Yetide Badaki


Yetide Badaki is a Nigerian-born American actress. She is best known for playing Bilquis on the Starz series American Gods.

Early life

Badaki was born in Ibadan, Nigeria, before moving to England for three years when she was three, returning to Nigeria for six years, and settling in America at age twelve. She is a graduate of McGill University with a major in English Literature and a minor in Environmental Science. Badaki also has a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre from Illinois State University. She became a United States citizen in 2014.

Career

Badaki received a 2006 Jeff Award nomination for Best Actress in a Principal Role for I Have Before Me a Remarkable Document Given to Me by a Young Lady from Rwanda. She has received positive reviews for her portrayal of Bilquis on American Gods. The character of Bilquis has had its role in the story expanded for the television series. In 2018, Badaki played the recurring character Chi Chi on This Is Us.
Badaki has written a short film called In Hollywoodland, which she funded with IndieGoGo. Badaki and Karen David will produce and star in the short film while Jessica Sherif will direct. In Hollywoodland is a re-imagining of Alice in Wonderland set in present-day Los Angeles. In Hollywoodland will premiere in August 2020 at the Bentonville Film Festival.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games