# Jonathan Ajayi
**Jonathan Ajayi** (born 1996) is a British actor of Nigerian heritage from London, known for television roles including Lekan Baako in the BBC drama *Noughts + Crosses* and Smee in the FX science-fiction series *Alien: Earth*, and for stage work at the Young Vic, the Bush Theatre, and the National Theatre.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6596215/) • [2](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/jonathan-ajayi)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1996, London, England; British actor of Nigerian heritage[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6596215/) |
| Training | Arts Educational Schools one-year part-time foundation (graduated with Distinction), then LAMDA's three-year BA Hons program on a full scholarship from The Clothworkers Foundation; graduated with First Class Honours in 2018[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6596215/) • [3](https://www.screendaily.com/features/stars-of-tomorrow-2021-jonathan-ajayi-actor/5163774.article) |
| Breakthrough role | Oshoosi Size in Tarell Alvin McCraney's *The Brothers Size*, directed by Bijan Sheibani at the Young Vic, while still a LAMDA student[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6596215/) • [3](https://www.screendaily.com/features/stars-of-tomorrow-2021-jonathan-ajayi-actor/5163774.article) |
| Television | Lekan Baako in *Noughts + Crosses* (BBC, 2020–2022); Wes Harper in *Vigil* series 2 (BBC One, 2023); Smee in *Alien: Earth* (FX, 2025)[4](https://theartistspartnership.co.uk/artist/jonathan-ajayi/) • [2](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/jonathan-ajayi) |
| Film | Emerson in *Wonder Woman 1984* (2020); Koffee in *The Drifters* (2019); Lucky in *5lbs of Pressure* (2024); Desmond Jackson in *Chief of Station* (2024); Ricky Winkler in *The Man in My Basement* (2025)[4](https://theartistspartnership.co.uk/artist/jonathan-ajayi/) |
| Recognition | Named one of Screen International's 2021 "Stars of Tomorrow"[5](https://dev.fueltheatre.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/The-419-Digital-Programme.pdf) |
| Upcoming | Airman Frazier in *Alone at Dawn*, directed by Ron Howard for Amazon MGM Studios[4](https://theartistspartnership.co.uk/artist/jonathan-ajayi/) |
## Training and early career
Ajayi grew up in [West London](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-london), about half an hour from LAMDA, and decided he wanted to act at around age six.[6](https://ovationmag.substack.com/p/a-cafe-chat-with-jonathan-ajayi) After a one-year part-time foundation course at Arts Educational Schools, from which he graduated with a Distinction, he was offered a place on LAMDA's three-year BA Hons acting program and awarded a full scholarship by The Clothworkers Foundation.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6596215/)
**The Brothers Size.** In his third and final year at LAMDA he was cast in the lead of the school's production of Roy Williams' *Sucker Punch*, a role that never leaves the stage; he chose to perform it without an interval so that visiting talent agents would stay through the whole show.[3](https://www.screendaily.com/features/stars-of-tomorrow-2021-jonathan-ajayi-actor/5163774.article) That performance led to his first professional role, Oshoosi Size in [Tarell Alvin McCraney](https://www.edgepedia.org/tarell-alvin-mccraney)'s *The Brothers Size* at the Young Vic, directed by Bijan Sheibani, with [Sope Dirisu](https://www.edgepedia.org/sope-dirisu) and Anthony Welsh as his co-stars.[3](https://www.screendaily.com/features/stars-of-tomorrow-2021-jonathan-ajayi-actor/5163774.article) Because the run began before he had finished his course, he persuaded LAMDA to release him from his studies.[3](https://www.screendaily.com/features/stars-of-tomorrow-2021-jonathan-ajayi-actor/5163774.article) Critics responded strongly: one review described his Oshoosi as "infused with a sparky, incessant energy," and another credited the three leads' charisma with making McCraney's writing soar.[7](https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/review-the-brothers-size-young-vic_45641/) • [8](https://felixonline.co.uk/articles/2018-02-01-try-a-little-tenderness-the-brothers-size-at-the-young-vic/) The production ran into February 2018, and Ajayi returned to LAMDA afterward to complete his degree with First Class Honours.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6596215/) • [7](https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/review-the-brothers-size-young-vic_45641/)
## Screen work
While shooting Ben Bond's indie drama *The Drifters*, in which he plays Koffee, Ajayi learned he had been cast as the chief antagonist, Lekan Baako, in the BBC series *Noughts + Crosses*, and in a supporting part in Warner Bros and DC Films' *Wonder Woman 1984*.[3](https://www.screendaily.com/features/stars-of-tomorrow-2021-jonathan-ajayi-actor/5163774.article) *Noughts + Crosses*, an alternate-history drama in which racism divides society, ran for two seasons with Ajayi as Lekan Baako in both.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6596215/) • [4](https://theartistspartnership.co.uk/artist/jonathan-ajayi/) In *Wonder Woman 1984* (2020) he played Emerson, a young man in the Black Gold sequence.[4](https://theartistspartnership.co.uk/artist/jonathan-ajayi/)
**Short film recognition.** The short film *Play It Safe*, written and directed by Mitch Kalisa, in which Ajayi plays the lead, won the grand jury and audience awards at SXSW in 2021; Ajayi called it one of the rare moments as an actor in which he felt he had really expressed himself.[3](https://www.screendaily.com/features/stars-of-tomorrow-2021-jonathan-ajayi-actor/5163774.article) Later film roles include Lucky in the thriller *5lbs of Pressure* (2024) and Desmond Jackson in the spy thriller *[Chief of Station](https://www.edgepedia.org/chief-of-station-film)* (2024).[4](https://theartistspartnership.co.uk/artist/jonathan-ajayi/)
**The Man in My Basement.** In 2025 he played Ricky, the best friend of the protagonist Charles, in the psychological thriller *[The Man in My Basement](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-man-in-my-basement)*, directed by Nadia Latif and starring [Willem Dafoe](https://www.edgepedia.org/willem-dafoe), released on Disney+ on 25 September 2025.[2](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/jonathan-ajayi) • [4](https://theartistspartnership.co.uk/artist/jonathan-ajayi/)
## Alien: Earth
Ajayi plays Smee, a human-synthetic hybrid, in *Alien: Earth*, the FX series created for television by [Noah Hawley](https://www.edgepedia.org/noah-hawley) as a prequel to [Ridley Scott](https://www.edgepedia.org/ridley-scott)'s 1979 film *Alien*. The first season premiered on Disney+ on 13 August 2025 with eight episodes.[2](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/jonathan-ajayi) • [9](https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/alien-earth/characters/jonathan-ajayi-smee) Smee is one of the Lost Boys, the group of hybrid children in the series, alongside Lily Newmark's Nibs.[10](https://www.techradar.com/streaming/disney-plus/that-element-of-the-show-really-captured-my-mind-forget-xenomorphs-alien-earths-cast-say-the-real-story-is-something-even-darker) In July 2026, Disney+ announced that production on the second season was underway in London, with Ajayi among the returning international cast.[11](https://press.disney.co.uk/news/tracy-ullman%2C-sam-spruell%2C-and-jerome-flynn-join-the-season-two-cast-of-fxs-alien%3A-earth%2C-coming-to-disney%2B)
## Theatre
Ajayi has continued to work on stage alongside his screen career. He played Igwe in the National Theatre's production of [Anton Chekhov](https://www.edgepedia.org/anton-chekhov)'s *[Three Sisters](https://www.edgepedia.org/three-sisters-play)*, directed by Nadia Fall, which is available on National Theatre at Home.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6596215/) • [6](https://ovationmag.substack.com/p/a-cafe-chat-with-jonathan-ajayi) He played Laertes opposite [Cush Jumbo](https://www.edgepedia.org/cush-jumbo) in Greg Hersov's *Hamlet* at the Young Vic, and Errol Marshal in Nancy Medina's *Strange Fruit* at the Bush Theatre.[4](https://theartistspartnership.co.uk/artist/jonathan-ajayi/) • [12](https://playsinternational.org.uk/hamlet-cush-jumbo-young-vic/) His stage credits also include Lysander in *A Midsummer Night's Dream in New Orleans* for Ruby In the Dust Theatre.[4](https://theartistspartnership.co.uk/artist/jonathan-ajayi/)
## Upcoming projects
Ajayi plays Airman Frazier in *[Alone at Dawn](https://www.edgepedia.org/alone-at-dawn)*, directed by [Ron Howard](https://www.edgepedia.org/ron-howard) and produced by [Amazon MGM Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/amazon-mgm-studios) and The Hideaway Entertainment; the film is listed as in post-production.[4](https://theartistspartnership.co.uk/artist/jonathan-ajayi/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6596215/) He is also credited as Jonah in the completed short *Beach Toys*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6596215/)
## References
1. [Jonathan Ajayi, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6596215/)
2. [Jonathan Ajayi, Anthea Represents](https://anthearepresents.com/artist/jonathan-ajayi)
3. [Stars of Tomorrow 2021: Jonathan Ajayi (actor), Screen International](https://www.screendaily.com/features/stars-of-tomorrow-2021-jonathan-ajayi-actor/5163774.article)
4. [Jonathan Ajayi, The Artists Partnership](https://theartistspartnership.co.uk/artist/jonathan-ajayi/)
5. [The 419 Digital Programme, Fuel Theatre](https://dev.fueltheatre.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/The-419-Digital-Programme.pdf)
6. [A Café Chat with Jonathan Ajayi, Ovation](https://ovationmag.substack.com/p/a-cafe-chat-with-jonathan-ajayi)
7. [Review: The Brothers Size (Young Vic), WhatsOnStage](https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/review-the-brothers-size-young-vic_45641/)
8. [Try a Little Tenderness: The Brothers Size at the Young Vic, Felix](https://felixonline.co.uk/articles/2018-02-01-try-a-little-tenderness-the-brothers-size-at-the-young-vic/)
9. [Jonathan Ajayi as "Smee", FX Networks](https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/alien-earth/characters/jonathan-ajayi-smee)
10. [Alien: Earth behind the scenes, TechRadar](https://www.techradar.com/streaming/disney-plus/that-element-of-the-show-really-captured-my-mind-forget-xenomorphs-alien-earths-cast-say-the-real-story-is-something-even-darker)
11. [Tracey Ullman, Sam Spruell and Jerome Flynn join the Season Two cast of FX's Alien: Earth, Disney+ Press](https://press.disney.co.uk/news/tracy-ullman%2C-sam-spruell%2C-and-jerome-flynn-join-the-season-two-cast-of-fxs-alien%3A-earth%2C-coming-to-disney%2B)
12. [Hamlet, Young Vic review, Plays International](https://playsinternational.org.uk/hamlet-cush-jumbo-young-vic/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames A to Ba*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license