Rising Star: Dayo Okeniyi

Raised in Lagos Nigeria, Dayo Okeniyi, 24, began acting in the theatre at his elementary school. In 2003 Okeniyi, the youngest of five siblings, moved from Nigeria with his family to the United States. His father, now retired DCG customs officer Ezekiel Okeniyi and mother Elizabeth Okeniyi now a retired British literature teacher were adamant that their children receive an education in the United States.

Okeniyi received a Bachelor's degree from Anderson University in visual communications design in 2009. After College he decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue Acting his true passion. In 2012 Dayo Okeniyi landed the highly coveted role of "Thresh" the gladiatorial tribute from District 11 chosen along side his female counterpart "Rue" to fight to the death in the colossally successful motion picture franchise "The Hunger Games." Since then Okeniyi has been cast in upcoming films "The Spectacular Now" and the Ben Affleck / Justin Timberlake Starer "Runner Runner" both films are due out in 2013