Isaach De Bankolé.

Born August 12, 1957, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Zachari Bankolé moved to France to study mathematics at the University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne, earning a Master’s degree. While studying to become an airline pilot, a chance encounter on a Paris street led to his discovery and encouragement to act. He later trained at Cours Simon, one of Paris’s premier acting schools.

De Bankolé won the César Award for Best Male Revelation for his early film work. His international breakthrough came with Jim Jarmusch: he starred in Night on Earth 1991, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai 1999, Coffee and Cigarettes 2003, and The Limits of Control 2009. In 2006, he played the villain Steven Obanno in Casino Royale. He joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the River Tribe Elder in Black Panther 2018 and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 2022. On television, he played Father Obosi in The Sopranos 1999, Larry Oliver in The Good Wife, Luc Renaud in White Collar, General Togar in The Unit, and Monsieur 98 in Godfather of Harlem.

De Bankolé is married to Cassandra Wilson, a multiple Grammy-winning American jazz singer. He holds a Master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne and a degree in acting from Cours Simon. He keeps his personal life private but is active on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook under the handle isaachdebankole.

De Bankolé’s four films with Jim Jarmusch, especially Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, became cult classics in independent cinema. His role as River Tribe Elder in Black Panther 2018 introduced him to a worldwide audience. France awarded him the Knight of the Legion of Honour in 2018. He is one of the first Ivorian actors to achieve international success, known for genre-spanning work from art-house films to blockbusters.