Rakie Ayolas income source is mostly from being a successful Actress. [3] They met again two years later, during a production of Twelfth Night, and went on to become a couple. It was so unexpected. "[14] Ayola recalls having been daunted at the prospect of working alongside so many established names, but has said it was a "wonderful experience". When I saw this woman singing and dancing in a big hat, I thought: I want to do what she is doing sing and dance in the street and for it to be OK, Ayola says. Pedro Pascals Cameo In Buffy The Vampire Slayer Is The Ultimate Throwback, Courteney Cox Reunited With Her 'Friends' Co-Stars For The Best Reason, The Real Reason Selena Gomez Hid Her Love Of Friends' For Years, Nicola Coughlan Just Leaked The Funniest BTS Snap From 'Bridgerton' S3. I just burst into tears.. Dark family secrets, a mysterious death, and friends sworn to silence, new BBC thriller The Pact has all this and more. Holby star Rakie Ayola. She is set to portray DS Holland, who is in charge of the investigation. 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) But last summer I started thinking it would be really nice not to have to look for a job every couple of weeks. 1am - 4am, Don't Speak 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. [] 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. In 2017, Ayola took over the role of Hermione Granger in the West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. This March, ITV is giving us another crime drama to get our teeth into. Rakie Ayola was born on 11 May 1968 in Cardiff, Wales, UK. [15] 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". [7] Variety's David Rooney said of her performance: "In the film's most naturalistic turn, Ayola is a constant pleasure to watch. 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. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. It was something innovative from BBC Wales for a change. ", "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. [8] Ayola has stated that it was Barbra Streisand's performance in Hello, Dolly! 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. Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? [12], Ayola's 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. Thanks 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. In 2017, Ayola took over the role of Hermione Granger in the West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Summarize this article for a 10 years old. 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. 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. [4] Ayola's heritage means she is Yoruba by descent, although she does not speak the language. She was cared for by her birth mothers cousin from Sierra Leone and his Welsh wife. Then The Pact was recommissioned (for another series) so I thought I wouldnt hear from him for a year! Contents: 2020s: 2023 2022 2021 2020 2010s: 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 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. 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. In 2001, Ayola founded a production company and directed a short film entitled Persephones Playground. Ayola has an interest in travel, and has visited Peru and Kenya among other destinations. Between 2003 and 2008 she starred in Holby City and played Olivia Lennox in season five of Shetland. Christine's an experienced social worker who is devoted. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. If you havent been nominated for a Bafta before 52 youre not meant to be nominated and take the Bafta home. She was approached about returning to the show in a more permanent role by BBC casting director Julie Harkin. I love the fact that I get to play people who are much more articulate than Ill ever be. [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. Who plays Assistant Chief Constable Alison Vosper in ITV1s Grace? But he got back in touch (with the script for series 2) and said: Just have a look at this., I didnt really know where I might fit in, but when I read it again through Christines eyes I thought, Ah, right, this is it. [46] Rakie Ayola stars in The Pact series 2 as new character Christine and, yes, if youre wondering, she was in series one as someone else! Are you watching The Pact series 2? Rakie Ayola, a Welsh actress best known for her roles in Grace, Black Mirror, Noughts + Crosses and Doctor Who. Ayola credits her chemistry with co-star Akim Mogaji, who played her on-screen husband Luke Roberts, for winning her her audition. Between 2003 and 2008 she starred in Holby City and played Olivia Lennox in season five of Shetland. That introduced me to the very vibrant amateur scene in Cardiff; I auditioned for anything I was eligible for.. In 2005, WalesOnline voted Ayola the 29th sexiest woman in Wales, saying of her: One of our favourite thesps, shes black, beautiful and the term yummy mummy should have been made for her. She placed 40th in 2008, with the Western Mail noting: the last 15 years have only seen Rakie become more beautiful and more successful. Shes also played one-off roles in Black Mirror and Doctor Who. 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. She stated: "The script made me laugh out loud when I read it. They met when acting together on stage in Hamlet. 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. We're not going to tiptoe around Martha's disability or anything.' But because youre the dark-skinned woman, theres no actual picture of you. Ayola placed 17th in the awards in 2009. This is a list of characters from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, ordered by the year in which they made their final appearance. But who is Rakie and who did she play in Holby City? Sharp-eyed viewers will remember that Rakie also appeared in The Pact season 1. She is working and taking care of the others.. The pair married in May 2004, and Ayola gave birth to their first daughter, Tansy, in July that year. At the age of 13, she set up a theatre company, the Talent Amateur Dramatic Society, with a few friends. Ayola has performed in Twelfth Night in the lead roles of both Olivia and Viola. [25] In 2016 she played Amber Haleford in "Tuesday's Child", S6:E2 of Vera. [9] Ayola's first job was selling jeans on Bessemer Road Market in Cardiff. Read More: Line of Duty season 6: When will the new series air, who is in the cast and is there a trailer? Her net worth has been growing significantly in 2020-2021. 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. 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]. 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. She has loved Streisand ever since, even writing to Jimll Fix It asking Jimmy Savile to arrange a meeting. Rakie Ayola is an actress appearing in the BCC's TV Program, The Pact. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 1968-05-. [47] Ayola has an interest in travel, and has visited Peru and Kenya among other destinations. Who plays ACC Vosper in ITV's Grace and what has she been in before? Rakie is a Trustee of ACT, the Actors Childrens Trust, and an Ambassador of PIPA, Parents in Performing Arts. [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. [16] Ayola says of her film career: "I really like doing film [but] I've not done enough big films though to really know the difference between film and television."[11]. I just want fairness". 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. Yes, eagle-eyed viewers, Rakie Ayola was also in The Pact series 1 playing a different character! In 2001, she became a presenter of the BBC Wales arts programme Double Yellow, alongside poet Owen Sheers and performance artist Mark Rees. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. I liked that. 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. [15] In 1996, Ayola appeared at the National Theatre in Helen Edmundson's adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. 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. 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. Ayola was born in Cardiff in May 1968 to a Sierra Leonean mother and a Nigerian father. "[24] She has also been cast in the film Dredd. She first rose to prominence in the lead role of the 1993 Jeanette Winterson screenplay Great Moments in Aviation. "[11] 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". 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. Ayola describes herself as optimistic, cynical, lazy, naive [and] honest. [6], During a 1998 production of Hamlet, Ayola met her future husband, fellow actor Adam Smethurst son of Love Thy Neighbour star Jack Smethurst. Home . Series 2: Meet the Characters View Series 2: Meet the Characters. It wasn't some sort of reverential hands-off approach to what we're presenting. So, who is Rakie Ayola and what might you have seen her in? I made the decision purely because I was pregnant, but I wasn't really ready to put down the character of Kyla. It wasnt some sort of reverential hands-off approach to what were presenting. She has also been cast in the film Dredd. 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. 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. 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. Rakie quit Holby when she was pregnant with her second daughter. The hit West End musical Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set to have its cast refreshed, with Holby City's Rakie Ayola taking over as Hermione Granger and Waterloo Road's Jamie Glover . Download 'Don't Speak' on iTunes. 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! 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. [] The one time I was asked to play a Welsh character on screen was in Tiger Bay for BBC Wales, but I know if that series had been called Radyr Park or Cyncoed Close I wouldnt have been in it. 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. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Jack played Eddie Booth in popular 70s sitcom Love Thy Neighbour. Ayolas heritage means she is Yoruba by descent, although she does not speak the language. [7] She explains: "I've always wanted to act. As far as I'm aware, the BBC only allowed it to be nominated for that one award, for the graphics. She began her professional career in classical theater, but by the early 1990s was . This is not Ayolas first time playing a mother in the aftermath of grief: her role as Gee Walker in BBC Ones Anthony won her the Bafta for best supporting actress in 2021. She has expressed a desire to visit Brazil and Argentina, and has a romantic notion of travelling around Europe in a camper van. Rakie explains: The writer, Pete McTighe, and I were in the early stages of another project. EastEnders (TV Series 1985-2022) - Rakie Ayola as Ms. French - IMDb EastEnders (1985-2022) Rakie Ayola: Ms. French It looks like we don't have any photos or quotes yet. We had got on very well coming out of the first series. [] The one time I was asked to play a Welsh character on screen was in Tiger Bay for BBC Wales, but I know if that series had been called Radyr Park or Cyncoed Close I wouldn't have been in it". She has a collection of Troll dolls which she keeps under her bath. Rakie Olufunmilayo AyolaListen (born May 1968) is a Welsh actress known for her work in theatre and television. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a1897d5e9d97ba1 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". I just want fairness. Menu. Rakie Ayola as new character Christine in The Pact series 2 The actress stars in The Pact series 2 as the matriarch of the Rees family. 22 May 2021. [3] She was raised by her mother's cousin and his wife in Ely, Cardiff. This is a list of characters from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, ordered by the year in which they made their final appearance. 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. With her Bafta for best supporting actress for BBC Ones Anthony. Toby Stephens, Rakie Ayola and newcomer Charithra Chandran join "Alex Rider" season 2 on Amazon Prime Video U.K. and IMDb TV in the U.S. 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. 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