Sharlto Copley

Sharlto Copley, born on November 27, 1973, is a distinguished South African actor renowned for roles in Academy-Award nominated District 9, The A-Team, Elysium, Europa Report, and dark fantasy adventure film Maleficent. His notable performance as the title character in Chappie and Jimmy in Hardcore Henry has earned him widespread recognition, alongside starring roles in two seasons of the TV series Powers. Copley was born in Johannesburg, educated at St. Andrew's Preparatory School, and Redhill School. His brother, Donovan, is the lead singer of a Cape Town band. Copley's career took off after meeting Neill Blomkamp, utilizing his production company's resources to help Blomkamp pursue his passion for 3D animation and design. Copley played the lead role in an unorthodox setting featuring extraterrestrial creatures on Earth in Blomkamp's District 9, receiving acclaim for improvising all his dialogues in the movie. In 2010, Copley demonstrated his multi-faceted talent by writing, directing, and producing an insert for the South African Film and Television Awards and starred in the The A-Team adaptation, impressing audiences with his command over multiple dialects. He later played key roles in Europa Report, Elysium, Oldboy, Maleficent, and Chappie. In 2015, he made his mark on television as Christian Walker in Powers and lent his voice for a promotional video by Audi Sport GmbH. Copley also starred as a supporting character in Hardcore Henry and lead role in Gringo and Ted K.