Samuel Adewunmi

Samuel Adewunmi (born 1994) is an English actor. He won Most Promising Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards as well as receiving a Best Actor nomination for his role in the film The Last Tree. He was nominated for a BAFTA for his role in the BBC drama You Don't Know Me (2021).

He was named a 2019 Screen International Star of Tomorrow.

Early life Adewunmi was born in Camden, London to a single Nigerian Yoruba mother, a chef. He and his brother grew up on the Maiden Lane Estate just north of King's Cross and St Pancras stations, the same estate where Tin Luck was filmed. He first discovered drama through a school play in year three, and was eight when he put on a community play at the Camden People's Theatre. He trained at Identity School of Acting.

Career In 2016, Adewunmi played Benedict in the third series of the CBBC Online web series Dixi. He made his feature film debut as Isaac in the 2017 crime film The Hatton Garden Job and guest starred in the Doctor Who series 10 episode "The Eaters of Light"

Adewunmi led the film The Last Tree and signed with United Talent Agency (UTA) shortly after its premiere at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. For his performance, he won Most Promising Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards and was nominated for Best Actor. He also received two National Film Awards UK nominations. In 2020, he starred as Carcer Dun in the BBC America adaptation of Terry Pratchett's The Watch and the short film Tin Luck.

In 2021, Adewunmi starred in the ITV thriller Angela Black and led the BBC One adaptation of You Don't Know Me as Hero. For the latter, he was nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor. Adewunmi made his professional stage debut starring in the world premiere of Trouble in Butetown at the Donmar Warehouse in February 2023. He made his West End debut in A Mirror at the Trafalgar Theatre in January 2024.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2017 The Hatton Garden Job Isaac 2019 The Last Tree Femi Born a King Marzouq 2020 Tin Luck Trey Short film 2023 Oba (SPIN) Zekiel 2024 i and i Two Ciclos Theo

Television Year Title Role Notes 2014 The Missing Manager 2 episodes 2016 Dixi Benedict Web series; series 3 (40 episodes) 2017 Prime Suspect 1973 Billy Myers 2 episodes Doctor Who Vitus Episode: "The Eaters of Light" 2018 Stan Lee's Lucky Man Kit Episode: "The Zero Option" 2020 The Watch Carcer Dun Main role 2021 Angela Black Ed Harrison / Theo Walters Main role You Don't Know Me Hero Miniseries; main role 2023 Secret Invasion Beto Miniseries; main role 2024 Queenie Frank Ssebendeke II

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref 2019 British Independent Film Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a British Independent Film The Last Tree Most Promising Newcomer 2020 National Film Awards UK Best Actor Best Newcomer 2022 British Academy Television Awards Best Actor You Don't Know Me