The synopsis reads: "Grace is fixated by the disappearance of his beloved wife, Sandy, which haunts his thoughts. Take a visual walk through their career and see 2 images of the characters they've voiced. 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! 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. ", "Miriam-Teak Lee and Rakie Ayola win at Black British Theatre Awards", "Meet the Derry woman with stars in her eyes", "I was going potty before I joined Holby", "To be but not to be - the 'perfect' Hamlet pairing. Cardiff would become the the genesis and spiritual home of Ayolas career. [12] Ayola often speaks of her pride in her Welsh upbringing,[49] describing herself as "an Ely girl through and through". . [6] 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. [] I also like the fact that there were a lot of politically-correct boxes being ticked, but the writers and producer havent been restrained by that. In 2001, she also played Miss French in EastEnders, while other credits include Doctor Who, Sea of Souls and CBBC musical comedy My Almost Famous Family. Rakie has had roles in Shetland, Silent Witness, Midsomer Murders and No Offence, as well as Hollywood films The i Inside and Sahara. For a full list of present characters, see list of characters from EastEnders . [23] In 2009, Ayola starred in the CBBC musical comedy My Almost Famous Family. 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. 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. 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. No Doubt Ayolas heritage means she is Yoruba by descent, although she does not speak the language. I'm very sorry to have to let her go.". [46] Performance & security by Cloudflare. Rakie, who is 54, grew up on a council estate in Cardiff. [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. In 1996, Ayola appeared at the National Theatre in Helen Edmundsons adaptation of Leo Tolstoys War and Peace. She explains: The role of Viola didnt sit that well with me for some reason but Olivia makes more sense. She has also appeared in modern performances, assuming the title role of Dido, Queen of Carthage at the Globe Theatre in London in 2003, which she described as a dream of a part. "EastEnders" Episode dated 2 August 2001 (TV Episode 2001) Rakie Ayola as Ms. French. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. She is working and taking care of the others.. ", "Black Wales; After Halle Berry and Denzil Washington's Oscar success, we find out what it means to be black and Welsh today", "Are we less racist than the rest of Britain? [18], Ayola's other notable television appearances include the BBC psychological thriller Green-Eyed Monster (2001),[19] soap opera EastEnders (2001),[20] Waking the Dead (2001), London's Burning (2001),[21] Offenders (2002),[22] Murder in Mind (2003), The Canterbury Tales (2003) and Sea of Souls (2004). Contents: 2020s: 2023 2022 2021 2020 2010s: 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 From 7 February 2006 to 9 December 2008, Ayola starred in BBC medical drama Holby City as nurse Kyla Tyson. Rakie Ayolas income source is mostly from being a successful Actress. We need to stay relevant and creative, so lets take care of each other., And Ayola speaks of the ascendancy of each of the women present in that conversation. When she took the award and went offstage, she crouched on the floor and sobbed, thinking about her mother, who had died at the age she now was. [32] She said of the show: In October 2008, Ayola announced that she would be departing from Holby City in order to have a second child, stating: "I've had a great time and I'll miss it. The only way to get a look behind the scenes of our brand new magazine, Saturday. Read on to find out why and to learn about her two characters past and present in The Pact. Shes also played one-off roles in Black Mirror and Doctor Who. "[44] She placed 40th in 2008, with the Western Mail noting: "the last 15 years have only seen Rakie become more beautiful and more successful". 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Ayolas first prolific television role was in the ITV drama Soldier Soldier, in which she starred throughout its third series in 1993 as soldiers wife Bernie Roberts. The Financial Times reports that Ayola attended Windsor Clive Primary and Glan Ely High School in Cardiff before studying at the Welsh College of Music and Drama (now known as the Royal Welsh College.) 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. Ayola was born in London but raised by her mothers cousin in Wales. On a trip to New York, she found the DVD in a shop. She stated: "The script made me laugh out loud when I read it. 1am - 4am, Don't Speak [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. We had fantastic editors, sound people, camera people, and the directors were all amazing. Im very sorry to have to let her go.. 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. But behind her smile and no-nonsense manner is a web of secrets. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. Throughout her career, Ayola has been outspoken on the subject of racial discrimination in the entertainment industry. She told the FT that her drama teacher and head of studies at college encouraged her passion for drama and love of Shakespeare. Speaking about the obligation that came with the role to the Evening Standard, Ayola said I was so nervous because [Gee] was there and I got quieter and quieter as we went on and got closer to the event [the killing]. So why is she back in the new role? Plays Kyla Tyson. She was the lead copper investigating his death. In July last year, Ayola played Gee Walker in BBC Ones TV movie Anthony. "[7] She then went on to attend the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, studying for a three-year acting diploma. She won a BAFTA for her performance as bereaved mum Gee Walker in BBC1s drama Anthony. She had previously appeared in Holby Citys sister show Casualty, and had made an appearance in Holby Citys fifth series as patient Marianne Lawson. The Pact airs later this month on BBC One. [43] In 2005, WalesOnline voted Ayola the 29th sexiest woman in Wales, saying of her: "One of our favourite thesps, she's black, beautiful and the term "yummy mummy" should have been made for her. Rakie Ayola. HEIGHT : 5ft 5. Rakie quit Holby when she was pregnant with her second daughter. She arrived thinking she was on the path for musicals but found that, although she could sing well, she did not have the voice of her idol, Streisand. Llantwit Major. See also Release Dates | Official Sites | Company Credits | Filming & Production | Technical Specs And then he came back with The Pact series two and said we want you to play the lead and have an exec producer role. Series 3 of Grace is currently in production but at the end of the last Brighton-based series Rakie Ayolas character Alison Vosper departed for a new job in London. In 2017, Ayola took over the role of Hermione Granger in the West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Be the first to contribute! [45] Ayola placed 17th in the awards in 2009. Click to reveal Between 2003 and 2008 she starred in Holby City and played Olivia Lennox in season five of Shetland. Season 1 aired in 2020 and was met with rave reviews. [4] Ayola's heritage means she is Yoruba by descent, although she does not speak the language. Currently taking BBC One by storm - episodes 5 and 6 air next . "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. that inspired her to act as a child,[5] though credits her adoptive mother with encouraging her to act professionally. In 2021, she won a BAFTA for her role in the BBC One drama Anthony.[2]. We need to stay relevant and creative, so lets take care of each other Rakie Ayola. Played by Aneurin Barnard. 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. She stated: The script made me laugh out loud when I read it. Are you watching The Pact series 2? She has also worked in theatre, film and television, appearing in a number of Shakespearean theatrical performances. I liked that. The actress first rose to fame when she bagged the lead of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in Aviation. She appeared from 7 February 2006 to 9 December 2008, from the series eight episode "I'll Be Back" to the series eleven episode "Sweet Bitter Love". Yes, eagle-eyed viewers, Rakie Ayola was also in The Pact series 1 playing a different character! During a 1998 production of Hamlet, Ayola met her future husband, fellow actor Adam Smethurst son of Love Thy Neighbour star Jack Smethurst. 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. 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. In 2006, Ayola was shortlisted for the Female Performance in TV award in the Screen Nation Awards, receiving Honourable Mention in the same category in 2007, and a further shortlisted nomination in 2008. Jack played Eddie Booth in popular 70s sitcom Love Thy Neighbour. Rakie Ayola held a dream of winning a Bafta for 43 years and won the 2021 best supporting actress prize for her role as Gee Walker in BBC's Anthony (Picture: Backgrid) She has expressed a desire to visit Brazil and Argentina, and has a romantic notion of travelling around Europe in a camper van. Ayola has also performed in Twelfth Night in the lead roles of both Olivia and Viola. [21] She has a collection of Troll dolls which she keeps under her bath. [7] She explains: "I've always wanted to act. 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. [6] She left high school before sitting her A Levels in order to pursue her ambition of becoming an actress. Who plays Assistant Chief Constable Alison Vosper in ITV1s Grace? In the same year, she also starred as Prime Minister Opal Folami in BBC drama Noughts and Crosses. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. 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. We have a mix of boys and girls, one character who's mixed-raced and deaf but we're not going to be restrained by any of that. I just want fairness. Period, aiming to provide affordable sanitary protection to Zimbabwean women.[40]. She first rose to prominence in the lead role of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in Aviation. Rakie Ayola. She was raised by her mother's cousin and his wife in Ely, Cardiff. 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. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1897d5e9d97ba1 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. She first rose to prominence in the lead role of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in Aviation. There were pictures of all the big stars, and youre not even on the back, even though the blurb couldnt tell the story without the story of the character you were playing. I just want fairness". "[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". It was at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama that Ayola would find what she calls her dramatic bone. In 2004, Rakie married fellow actor Adam Smethurst who has starred in TV dramas including Casualty and Marple and Lewis. At the age of 13, she set up a theatre company, the Talent Amateur Dramatic Society, with a few friends. She was made a Fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2003. Sharp-eyed viewers will remember that Rakie also appeared in The Pact season 1. He felt I was too dark. The film was not released for two years, then went straight to TV in the UK and straight to DVD in the US. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1897491aba2042 DATE OF BIRTH : 1968. The pair married in May 2004, and Ayola gave birth to their first daughter, Tansy, in July that year. I made the decision purely because I was pregnant, but I wasn't really ready to put down the character of Kyla. She pre-empts the confusion some might feel with her stepping into a different role within the same series, but explains how it happened. 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. Rakie was born in May 1968, making her 52-years-old. If Im going to be a working mum Id rather just be one rather than be one intermittently. So, who is Rakie Ayola and what might you have seen her in? As far as I'm aware, the BBC only allowed it to be nominated for that one award, for the graphics. By Dan Seddon and Abby Robinson. Watching Barbra Streisand in Hello, Dolly on TV as a child made Rakie want to take up acting. In October 2008, Ayola announced that she would be departing from Holby City in order to have a second child, stating: Ive had a great time and Ill miss it. 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 Ayola has worked in theatre, film and television, appearing in a number of Shakespearean theatrical performances, Hollywood films The i Inside and Sahara, and British television shows including Soldier Soldier, EastEnders, Sea of Souls and Doctor Who. But in her 50s, Ayola has found a confidence that she did not have in her 20s. The story picks up 18 months after the death of her fourth child, Liam. The project, however, was largely unsuccessful, with Ayola stating: it just made me decide that if theres anything I dont want to do, its produce films, because Im rubbish at it. She is set to portray DS Holland, who is in charge of the investigation. Production of Harry Potter and the directors were all amazing way to a... One by storm - episodes 5 and 6 air next Casualty and Marple and.! 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