Adepero Oduye hails from Brooklyn, New York City by way of Nigeria. She is a graduate of Cornell University; and has studied acting with Wynn Handman, Austin Pendleton, and Susan Batson. Her name is pronounced "Add-eh-pair-o Oh-due-yay."

Her theatre credits include Danai Gurira's play Eclipsed, at the Yale Repertory Theatre; The Bluest Eye, at the Hartford Stage and Long Wharf Theatres; and Fela!, in the AEA workshop, directed and choreographed by Bill T. Jones.

Ms. Oduye first starred for writer/director Dee Rees as Alike in the award-winning short film Pariah [and then in the 2011 feature version]. Among the other shorts that she has starred in are Gabriele Zamparini's Water; Russell Costanzo's The Tested; and Nadiah Hamzah's Sub Rosa.

She has made guest appearances on such television programs as Louie and two Law & Order series.

Ms. Oduye credits the Center for Family Life in Brooklyn (CFL) for helping her find her voice as an actor; in 2011, CFL honored her at its Celebrating Community event.

Source:
http://focusfeatures.com/film/pariah/castncrew?member=adepero__oduye