Arnold Oceng, sometimes known as Snakeyman, (born 30 November 1985), is a Ugandan-born British actor and singer. Oceng is best known for the roles in Grange Hill, Adulthood and Brotherhood.
Early life He was born on 30 November 1985 to a South Sudanese father and a Ugandan mother. In 1986 when he was one year of age, his family moved to Brixton, South London as refugees.
Career He started acting at the age of 6 as a child artist. In school, he played as 'King Herod' in the play at the Corpus Christi Roman Catholic primary school on Brixton Hill.
In 1999, he made his acting debut as a child artist with the role 'Calvin Braithwaite' in the 73 episodes of BBC children's television drama serial Grange Hill. The series was highly popular and Oceng continued in the show until 2004. Since then he acted in minor supportive roles in many television serials including, Casualty, The Bill and Sold. Oceng made his maiden cinema appearance in 2008 film Adulthood. He later followed with supportive roles in independent UK films, 4.3.2.1. and My Brother The Devil.
In 2014, he acted alongside Reese Witherspoon in the film The Good Lie, which became his first Hollywood role. In 2016, he made the role 'Charles' in the film A United Kingdom which had its premier in BFI London Film Festival. Then he starred in the Danish biopic The Greatest Man screened in 2016. In the same year, he joined the cast of film Brotherhood. In 2017, he was nominated for the Male Performance in Film award at Screen Nation Film and Television Awards which was held at the Park Plaza London Riverbank hotel on 7 May 2017. In the same year, he won the award for the Best Supporting Actor at National Film Awards UK for his role in Brotherhood.
Filmography +Key Denotes projects that have not yet been released
Film Year Title Role Notes 2007 The Prodigals Marlon Short film2008 Adulthood Henry One of Those Days Angel Steward #4 Short film 2009 Dog Endz Quinton TV film 2010 4.3.2.1. Dark Chocolate2011 The Tapes Nathan Victim Jayden Demons Never Die Curtis Point Blank TV film2012 My Brother the Devil Aj Payback Season Maxy The Knot Fulishio Akinkugbe2013 Circle of Revenge Lil Reese It's a Lot Aasif 2014 The Good Lie Mamere2016 Brotherhood Henry Okocha A United Kingdom Charles 2017 Breathe Arnold Short film Pound for Pound Ayub Kalule TBCFinding Forever Marvin
Television Year Title Role Notes 1999–2004 Grange Hill Calvin Braithwaite Series regular; 73 episodes 2006 Casualty Solomon 'Sol' Lakah Recurring role; 5 episodes2007 The Bill Wayne Tindle Episode: "The Good Old Days" Sold Josh Series 1, Episode 3 2011 Top Boy Femi Series 1, Episode 1 2017 This World Joseph Episode: "The Attack: Terror in the UK" 2018 Age Before Beauty Leon Recurring role; 4 episodes 2019 Dark Money Ryan Osei Miniseries; 4 episodes 2022 The Underground Jaidai Miniseries2025 MobLandOlie DonkerRecurring role; 8 episodes
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2015 National Film Awards Best Newcomer The Good Lie 2017 National Film Awards Best Breakthrough Performance in a Film Brotherhood National Film Awards Best Supporting Actor Brotherhood Screen Nation Film and Television Awards Male Performance in Film Brotherhood
See also British Urban Film Festival List of African films of 2014
References
External links
Exclusive Q+A With Arnold Oceng on Thursday! 60 seconds with... Arnold Oceng