Robert Aramayo: The Hull actor who's taken the BAFTAs by storm

It's not often an actor from Hull pips Hollywood actors to a top award, but Robert Aramayo has done just that.

Against the odds, he beat the likes of Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothee Chalamet and Michael B Jordan when he was named best actor at the 79th annual BAFTA film awards.

He was also named EE rising star.

Here's everything we know about the 33-year-old British actor.

Aramayo was born in Kingston Upon Hull and began acting at an early age. His first role was Bugsy Malone in a primary school production of the musical.

Joining the Hull Truck Youth Theatre aged 10, he performed around three plays a year with the group, including playing the treacherous pig, Squealer, in Animal Farm - his first time playing a villain.

Aged 18, Aramayo won a place at the prestigious New York drama school, Juilliard.

The school, which inspired the musical Fame, is considered one of the best acting schools in the world, and boasts alumni including Robin Williams, Viola Davis, Adam Driver and Jessica Chastain.

Aramayo was the only British student to be accepted in his year.

After playing the lead in a Juilliard production of Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange, Aramayo landed his first film role in the 2016 thriller Nocturnal Animals.

Other movies followed, including Lost in Florence, Antebellum and The Empty Man, and playing brutal Captain Wingate in Palestine 36, before being cast in multi BAFTA-winning movie I Swear.

Aramayo's best-known TV work includes Game Of Thrones - playing young Ned Stark, Elrond in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and psychological thriller Behind Her Eyes.

Away from acting, Aramayo's a fan of football club Leeds United and has previously spoken about bonding with his dad through going to matches together.

I Swear - the film that surprised the BAFTAs

Aramayo's real film break came when he was cast in the lead role of Kirk Jones' 2025 film I Swear, although he probably didn't know it at the time.

An independent British film with a tough sell, it's now earned him his double BAFTA win. The movie also won a BAFTA for casting.

Speaking on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, the film's director, Kirk Jones told Sky News that Aramayo didn't actually audition for the role, as he wanted to avoid "just doing an impression" of Tourette Syndrome advocate John Davidson who he plays.

The first time the director saw him in the role, for which Aramayo adopted a Scottish Borders accent, was when they began filming.

Aramayo's performance has been widely acclaimed and has also earned him the British Independent Film Award for Best Lead Performance.

Speaking in the summer, when promoting the film, Aramayo told Sky News: "[The film] was really eye-opening for me because a lot of tics that people just don't see, a lot of tics that, you know, might be perceptible, but they're almost imperceptible, you know?"

He went on: "There's been a lot of people, it's been a surprising response, who have contacted me speaking about their own neurodiversity, and they actually expand this into a larger conversation about neurodiversity. And the way that we talk about and the shifting, changing ways in which we talk about neurodiversity.

"If it could have if it could aid something in that conversation, as it seems to be doing, which is an amazing thing, then that would be that would be awesome."

Not one, but two BAFTA wins

Aramayo's BAFTA success started with him winning the EE rising star award - the only BAFTA film award to be voted for by the public.

Accepting his award, Aramayo said, "I can't believe this, it really blows my mind."

Referring to Davidson, on whom I Swear is based, he said: "John Davidson is the most remarkable person I've ever met and he believes there is so much more we need to learn about Tourette's.

"In the words of the film, they need support and understanding."

Aramayo's words had particular resonance, following several outbursts during the ceremony, when Davidson shouted offensive words, including as Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the first award of the night, for special visual effects.

The BBC later apologised and removed the BAFTA ceremony from the iPlayer.

Tourette syndrome is a condition that causes you to make sudden, repetitive sounds or movements - called tics. Davidson suffers from coprolalia - a condition which affects only a minority of the Tourette's population, and causes involuntary utterance of socially inappropriate words or phrases.

Tics can be triggered by stress, excitement or tiredness. While there is no cure for Tourette's, it can be managed through treatment.

Read more: The film fighting back against abuse and 'cheap laughs' at Tourette's expense

Aramayo's first BAFTA win was then followed by a second, when he took the coveted best actor award, beating fellow nominees Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothee Chalamet, Ethan Hawke, Michael B Jordan, Jesse Plemons.

He gave Hawke a special mention as he accepted his trophy.

Aramayo 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."

A close-up shot of Hawke in the audience showed the 55-year-old star reacting, rubbing his face and smiling, and at the end of Aramayo's speech, Hawke appeared to say, "That's better than a win".

Aramayo's father, Michael, was in the audience clapping and saying, "We love you, Robert."

Aramayo's mother, Lisa, and older sister, Laura, were also there to support him, as well as his "amazing partner".

I Swear will be released in the US this year, and it will be eligible for consideration for next year's Oscars.

(c) Sky News 2026: Robert Aramayo: The Hull actor who's taken the BAFTAs by storm