Babou Ceesay

Baboucarr Alieu Ceesay (born 17 November 1978) is a British actor. His film credits include Eye in the Sky, Rogue One (2016), The Best of Enemies (2019) and Killer Heat (2024). On television, he is known for A.D. The Bible Continues (2015), Guerrilla (2017), Into the Badlands (2018-19) and Alien: Earth (2025-present). He has also been cast in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 (2027).

Early life and education Ceesay was born in London, and grew up in West Africa. He holds dual citizenship and is of Gambian descent. Ceesay trained on the One Year Course at the Oxford School of Drama and has been involved in many significant projects on stage, including The Overwhelming, opposite Andrew Garfield, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Before attending drama school, Ceesay studied Microbiology at Imperial College London, and also worked as an internal auditor at accounting firm, Deloitte.

Career Ceesay's first major role was in the horror/comedy film Severance. Two years later, he got a role on TV in an episode of Whistleblower. He made guest appearances in multiple British TV shows, including Silent Witness, Law & Order: UK, Casualty, Strike Back, Luther, Getting On and Lewis.

In 2013, he appeared in the Nigerian film Half of a Yellow Sun, alongside Thandiwe Newton, Chiwetel Ejiofor and another rising star, John Boyega. In 2014, he starred in '71.

In 2015, he was cast in NBC's TV drama A.D. The Bible Continues as John the Apostle. He also appeared in the thriller Eye in the Sky (2015) and the British action comedy Free Fire (2016), set in Boston and starring Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley and Armie Hammer.

He made a return to television with a major role in the Channel 4 drama National Treasure as Jerome Sharp, the lawyer of Paul Finchley, played by Robbie Coltrane. He then starred in a BBC One television movie, Damilola, Our Loved Boy, based on the murder of Damilola Taylor, a ten-year-old Nigerian boy living in London, and the trial that followed. He played the role of the father Richard Taylor, for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor.

In August 2016, he was cast in the British miniseries Guerrilla, alongside Idris Elba and Freida Pinto.

In 2019, he was cast as Manny Mensah in the BBC One drama television series Dark Money, with John Schwab and Joseph May. He also performed in the American civil rights drama The Best of Enemies (2019), about school integration and an unlikely alliance in a town in North Carolina.

In 2020, Ceesay was cast as DI Jackson Mendy in the Alibi television series We Hunt Together, with Eve Myles, Hermione Corfield and Dipo Ola in the other main roles. In 2021, Paul Abbott's crime drama Wolfe premiered on Sky; in it, Ceesay played the title role as a forensic scientist in Manchester.

In 2025, he took on a lead role of Kumi Morrow, a cyborg, in the sci-fi drama Alien: Earth, part of the Alien franchise.

In March 2026, it was announced that Ceesay had been cast as Ser Bennis in the second season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

Personal life He lives in London with his wife, journalist Anna Ceesay, and their two children.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Director Notes 2006 Severance Billy Christopher Smith 2013 Half of a Yellow Sun Okeoma Biyi Bandele 2014 '71 Corporal Yann Demange 2015 Eye in the Sky Sgt. Mushtaq Saddiq Gavin Hood 2016 Free Fire Martin Ben Wheatley Rogue One Lt. Sefla Gareth Edwards 2019 The Best of Enemies Bill Riddick Robin Bissell 2020 The Show Second Cabby Mitch Jenkins 2021 Resurrection John the Apostle Ciarán Donnelly 2023 Iris The Doctor Francis Tamburin Short film 2024 Killer Heat Georges Mensah Philippe Lacôte The Backway Alieu Cherno Jagne Short films 2025 Thai Black Tea Lamin Ekkawat Pond Sankhavesa

Television Year Title Role Notes 2008 Whistleblower Dr. Abdulrazzad Miniseries; Episode #1.1 Silent Witness DS Gayle Episode: "Death's Door: Part 2" 2009 Law & Order: UK Daniel Matoukou Episode: "Care" 2011 Casualty Jake Maddick Episode: "Til Death Us Do Part" Luther Adewale Omotoso Episode #2.3 Stolen David Television films Shirley Henry Bassey 2012 Strike Back Ozzy Osondu "Vengeance"; 2 episodes Getting On Hansley 5 episodes 2013 Lewis DC Alex Gray Episode: "The Ramblin' Boy" 2014 Puppy Love Dennis Miniseries; 3 episodes 2015 A.D. The Bible Continues John the Apostle 12 episodes 2016 National Treasure Jerome Miniseries; 4 episodes Damilola, Our Loved Boy Richard Taylor Television film 2017 Guerrilla Marcus Hill Miniseries; 6 episodes 2018-2019 Into the Badlands Pilgrim 16 episodes 2019 Dark Money Manny Mensah Miniseries; 4 episodes 2020-2022 We Hunt Together DI Jackson Mendy 12 episodes 2021 Wolfe Wolfe Kinteh Miniseries; 6 episodes 2024 Shardlake Abbot Fabian Miniseries; 4 episodes 2025-present Alien: Earth Kumi Morrow 8 episodes 2026 Black Doves Mr. Conteh Season 2 TBA A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Ser Bennis of the Brown Shield Season 2

Video games Year Title Role Notes 2017 Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III Jonah Orion / Eldar Voice

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2017 12th Screen Nation Film and Television Awards Male Performance in TV 63rd British Academy Television Awards Best Actor 2018 Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Actor