Philips Nortey

Hailing from London, Philips Nortey is a rising English actor who has been making waves with his groundbreaking performance as “King Mbande” in the highly acclaimed Netflix series “African Queens,” which was produced and narrated by Jade Pinkett Smith. Although he is of Ghanaian descent, born to Ghanaian parents from Accra, Philips grew up in the heart of North West London, Harlesden, as the second youngest of 12 siblings, many of whom have successful careers in diverse fields such as law, medicine, finance, professional football, politics, and music.

While Philips initially showed great promise as a young professional football player, being recognized by Queens Park Rangers at the age of 11 and even earning praise from the late Bobby Ross for his physical prowess and sharp intellect, he eventually shifted his focus back to his first love, drama, after a relatively successful football career spanning 12 years. His passion for films and storytelling can be traced back to his father Emmanuel Nortey, who worked as a Colour Grade Technician at Technicolor and would bring home boxes of movies on VHS, which Philips would eagerly devour. Growing up in the famous Alpha House estate in Kilburn, Philips found solace and inspiration in the world of acting, honing his skills in imitating accents and actors, which caught the attention of his drama teacher at school, who encouraged him to pursue a career in the arts.

In addition to acting, Philips has also expanded his creative talents to writing and has become one of the most sought-after young 1st Assistant Directors in the UK, known for his meticulous attention to detail, boundless energy, vibrant nature, and unwavering passion for the arts. He has already worked with industry heavyweights such as Idris Elba, Stanley Tucci, Stormzy, Tom Jones, Jamie Flatters, Arrdee, Burnaboy, Slick Rick, Giggs, FKA Twiggs, Jorja Smith, Daniel Fletcher, John Reno, and Gary Lineker, among others. Despite being relatively early in his career, with his earliest Assistant Director credits dating back to 2019, Philips’ talent and dedication have positioned him as an exciting and captivating method actor to watch on the silver screen.