40 Facts About Rakie Ayola

Rakie Olufunmilayo Ayola was born on May 1968 and is a British actress known for her work in theatre and television and radio.

In 2023 Rakie Ayola was the 18th recipient of the prestigious BAFTA Cymru Sian Phillips Award.

In 2021 Rakie Ayola won BAFTA Best Supporting Actress for BBC1 film Anthony by Jimmy McGovern.

Rakie Ayola appeared as Kyla Tyson in the BBC medical drama Holby City from its eighth to eleventh series.

In 2017, Rakie Ayola took over the role of Hermione Granger in the West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

In 2017 Rakie Ayola founded Shanty Productions with her husband Adam Smethurst.

Rakie 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.

Rakie Ayola was born in Cardiff in May 1968 to a Sierra Leonean mother and a Nigerian father.

Rakie Ayola was raised by her mother's cousin and his wife in Ely, Cardiff.

Rakie Ayola's heritage means she is Yoruba by descent, although she does not speak the language.

Rakie 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.

Rakie Ayola left high school before sitting her A Levels in order to pursue her ambition of becoming an actress.

Rakie Ayola's first acting role was for the Welsh Eisteddfod when still at primary school, playing a lady-in-waiting at the court of King Arthur.

Rakie Ayola 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.

Rakie 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.

Rakie Ayola has performed in Twelfth Night in the lead roles of both Olivia and Viola.

Rakie Ayola has identified her dream role to be that of Isabella in Measure for Measure, as she once lost out on the part and would like to prove herself capable of playing it.

Rakie Ayola went on to appear in Gone With the Wind sequel Scarlett, and star in Welsh soap opera Tiger Bay.

Rakie Ayola has spoken critically of the way the BBC treated the soap, moving it around the schedules and declining to commission a second series.

In 1996, Rakie Ayola appeared at the National Theatre in Helen Edmundson's adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace.

Rakie Ayola 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.

Rakie Ayola 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", but at the time was outspoken against the show's cancellation, stating:.

In 2009, Rakie Ayola starred in the CBBC musical comedy My Almost Famous Family.

Rakie Ayola joined the cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre, London from 24 May 2017, playing the role of Hermione Granger.

From 7 February 2006 to 9 December 2008, Rakie Ayola starred in BBC medical drama Holby City as nurse Kyla Tyson.

Rakie Ayola had previously appeared in Holby City sister show Casualty, and had made an appearance in Holby City fifth series as patient Marianne Lawson.

Rakie Ayola was approached about returning to the show in a more permanent role by BBC casting director Julie Harkin.

In 2001, Rakie Ayola founded a production company and directed a short film entitled Persephone's Playground.

Rakie Ayola presented the film at the Cannes film festival, using it as part of her campaign for increased black representation in theatre, films and television.

Rakie 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.

Rakie Ayola received Honourable Mention for the same role the following year, and was shortlisted again in 2008.

Rakie Ayola is a Trustee of ACT, the Actors' Children's Trust, and an Ambassador of PIPA, Parents in Performing Arts.

Rakie Ayola describes herself as "optimistic, cynical, lazy, naive [and] honest".

Rakie Ayola spends her free time "watching television, the theatre, cinema, concerts, indoor wall climbing [and] keeping fit [with] yoga [and] aerobics".

Rakie Ayola has a collection of Troll dolls which she keeps under her bath.

Rakie Ayola has an interest in travel, and has visited Peru and Kenya among other destinations.

Rakie Ayola has expressed a desire to visit Brazil and Argentina, and has "a romantic notion of travelling around Europe in a camper van".

Rakie Ayola often speaks of her pride in her Welsh upbringing, describing herself as "an Ely girl through and through".

Rakie Ayola was made a Fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2003.

Rakie Ayola has undertaken the following roles from her screen and televisual debut in 1993, to the present day.