Robert Aramayo: From Hull to Hollywood
The 33-year-old picked up two acting awards at the Baftas, beating Hollywood heavyweights Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothee Chalamet and Ethan Hawke.
Robert Aramayo may not have been a household name a few days ago, but that has all changed after the actor won not one but two awards at the Baftas.
Aramayo picked up the leading actor gong at the 79th Bafta awards ceremony for his lead role in biographical drama I Swear, shortly after receiving the EE Rising Star Award.
He was recognised for his portrayal of Scottish Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson, beating Hollywood heavyweights including Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothee Chalamet and Ethan Hawke, who were also up for best actor.
Aramayo, 33, will be a recognisable face to many for his roles in Game Of Thrones and 2021 TV mini series Behind Her Eyes.
From 2016 to 2017 he played the role of young Eddard Stark in the sixth season of HBO series Game Of Thrones, and from 2022 to 2024 he was Elrond in Prime Video’s Lord Of The Rings spin-off The Rings Of Power.
The actor has featured in films including Annemarie Jacir’s 2025 historical drama Palestine 36; 2023’s Dance First, about the life of Irish playwright Samuel Beckett; and 2024’s Lilies Not For Me, which he both starred in and executive produced.
In 2021, Aramayo co-starred alongside Ralph Fiennes, Harris Dickinson and Matthew Goode in The King’s Man, which was directed by Matthew Vaughn.
And in 2020, he appeared in the thriller Antebellum opposite Janelle Monae.
Aramayo, who grew up in Hull, trained at the distinguished Juilliard School in New York, referring to his time there during his best actor acceptance speech at the Baftas.
He said: “When I was in school, Ethan Hawke came in to speak to us at Juilliard and he gave an amazing talk on longevity as an actor, about protecting your instrument and avoiding self-destructive behaviours, and it had a great impact on everyone in the room.
“So to be in this category with you tonight is incredible. Thank you Ethan.”
After receiving the Rising Star Award – the only category of the night decided by a public vote – Aramayo told the audience: “This means the world to me, I can’t believe it.”
He described Mr Davidson as the “most remarkable person I’ve ever met”.
I Swear filmmaker Kirk Jones said he did not ask Aramayo to audition for the role because he knew the actor was right for the part “very early on”.
Speaking on the red carpet, Jones said: “I knew Robert was right for the part very early on, and because the finance was structured in a certain way, I was able to cast him without having to justify that decision or ask for people’s permission to do it – which is the purest way to cast the film.
“That’s how it should be done.
“A lot of people are surprised when I say I never asked him to do a screen test.
“I never asked him to audition, and that’s quite unusual.”
