Robert Aramayo Claims BAFTA Victory for Leading Actor Performance
At the prestigious 79th British Academy Film Awards, Robert Aramayo, the talented actor hailing from Hull, achieved a remarkable career milestone by winning the Leading Actor award. He triumphed over Hollywood heavyweights including Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet, securing not only this top honor but also the EE Rising Star Award during the same ceremony.
The Breakthrough Role in 'I Swear'
Aramayo's winning performance came in the 2025 British comedy-drama I Swear, directed by Kirk Jones. The film portrays the true story of John Davidson, a Scottish teenager navigating life with Tourette's syndrome during the late 1980s, a period when public awareness of the condition was minimal. Following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film gained significant awards momentum, earning nominations for Outstanding British Film, Supporting Actor, Original Screenplay, and Casting.
At the London Film Critics' Circle Awards 2025, Aramayo was recognized as Breakthrough Performer of the Year for his work in both I Swear and Palestine 36. During his emotional acceptance speech at London's Royal Festival Hall, he expressed disbelief at sharing a category with established stars like DiCaprio, stating, "I can't believe I am looking at people like you and am in the same category as people like you."
Portraying John Davidson with Authenticity
Before the awards and accolades, Aramayo immersed himself in the real-life story of John Davidson, a Tourette's awareness campaigner. Davidson has publicly discussed how thoroughly Aramayo studied his condition, asking detailed questions about tic origins, triggers, and environmental factors that intensify symptoms. Davidson explained that crowded, noisy, or high-pressure situations often increase his tics, a reality that became visible during the BAFTA ceremony itself.
During the awards show, viewers witnessed Davidson's involuntary vocal outbursts, including shouting "Boring!" during announcements and "Bullshit!" when guests were asked to avoid cursing. At another moment, he yelled "shut up" during a speech by BAFTA chair Sara Putt, and later, a racial slur emerged during a presentation by Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo. These uncomfortable moments highlight the central tension Aramayo had to understand: the gap between intention and involuntary expression that defines Tourette syndrome.
A Career Built on Major Franchises
Long before his BAFTA success, Aramayo had established himself through significant roles in television's most prominent franchises:
- From 2016 to 2017, he portrayed young Eddard Stark in HBO's Game of Thrones
- In 2021, he starred opposite Eve Hewson in Netflix's psychological thriller Behind Her Eyes
- Since 2022, he has played Elrond in Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Beyond these blockbuster projects, Aramayo has built a substantial filmography including:
- Tom Ford's Nocturnal Animals
- The Empty Man (2020)
- The Standoff at Sparrow Creek
- Eternal Beauty (2019)
- The Discovery miniseries Harley and the Davidsons, where he portrayed William S. Harley
Recent Film Projects and Background
Aramayo's recent work includes Lilies Not for Me (2024), Dance First (2023), The King's Man (2021), and Antebellum (2020). Born on November 6, 1992, in Hull, Yorkshire, he began acting at age seven in a school production of Bugsy Malone. After attending Wye College in Hull, he secured admission to the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City, relocating there in 2011 to further hone his craft.
Robert Aramayo represents the culmination of years of dedicated work across television and film, transitioning from supporting roles in major franchises to award-winning leading performances that demonstrate both technical skill and emotional depth.
