Rakie Olufunmilayo AyolaListen is a Welsh actress known for her work in theatre and television. But in her 50s, Ayola has found a confidence that she did not have in her 20s. Ayola credits her chemistry with co-star Akim Mogaji, who played her on-screen husband Luke Roberts, for winning her her audition. Series 2: Meet the Characters View Series 2: Meet the Characters. She is set to portray DS Holland, who is in charge of the investigation. [5] Ayola studied at Windsor Clive Primary and Glan Ely High School, and was a member of the Orbit Youth Theatre, South Glamorgan Youth Theatre, South Glamorgan Youth Choir and the National Youth Theatre of Wales. Ayola made her screen debut in 1993 and has since worked in many movies and TV series such as The I Inside, Sahara, Been So Long, Nightshift, Doctor Who, Black Mirror, Grace, to name a few. Its a cause very close to Ayolas heart, as Vanity Fair reports, her eldest daughter, Tansy, was diagnosed with incurable neurofibromatosis type one when she was eight. HUSBAND : Actor, Adam Smethhurst. Rakie Olufunmilayo AyolaListen (born May 1968) is a Welsh actress known for her work in theatre and television. The actress stars in The Pact series 2 as the matriarch of the Rees family. In 2009, Ayola starred in the CBBC musical comedy My Almost Famous Family. Ayolas first job was selling jeans on Bessemer Road Market in Cardiff. I was so bad with the budget that I just said yes to everything and then had to worry about how to pay for things at the end. [21] She has a collection of Troll dolls which she keeps under her bath. All those professionals whose work has just been thrown out - I hate that. She has noted having casting directors accept the notion of characters being both black and Welsh to be a particular problem, explaining that: I get offered a lot of very different roles, but theyre never Welsh. [8] Her subsequent film credits are romantic comedy The Secret Laughter of Women, set in Nigeria and starring Colin Firth,[15] thriller The i Inside, filmed in Sully Hospital, Cardiff, and starring Ryan Phillippe,[13] and Sahara, filmed in Morocco whilst Ayola was pregnant with her first child, starring Penlope Cruz. Ayola often speaks of her pride in her Welsh upbringing, describing herself as an Ely girl through and through. But it was 2021 which really propelled Rakie to fame. She was cared for by her birth mothers cousin from Sierra Leone and his Welsh wife. [] They are not being sold as a reason to watch. She believes that her career would have taken her in a different direction were she not of ethnic origin, stating: I could not have played any of the roles I have played on TV if I was white [] I am very aware of where the glass ceiling is and its still very low and expectations are still very low. After graduating, Ayola starred in Soldier, Soldier, Maisie Raine, and Eastenders. His unorthodox police methods have come under scrutiny once again and Grace is walking a career tightrope and risks being moved from the job he loves most. Im very sorry to have to let her go.. Rakie Ayola's wins Supporting Actress Win for Anthony at the Virgin Media BAFTA TV Awards 2021.subscribe to BAFTA https://youtube.com/user/BAFTAonlinecheck. [23] In 2009, Ayola starred in the CBBC musical comedy My Almost Famous Family. As far as I'm aware, the BBC only allowed it to be nominated for that one award, for the graphics. Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? In July last year, Ayola played Gee Walker in BBC Ones TV movie Anthony. Describing her motivation, she states: I am not an overtly political person. She is a member of famous Actress with the age 53 years old group. Helen and Christine have nothing in common, but what the two series have in common is a pact at the heart of them., Ayola is tight-lipped on the plot of the second series, not even revealing the manner of Christines sons death. Rakie is a Trustee of ACT, the Actors' Children's Trust, and an Ambassador of PIPA, Parents in Performing Arts. She found Christine to be a complicated character who subverts representations of harsh matriarchal figures, praising McTighes restrained writing, Shes manipulative and controlling, but its so quiet. See also Release Dates | Official Sites | Company Credits | Filming & Production | Technical Specs . She went on to play troubled nurse Kyla Tyson in Holby City from 2006-8, who endured domestic violence and alcoholism. But because youre the dark-skinned woman, theres no actual picture of you. No Doubt Rakie Olufunmilayo Ayola (born May 1968) is a Welsh actress, best known for her role as Kyla Tyson in the BBC medical drama Holby City. [6] She left high school before sitting her A Levels in order to pursue her ambition of becoming an actress. What actor wouldnt want to do this? Some people will feel for Christine, some people will loathe her.. She was made a Fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2003. T hanks to the internet, Rakie Ayola can pinpoint the exact moment that she knew she wanted a career in showbusiness: 8.15pm on 19 December 1976. The Pact series 2 episode 5 review - five things we want to know [Spoilers] The Pact series 2 episode 4 review: five . With her Bafta for best supporting actress for BBC Ones Anthony. She could potentially return to the seaside town, so its not clear yet if Rakie Ayola will appear in the next series of Grace. [10] She spends her free time "watching television, the theatre, cinema, concerts, indoor wall climbing [and] keeping fit [with] yoga [and] aerobics". Its an unusual move, but, she says, having connected with a group of performers of colour who have her back, shes learned to dream bigger. Shawn Fonteno Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family, David Brisbin Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family, Del Armstrong Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family, Anel Lopez Gorham Wiki Biography, Age, Height, Husband, Net Worth, Family. "[14] Ayola recalls having been daunted at the prospect of working alongside so many established names, but has said it was a "wonderful experience". The pair married in May 2004, and Ayola gave birth to their first daughter, Tansy, in July that year. She has expressed a desire to visit Brazil and Argentina, and has a romantic notion of travelling around Europe in a camper van. Will, Jamie and Megan dont understand why their mum never talks about her past. I was so bad with the budget that I just said yes to everything and then had to worry about how to pay for things at the end. In 2008, Ayola offered her support to the Action for Southern Africa campaign Dignity! In 2004, Rakie married fellow actor Adam Smethurst who has starred in TV dramas including Casualty and Marple and Lewis. Ayola credits her chemistry with co-star Akim Mogaji, who played her on-screen husband Luke Roberts, for winning her her audition. Adam Smethurst, with whom she has two daughters. In her latest role, Ayola plays DS Holland, the senior detective investigating the death of Jack Holland. Ayola studied at Windsor Clive Primary and Glan Ely High School, and was a member of the Orbit Youth Theatre, South Glamorgan Youth Theatre, South Glamorgan Youth Choir and the National Youth Theatre of Wales. Ayola has stated that it was Barbra Streisands performance in Hello, Dolly! Rakie Ayolas husband is actor Adam Smethurst, the son of Jack Smethurst. Home . In the summer of 1992, having moved to Elephant and Castle, she remembers auditioning for Beeban Kidrons drama Great Moments in Aviation, which she starred in alongside John Hurt, Jonathan Pryce and Vanessa Redgrave. The series begins after four employees decide to play a prank on their controlling boss. DS Holland - Rakie Ayola (Image: BBC / Little Door (The Pact) / Warren Orchard) Rakie is another Welsh actor with a great CV and has played a wealth of great characters. "[34], Throughout her career, Ayola has been outspoken on the subject of racial discrimination in the entertainment industry. Wikiwand is the world's leading Wikipedia reader for web and mobile. Are you watching The Pact series 2? Ayolas first film appearance was in the 1993 film Great Moments in Aviation, written by Jeanette Winterson, in which she starred alongside Jonathan Pryce and John Hurt. CREDITS. Rakie was born in May 1968, making her 52-years-old. [29] After a series of three meetings, a year after the birth of her first child, she agreed to assume the role of Kyla, despite being "nervous about signing such a long contract",[21] stating: "I've been someone who's loved the uncertainty of acting. Intense focus Rakie Ayola and Jordan Wilks in a scene from the forthcoming series of The Pact. She is working and taking care of the others.. subscribe to BAFTA https://youtube.com/user/BA. His daughter, Eluned Morgan, now Baroness Ely, the Welsh health minister, reminded me when we met recently that I was never out of that church. I'm very sorry to have to let her go. Plays Kyla Tyson. The actress first rose to fame when she bagged the lead of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in Aviation. She presented the film at the Cannes film festival, using it as part of her campaign for increased black representation in theatre, films and television. It told the true story of 18-year-old Anthony Walker, who was murdered by two white men in an unprovoked racist attack in 2005. Rakie Ayola: I seem to be able to breathe life into all this grief and loss, hanks to the internet, Rakie Ayola can pinpoint the exact moment that she knew she wanted a career in showbusiness: 8.15pm on 19 December 1976. Rakie Ayola talks about attending her first BAFTA Awards and what it was like playing Gee Walker in Anthony. Throughout her career, Ayola has been outspoken on the subject of racial discrimination in the entertainment industry. In 2017, Ayola took over the role of Hermione Granger in the West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. When shes not acting Ayola spends a lot of time advocating for the Childhood Tumour Trust (CTT). In the same year, she also starred as Prime Minister Opal Folami in BBC drama Noughts and Crosses. Played by Aneurin Barnard. Jack. She began her professional career in classical theater, but by the early 1990s was . [10] She worked as a chambermaid whilst attending drama school, and, six weeks prior to graduation, was offered a job with the 'Made in Wales' theatre company which enabled her to obtain her union card. In an interview with the publication she explained the kinds of events the charity puts on for children. "So, instead of bowing to this altar, they've said, 'Okay, we have this family that's half-black, half-white, half-American, half-British. In 1996, Ayola appeared at the National Theatre in Helen Edmundsons adaptation of Leo Tolstoys War and Peace. In 2017, Ayola took over the role of Hermione Granger in the West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Ayola has appeared in television shows including Black Mirror, Noughts + Crosses, Doctor Who, Silent Witness and EastEnders, a number of Shakespearean theatrical performances and feature films such as Great Moments in Aviation, The i Inside and Sahara. "[36] She believes that her career would have taken her in a different direction were she not Black, stating: "I could not have played any of the roles I have played on TV if I was white [] I am very aware of where the glass ceiling is and it's still very low and expectations are still very low". For a full list of present characters, see list of characters from EastEnders . She says it occurred within two years of the events shown, so were still very raw, and that Christine is dealing with her adult children one of whom is due to be married and so theres anticipation of festivities. But by this time, she had been involved in the South Glamorgan youth theatre and other local amateur dramatic companies, and while she wasnt blind to the fact she was the only young Black actor in these spaces, she didnt think that she should be limited in ambition due to skin colour. Rakie is a Trustee of ACT, the Actors Childrens Trust, and an Ambassador of PIPA, Parents in Performing Arts. So why is she back in the new role? She pre-empts the confusion some might feel with her stepping into a different role within the same series, but explains how it happened. During a 1998 production of Hamlet, Ayola met her future husband, fellow actor Adam Smethurst son of Love Thy Neighbour star Jack Smethurst. Ayola was born in Cardiff, Wales in May 1968, to a Sierra Leonean mother and a Nigerian father. This is a list of characters from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, ordered by the year in which they made their final appearance. The 90-minute film imagined how Anthonys life would have been if hed lived. Rakie Ayola (Rakie Olufunmilayo Ayoola) was born on 1968-05- in Cardiff, is an Actress. [7], Ayola began her career in the theatre, performing in a number of Shakespearean plays including Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth. ", "Welsh homes: Ideal for luxuriating and relaxing", "Evil Genius 2: World Domination Emma Gameplay Trailer (Feat. Rakie Ayola also starred in one of 2020s most heart-rending TV shows. [8] She went on to appear in Gone With the Wind sequel Scarlett,[7] and star in Welsh soap opera Tiger Bay. I decided at 16 I wanted to make my living acting, but even if I couldnt, Id be in an amateur theatre company. She then went on to attend the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, studying for a three-year acting diploma. Im not sure why because its so gorgeous.) This is Ayolas second outing in the series, having played an entirely different character, a detective investigating the death of a brewery manager, in the first season. Shes one of those women. She appeared in Holby City from its eighth to eleventh series, from 2006 to 2008, and in 2009 starred in the CBBC musical comedy My Almost Famous Family. For faster navigation, this Iframe is preloading the Wikiwand page for List of former EastEnders characters. But who is Rakie and who did she play in Holby City? At the age of 13, she set up a theatre company, the Talent Amateur Dramatic Society, with a few friends. The Pact airs later this month on BBC One. Ayola has appeared in television shows including Black Mirror, Noughts + Crosses, Doctor Who, Silent Witness and EastEnders, a number of Shakespearean theatrical performances and feature films such as Great Moments in Aviation, The i Inside and Sahara. Her net worth has been growing significantly in 2020-2021. Louie. Rakie Ayola in The Pact series 2 was in series 1 as different character! Ayola has performed in Twelfth Night in the lead roles of both Olivia and Viola. More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Born May 11, 1968 Add to list Won 1 BAFTA Award 1 win total Photos 13 Known for She first rose to prominence in the lead role of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in Aviation. CHILDREN : Two daughters, Tansy (b.2004) and Shani (b.2009) FAMILY : Her mother, from Sierra Leone, was the second wife of a wealthy Nigerian. When he ends up dead they all have serious questions to answer. Sign up for Bustle UK's twice-weekly newsletter, featuring the latest must-watch TV, moving personal stories, and expert advice on the hottest viral buys. They met again two years later, during a production of Twelfth Night, and went on to become a couple. She appeared as Kyla Tyson in the BBC medical drama Holby City from its eighth to eleventh series. [3] They met again two years later, during a production of Twelfth Night, and went on to become a couple. Ayola was born in London but raised by her mothers cousin in Wales. Ayola was nominated and shortlisted for the Female Performance in TV award in the 2006 Screen Nation Awards, for her role as Kyla Tyson in Holby City. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1897491aba2042 I made the decision purely because I was pregnant, but I wasnt really ready to put down the character of Kyla. She had previously appeared in Holby Citys sister show Casualty, and had made an appearance in Holby Citys fifth series as patient Marianne Lawson. Dark family secrets, a mysterious death, and friends sworn to silence, new BBC thriller The Pact has all this and more. Rakie says of her character: When we meet her thats the weight shes carrying the weight of having lost a child. Her first acting role was for the Welsh Eisteddfod when still at primary school, playing a lady-in-waiting at the court of King Arthur. Ayola has appeared in television shows including Black Mirror, Noughts + Crosses, Doctor Who, Silent Witness and EastEnders, a number of Shakespearean theatrical performances and feature films such as Great Moments in Aviation, The i Inside and Sahara. She remembers attending those awards, the room sparse due to Covid restrictions, and looking around to see her competitors including Helena Bonham Carter and Sophie Okonedo, expecting that they would win, being shocked when her name was called and taking a while to move from her seat. If youre like Sharon, front and centre of a film like Dune, its not [usually] the first time in your 50s, as a Black British woman., Winning her own Bafta is a moment Ayola still hasnt quite comprehended. Rakie Ayola is an actress appearing in the BCC's TV Program, The Pact. Bill Alexander was director. "[7] She then went on to attend the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, studying for a three-year acting diploma. [17] She has spoken critically of the way the BBC treated the soap, moving it around the schedules and declining to commission a second series. This industry has never been easy for Ayola; her transition from Cardiff to London had in some ways mired her career. Between 2003 and 2008 she starred in Holby City and played Olivia Lennox in season five of Shetland. That was really interesting to play.. "[39] In 2008, Ayola offered her support to the Action for Southern Africa campaign Dignity! In 2001, Ayola founded a production company and directed a short film entitled Persephones Playground. TV Shows. [38] In 2001, Ayola founded a production company and directed a short film entitled Persephone's Playground. [48] She has expressed a desire to visit Brazil and Argentina, and has "a romantic notion of travelling around Europe in a camper van". She remembers Harvey Weinstein staring at her on set, though not lasciviously. But last summer I started thinking it would be really nice not to have to look for a job every couple of weeks. [37] She has noted having casting directors accept the notion of characters being both black and Welsh to be a particular problem, explaining that: "I get offered a lot of very different roles, but they're never Welsh. But she is bearing. [] It left everyone very, very miserable, and very dispirited, and it made me angry. Born in Wales of Nigerian descent, actress Rakie Ayola is a familiar presence on British television. [1] In 2020, she won the Best Female Actor in a Play award at the Black British Theatre Awards for her performance in On Bear Ridge for National Theatre Wales and the Royal Court. [4] Ayola's heritage means she is Yoruba by descent, although she does not speak the language. If I'm going to be a working mum I'd rather just be one rather than be one intermittently. I've loved that one month it's Sahara in Morocco and the next I'm doing a stage play, then it's a six-part telly thing. At 53 years old, Rakie Ayola height is 1.65m . Whats happened to us all, professionally and creatively, since, is not at all what was meant to happen, she says. This brand new story makes way for new characters with the cast, including Cardiff-born, Bafta-winning actress Rakie Ayola (Anthony), who takes centre stage alongside serving as executive producer. The little girl in me went: Youve actually been dreaming about this for ever.. The mum-of-two went on to appear in episodes of Black Mirror, Stella and Silent Witness. Who plays Assistant Chief Constable Alison Vosper in ITV1s Grace? I was very proud of it. The drama was based on the real-life 2005 murder of Anthony Walker in a racist attack in Liverpool. [18] She has since concluded that "the kind of audience they would like to bring in with shows like Double Yellow aren't really into watching TV",[12] but at the time was outspoken against the show's cancellation, stating: I'm still really angry about Double Yellow, about how the whole thing was handled. The show's writer Pete has spoken about the importance of the location. The Bafta-winning actor is returning to The Pact as a different character. She acted alongside Pauline Quirke in both Maisie Raine and Being April, deeming Quirke to be a fantastic actress, and one she would work alongside again like a shot. [18] She posed nude but for a pair of yellow rubber gloves to promote the show's launch, and was highly critical of the BBC when the show was cancelled midway through its second series. It felt wrong to try to play that well when the woman who lived it was in the room.. She has a collection of Troll dolls which she keeps under her bath. Ayola was born in Cardiff in May 1968 to a Sierra Leonean mother and a Nigerian father. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. To her, they were her parents, despite no paperwork to say why I was in their care. Ayola is an advocate of increased ethnic representation in the entertainment industry, and in 2001 founded her own production company, producing the short film Persephone's Playground for the Cannes Film Festival in order to further her campaign. She is getting on with life the way people do. That introduced me to the very vibrant amateur scene in Cardiff; I auditioned for anything I was eligible for.. On a trip to New York, she found the DVD in a shop. Ayola began her career in the theatre, performing in a number of Shakespearean plays including Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Nights Dream, The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth. But the way the BBC axed it mid-series was unforgivable. While her character is good at her job, shes not the stereotypical police officer. Christine is the matriarch of the Rees family. The Pact series 2: Start date, whos in it and how many episodes are there? Also learn how She earned most of networth at the age of 52 years old? [] Also, I have to say that Double Yellow was nominated for a Bafta Cymru award. Rakie explains: The writer, Pete McTighe, and I were in the early stages of another project. Ayolas other notable television appearances include the BBC psychological thriller Green-Eyed Monster (2001), soap opera EastEnders (2001), Waking the Dead (2001), Londons Burning (2001), Offenders (2002), Murder in Mind (2003), The Canterbury Tales (2003) and Sea of Souls (2004). In 2001, she became a presenter of the BBC Wales arts programme Double Yellow, alongside poet Owen Sheers and performance artist Mark Rees. Rakie Ayola, a Welsh actress best known for her roles in Grace, Black Mirror, Noughts + Crosses and Doctor Who. [12] Ayola often speaks of her pride in her Welsh upbringing,[49] describing herself as "an Ely girl through and through". She left high school before sitting her A Levels in order to pursue her ambition of becoming an actress. She was raised by her mother's cousin and his wife in Ely, Cardiff. Samantha Bond)", BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rakie_Ayola&oldid=1137572574, Alumni of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Award (television) winners, Articles with dead external links from February 2019, Articles with dead external links from April 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from July 2022, Articles with dead external links from October 2017, Articles with dead external links from October 2010, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Episode "That Old Black Magic" parts 1 and 2, Episode 17.3 " The Ballad of Midsomer County", This page was last edited on 5 February 2023, at 09:59. Their first daughter, Tansy, in July that year during a production and! & # x27 ; s writer Pete has spoken about the importance of the others.. subscribe to https! 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