Sophie Okonedo attracted much attention after starring as Don Cheadle’s wife in the 2004 movie Hotel Rwanda.

She was nominated for an Academy Awards under the category best performance by an actress in a supporting role.

However, despite the role bringing her fame and recognition, Okonedo has always kept a low profile. And part of it has to do with her Academy Awards nomination.

Sophie Okonedo on Hotel Rwanda

Sophie Okonedo on 'Hotel Rwanda' (Source: YouTube)

Following her nomination, her family was also put in the spotlight, leading to several incidents that upset her. 

Aside from Okonedo being swarmed by reporters, her daughter Aoife, who was just seven years old, was stalked by tabloid reporters at school.

The actress’s 90-year-old grandmother was also harassed. Because of this, Okonedo has always kept a low key life.

Sophie Okonedo and Daughter

Okonedo has a single daughter, Aoife Okonedo Martin, whom she welcomed with Eoin Martin. Martin is not her husband but rather a former boyfriend. He is an Irish film editor. 

Neither Okonedo nor Martin have shared much about their relationship. However, when talking to The Guardian in 2005, the actress revealed she and Martin were no longer together.

She has also revealed very little about her daughter. When talking to the Evening Standard in 2018, she shared Aoife was a personal trainer in Kensington.

Okonedo also opened up about her two stepchildren — Stan and Josie. She became a stepmother to the two of them after taking their father, a builder named Jamie, as her husband.

The Hotel Rwanda actress didn’t share much about her husband. Just that she had moved into the house her husband had designed and built near Glyndebourne.

“I am more settled now,” she spoke of her family. “My daughter has left home—she’s a personal trainer in Kensington—my stepson has almost left home, and my stepdaughter is 15.”

The Scandal Surrounding Sophie Okonedo And Boyfriend

Because of how private she has been about her personal life, there have been a few rumors about her relationships. 

The one that caught the most attention was when it was reported that BBC spent £5,000 on a holiday for her and her boyfriend.

According to Daily Mail, BBC used license fee payer’s money to pay for a pair of business class flights so that Okonedo and her boyfriend could go whale watching and wine tasting in South Africa’s Cape Town.

The outlet reported that the actress and her partner went to Cape Town after she finished filming the 2016 police drama Undercover. The identity of her boyfriend was not known and was referred to as John.

BBC flew John to meet up with Okonedo after the end of her shooting in Johannesburg. The two flew back to London business class after their romantic break.

After coming under fire for the incident, BBC released a statement saying Okonedo had paid for her hotel and activities herself. 

The broadcasters also added that they sometimes agreed to pay for a spouse or partner of a leading actor to travel in premium economy when they are filming abroad owing to the unsociable and unpredictable working hours actors worked over long periods.