Abubakar Salim is a Kenyan-British actor and video game developer. For his work on Assassin's Creed Origins, he was nominated for a British Academy Games Award and named a BAFTA Breakthrough Brit. On television, he is known for his roles in the Sky One series Jamestown (2018–2019) and the HBO Max series Raised by Wolves (2020–2022). He is also the founder and CEO of the film and video game company Surgent Studios.
Early life and education Born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, Salim is a first-generation Briton of Kenyan descent. His father was a software engineer for Xerox, and his mother a carer. He began his acting career at age 16 when he joined the National Youth Theatre after his first audition. He subsequently received a scholarship to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), graduating in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting.
Career Salim made his professional stage debut as Osric in Prince of Denmark at the National Theatre in 2010. This was followed in 2011 by his television debut in a series 2 episode of the ITV legal serial The Jury.
Upon graduating from LAMDA in 2014, Salim had small roles in the Fox limited series 24: Live Another Day and the Canal+ comedy-drama Spotless. He returned to the stage in 2015 with roles in Sense of an Ending at Theatre503 and Teddy Ferrara at the Donmar Warehouse. In 2016, he went on the Cheek by Jowl tour of The Winter's Tale and appeared in Labyrinth at Hampstead Theatre.
In 2017, Salim voiced Bayek in the video game Assassin's Creed Origins, for which he earned a British Academy Games Award nomination.
In 2018, Salim landed his first major television role when he joined the cast of the Sky One historical drama Jamestown for its second series as Pedro. He also appeared in the BBC One drama Informer and the third series of Fortitude on Sky Atlantic. From 2020 to 2022, Salim starred as Father in the HBO Max science fiction series Raised by Wolves.
In 2020, Salim started his own video game development studio called Silver Rain Games (later renamed to Surgent Studios), as the founder and CEO. A self-described fan of video games, Salim noted that his work for Assassin's Creed Origins gave him a better insight into the development process for video games, which eventually inspired him to pursue a career in video game development and establish his own studio. The studio's debut project, a 2D side-scrolling platform game, titled Tales of Kenzera: Zau, was released by EA Originals in April 2024. The game was nominated for both the Debut Games and Game Beyond Entertainment categories at the 2024 BAFTA Games Awards, and Salim accepted the latter in April 2025.
In 2023, it was announced that Salim had been cast as Alyn of Hull in the second season of House of the Dragon. He was confirmed to be returning in the third season of the show.
Filmography Television and film Year Title Role Notes 2011 The Jury Sadam 1 episode 2014 24: Live Another Day Secret Service Agent Tom 3 episodes 2015 Spotless Charlie 2 episodes 2016 Agatha Raisin Jonah MacGillivray Episode: "The Potted Gardener" Black Mirror Guard Episode: "Nosedive" 2017 Strike Jonah Agyeman Episode: "The Cuckoo's Calling: Part 3" 2018 Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! Kwaku / Various Voice role 2018–2019 Jamestown Pedro 16 episodes 2018 Informer Yousef Hassan 3 episodes Fortitude Boyd Mulvihill 3 episodes 2020–2022 Raised by Wolves Father Main role; 18 episodes 2023 The Legend of Vox Machina Zanror Voice role; 4 episodes Napoleon Thomas-Alexandre Dumas Film role 2024–present House of the Dragon Alyn of Hull Main role; 14 episodes
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2017 Assassin's Creed Origins Bayek of Siwa 2018 World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth Rokhan 2019 The Bradwell Conspiracy Guide 2022 Diablo Immortal Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Other English version The Diofield Chronicle Chappleman World of Warcraft: Dragonflight Rokhan 2023 Diablo IV Additional Voices Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical Eros 2024 Tales of Kenzera: Zau Zau also as Game Director 2025 Dead Take – Creative Director Dying Light: The Beast Keller Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles Ultima the Arch Seraph 2026Highguard Atticus Emberville Unannounced role In production
Web series
Year Title Role Notes2020–2021Vampires of PittsburghLucius AliSeasons: "Chronicle II: Lockdown", "Chronicle III: Reign in Blood"Vampire: The Masquerade actual play2022–2023Haunted CityValkos Sangara45 episodesBlades in the Dark actual play 2024 Critical Role (campaign 3) S.I.L.A.H.A (The Arch Heart)Episodes: "Downfall: Parts 1–3", Episode: "Under the Arch Heart's Eye"Dungeons & Dragons actual play2025ThresherDaemon Adams2 episodesIlluminated Worlds actual play2026Age of Umbra: SallowlandsMercyDaggerheart actual play
Stage Year Title Role Notes 2010 Prince of Denmark Osric National Theatre, London 2015 Sense of an Ending Paul Theatre503, London Teddy Ferrara Police Officer Donmar Warehouse, London 2016 The Winter's Tale Camillo Tour Labyrinth Trent / Javier Hampstead Theatre, London
References
External links
Abubakar Salim at Spotlight Abubakar Salim on TV Guide