Ariyon Bakare

Ariyon Bakare () (born 1971) is an English actor, writer and director. He is known for his extensive work across theatre, television, and film.

In 1998, he became the first Black man to play a lead role in a BBC period drama, portraying Mehuru in the BAFTA-nominated miniseries A Respectable Trade. His performance was described by The Guardian as “powerful and understated… conveying dignity, intellect, and the quiet fury of a man surviving under unimaginable constraint.” Bakare’s portrayal marked a significant moment in British television history. He has since built a prolific career with major roles in Doctors, His Dark Materials, Carnival Row, Thirteen, Karen Pirie, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and Mr Loverman. In 2025, he won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Mr Loverman.

Bakare has also directed for television, received development funding from the UK Film Council for his debut feature Kodak Cowboy, and founded the racial justice initiative iC4RE. He is a long-time ambassador for WaterAid and delivered a keynote speech at St James’s Palace in 2025 on global water access and social justice.

Early life and education

Ariyon Bakare was born around 1971, of a Nigerian father. Growing up, he lived all around east London. Due to conflict with his father, Bakare left his family home at the age of 15, and completed his education while homeless for a year. He was close to his stepmother.

Six months after returning home and reconciling with his father, at the age of 17, Bakare moved from London to New York to pursue dance as a career. He trained as dancer at various conservatories, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Two years into his training, he was informed that dancers often retire at a young age. The next day, he gave dance up, and began focusing on acting. He moved back to London at the age of 20, and began studying acting at Drama Centre London.

His first professional job was with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). He stated that while performing with the RSC, he also worked on jobs in Scotland, as well as learning scriptwriting and singing soul and opera music.

Career

Film and television

Bakare’s breakout television role came in 1998 when he played Mehuru in A Respectable Trade, a four-part BBC miniseries based on the novel by Philippa Gregory. His portrayal of an enslaved African intellectual navigating 18th-century British society was described by The Guardian as “powerful and understated… conveying dignity, intellect, and the quiet fury of a man surviving under unimaginable constraint.” The role marked the first time a Black man led a BBC period drama.

From 2001 to 2005, he starred as Dr. Ben Kwarme in the BBC soap opera ''Doctors''. a role that earned him a Royal Television Society Midlands nomination for Best Actor in 2005.

After leaving ''Doctors'', Bakare returned to direct and write several episodes. He then co-wrote and starred in the Channel 4 drama ''Stealing Lives''. In November 2008, he appeared as a villain in the BBC drama '' Spooks'', and in October 2009, he made an appearance in ''Casualty''.

In 2011, Bakare played a mini-cab driver, Carl Lucas, in the last episode of the sixth series of '' Law & Order UK'', first broadcast in 2012. He appeared in '' Dancing on the Edge'', first broadcast in 2013, as Wesley Holt, a band manager. Bakare later appeared in ''Doctor Who'', in the 2015 episode, "The Woman Who Lived", alongside Maisie Williams. He played the antagonist of the episode, a lion-like creature called Leandro.

He appeared as a Rebel pilot in '' Rogue One: A Star Wars Story''. In 2019, he began appearing in the BBC TV series ''His Dark Materials'', in the role of Lord Boreal.

In 2022 He played the older version of character Alex Gilrey who is a long term murder suspect in the BBC TV mini series Karen Pirie which was based on the Inspector Karen Pirie series by Val McDermid.

Stage

Bakare's theatre credits include productions at the RSC and the Lyric Hammersmith. He played Florindo in Tim Supple's staging of '' A Servant to Two Masters'' at the Young Vic theatre.

He starred opposite Janet Suzman in the British premiere of ''Dream of the Dog'', where he played a South African nattily-clad architect, "Look Smart".

Awards and nominations

For his role in ''Doctors'', Bakare was nominated for Best Actor at the 2004 British Soap Awards.

In 2005, he was nominated for Best Actor at the Royal Television Society (RTS) Midlands Awards for his portrayal of Dr. Ben Kwarme in the BBC series ''Doctors''.

He received a commendation at the Ian Charleson Awards for his role as Florindo in '' A Servant to Two Masters'' at the Young Vic.

Bakare also received multiple Best Actor awards for his performance in the short film ''Waiting for Time'' (2019), including:

* **Best Actor in a Short Film** – Wild Indie Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film Festival (2020)
* **Best Actor** – Overcome Film Festival (2020)
* **Best Actor** – IndieFest Film Awards (2020)
* **Best Actor** – European Cinematography Awards (2020)
* **Best Actor** – Five Continents International Film Festival (2020)

In 2025, Bakare won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in ''Mr Loverman''.

Filmography

Stage

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bakare, Ariyon
English people of Nigerian descent
English people of Yoruba descent
English male stage actors
English male radio actors
English male voice actors
English male film actors
English television writers
English television directors
English male soap opera actors
21st-century English male actors
Black British male actors
English male Shakespearean actors
Royal Shakespeare Company members
Male actors from London
Yoruba male actors
Living people
English male television writers
Year of birth missing (living people)
20th-century English male actors
English male television actors
British homeless people
Best Supporting Actor BAFTA Award (television) winners
Alumni of the Drama Centre London