acting.
She attended Alleyns School in Dulwich, London, and graduated in 2012 after finishing her Sixth Form studies. At an early age, she participated in a youth theatre program to pursue her interest in acting, but had to stop to focus on her academics.
After graduating from secondary school, she studied Philosophy at the university and later enrolled in a part-time evening program at the Identity School of Acting to further hone her acting skills.
Career
Fola Evans-Akingbola started her professional career in the entertainment industry as a model in her early twenties after completing secondary school.
She made her professional acting debut in the BBC series Holby City and also appeared in Death in Paradise, playing a local character and adopting a Jamaican accent.
In 2016, Fola appeared in the acclaimed American fantasy drama Game of Thrones as Khal Moro’s second wife in season 6, which boosted her international profile and led to further opportunities.
She had her breakout performance in 2018, when she was cast as the lead in the supernatural Freeform series Siren, playing marine biologist Madelyn Bishop across 36 episodes through 2020. She also made guest appearances in 2019 on Netflix’s Black Mirror and Ten Percent as Zoe Spencer.
Fola Evans recently featured in the popular Netflix action-thriller series The Night Agent (2023-present), playing Chelsea Arrington, a U.S. Secret Service agent protecting the president. She received positive reviews for her performance on the series.
She made her directorial debut with Grandma’s 80th Surprise in 2019, which she co-directed with Curtis Lum, co-wrote, and produced, and also provided voiceover work for the Assassin’s Creed video games.
Fola earned a BAFTA Television Craft Award nomination in 2024 for Emerging Talent for her work as a co-producer with Jordan Pitt on the documentary Untold Stories: Hair on Set.
Personal Life
Fola Evans-Akingbola has been in a committed relationship with Canadian actor Curtis Lum since 2022, marking a meaningful chapter in both her personal and professional life.
The couple first crossed paths in 2018 while working on the television drama Siren. In the series, Evans-Akingbola played Maddie Bishop, while Lum portrayed Calvin Lee.
Beyond acting, the pair expanded their creative partnership behind the camera. They co-directed the short film Grandma’s 80th Surprise, demonstrating their versatility and passion for storytelling.
In addition to her acting career, Fola Evans-Akingbola is a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion, particularly addressing hair inequality experienced by Black and mixed-race performers in the entertainment industry.
Net Worth
Fola Evans-Akingbola has an estimated net worth of $2 million. Her income stems from her diverse career in acting, modeling, and filmmaking, which has boosted her presence in the entertainment industry and enabled her to secure bigger roles.
Social Media
- Instagram: @folaevansakingbola
Filmography
- Younger
- Death in Paradise
- Game of Thrones
- Siren
- Assassin’s Creed: Origins
- Black Mirror
- Ten Percent
- The Night Agent
- Ugraded
- Back in Action
- Film club