Fisayo Akinade () is an English actor, best known for his roles as Dean Monroe in Cucumber and Banana on Channel 4 and Mr. Ajayi in the Netflix series Heartstopper. Akinade has also done work in theatre, notably portraying Reverend Hale in The Crucible at the National Theatre and Gielgud Theatre in London.
Early life and education Akinade was born in Liverpool. He spent four years of his childhood in Nigeria before returning to the UK where he grew up in the Fallowfield and Moss Side areas of Manchester.
He wanted to be a gymnast growing up. However, after suffering injury, and the closure of the place where he practiced, Akinade began attending drop-in drama classes at the Contact Theatre, later joining the Contact Young Actors Company, and workshops at the Royal Exchange Theatre. He went on to train at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London.
Career Akinade has performed in a number of productions on both stage and screen. On stage, he played Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Eros in Antony and Cleopatra. and several National Theatre productions.
His television breakthrough came in 2015, when he starred as Dean Monroe in Russell T Davies' drama Cucumber and its offshoots Banana and Tofu. In 2016, Akinade starred alongside Glenn Close, Gemma Arterton, and Paddy Considine in The Girl with All the Gifts.
He appeared in the 2019 feature film The Personal History of David Copperfield.
In 2020 he appeared in the National Theatre musical production, Barber Shop Chronicles, written by Inua Ellams. The show was presented live on stage and streamed on YouTube during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK.
In 2021 he played Mercutio in the National Theatre production of Romeo and Juliet, made for television. It premiered on 4 April 2021 on Sky Arts in the UK.
In February 2022, Akinade starred in Alistair McDowall's play The Glow. The play was performed at Royal Court Theatre Downstairs. Akinade featured in the Netflix series Heartstopper, released in April 2022, in which he plays schoolteacher and Charlie Spring's mentor, Nathan Ajayi. In November 2022, Akinade starred as Chevalier de Saint-Jacques in Starz drama Dangerous Liaisons, alongside Alice Englert, Nicholas Denton and Lesley Manville. Dangerous Liaisons was picked up for a second series.
In December 2025, Akinade appeared as Nurse Angel in Kate Winslet's directorial-debut film Goodbye June; the film aired on Netflix.
Akinade was nominated for an Ian Charleson Award for young British actors in 2014 for his role as Silvius and William in the UK tour production of As You Like It. He went on to win third prize of the same award in 2016 for his role as The Dauphin in the Donmar Warehouse production of Saint Joan, losing out to Paapa Essiedu and Jessica Brown Findlay for the first and second prizes, respectively. In 2025, Akinade became one of the judges of the Ian Charleson Award.
Personal life Akinade is openly gay. He cites Heartstopper as the kind of programme which would have helped him to come out of the closet much sooner. He also said the show has helped him become more joyful, bold, and brave about his own queerness.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2013 Lifesaver Ben Short film 2016 The Works Iago Short film The Girl with All the Gifts Private Kieran Gallagher 2018 The Isle Cailean Ferris 2019 The Personal History of David Copperfield Markham 2025 Goodbye June Nurse Angel 2026 Heartstopper Forever Nathan Ajayi
Television Year Title Role Notes 2013 Fresh Meat Vlad Supporter 1 Series 3 Episode 8 2015 Cucumber Dean Monroe 7 episodes Banana Dean Monroe 6 episodes Ordinary Lies Ziggy 5 episodes The Vote Jonathan Clarke Television film 2016 A Midsummer Night's Dream Flute Television film 2017 In the Dark Theo Miniseries 2018 A Very English Scandal Clive Otunde Series 1 Episode 3 2019 Silent Witness Andrew Dewey Episodes: "To Brighton, To Brighton" (Parts 1&2) Martin's Close William Television film 2021 Romeo & Juliet Mercutio Television film produced by National Theatre at Home The Complaints Department Narrator 2 episodes 2022 Atlanta Khalil Episode: White Fashion 2022–2024 Heartstopper Nathan Ajayi 14 episodes 2022 Dangerous Liaisons Chevalier de Saint-Jacques 8 episodes2025FoundationEely Karvis3 episodes
Stage +YearTitleRoleVenueNotes and references2013Refugee BoyAlemWest Yorkshire Playhouse2013As You Like ItAdam/Silvius/WilliamMultiple venues on UK tour Nominated for an Ian Charleson Award2015The VoteJonathan ClarkeDonmar Warehouse2015BarbariansCompanyYoung VicUK revival of the trilogy of plays originally written by Barrie Keeffe in 1977 2016The TempestCalibanSam Wanamaker Playhouse2016Three MigrantsJohnRoyal Court Theatre, LondonWritten by Fausto Paravidino2016Pigs and DogsCompanyRoyal Court Theatre, LondonWritten by Caryl Churchill2016Saint JoanThe DauphinDonmar WarehouseThird Prize in the Ian Charleson Award2019The AntipodesAdamDorfman Theatre2022The GlowMason/EvanRoyal Court TheatreWritten by Alistair McDowall2022The CrucibleReverend HaleOlivier Theatre2023Gielgud TheatreWest End transfer of the National Theatre production.2024Slave PlayGaryNoël Coward TheatreWritten by Jeremy O. Harris
Web Year Title Role Notes 2015 Tofu Self Web series; 5 episodes
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2019 Blood & Truth
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref. 2014 Ian Charleson Awards As You Like It 2016 Saint Joan
References
External links