Who is Kingsley Ben-Adir, the new star of The OA on Netflix?
Everything you need to know about the actor behind Karim Washington
How exactly do the five movements work? Will Dr Hunter solve the secrets of inter-dimensional travel? And does the show share the same multi-verse as Stranger Things?
There’s plenty of mysteries about the second season of Netflix's The OA, but here’s one we can answer: who exactly is new cast member Kingsley Ben-Adir?
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The actor joins the show as Karim Washington, a private detective searching for a missing teen – a search that sees him crossing paths with The OA. To give anything else away would stumble on major spoiler territory, but we can answer some of the biggest questions you probably about Ben-Adir…
Who plays Karim Washington in The OA season 2?
The PI is played by Kingsley Ben-Adir. Although his accent in The OA might make you think otherwise, he’s actually a British actor.
Who else has Kingsley Ben-Adir been in?
Ben-Adir has enjoyed some notable screen roles alongside this theatre work, most notably in ITV crime drama Vera where he plays Dr Marcus Summer.
He's also featured in Agatha Christie's Marple and Midsomer Murders, appeared alongside Liam Neeson in The Commuter, and was part of the cast for the fourth series of Peaky Blinders.
Will Karim Washington be in The OA season 3?
At the moment, we’re not exactly sure. Although it’s not confirmed if he’ll make a comeback – Netflix hasn’t officially greenlit another season yet – Ben-Adir recently indicated he knew what would happen in part three.
“I know where it's going in the next season, which is nuts!" he told RadioTimes.com. "Like, unimaginable, Genuinely. Like, not even in a way I'm trying to sell it – It's crazy!"
Is this a brilliant piece of misdirection from the actor? Does Ben-Adir know the plot to season three because his character will return? You never know, there's always the chance Washington will be a major part of the five-season arc planned for the show.
Well, provided he doesn't get on the wrong side of Dr Hunter, of course.
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Authors
Thomas is Digital editor at BBC Science Focus. Writing about everything from cosmology to anthropology, he specialises in the latest psychology, health and neuroscience discoveries. Thomas has a Masters degree (distinction) in Magazine Journalism from the University of Sheffield and has written for Men’s Health, Vice and Radio Times. He has been shortlisted as the New Digital Talent of the Year at the national magazine Professional Publishers Association (PPA) awards. Also working in academia, Thomas has lectured on the topic of journalism to undergraduate and postgraduate students at The University of Sheffield.