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British actor Robert Aramayo has defied the odds and won the Bafta for Best Actor over Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet.
Aramayo, 33, emerged as the unlikely victor in the competitive category at the film awards, which were held at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Sunday night (22 February).
The Hull-born actor won for his performance in I Swear as real-life Tourettes campaigner John Davidson, who was present at the event and whose tics caused some confusion among viewers at home who initially misinterpreted his involuntary shouting as heckling.
Aramayo was up against heavy-hitters such as DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Chalamet (Marty Supreme), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), Michael B Jordan (Sinners), and Jesse Plemons (Bugonia).
He appeared gobsmacked at his own victory, gasping as he was presented the award by Kerry Washington.
“I absolutely can’t believe this. I can’t believe I’m here looking at people like you, in the same category as you,” he said, pointing to DiCaprio in the audience. “Never mind being stood up here.”
Aramayo thanked the team behind I Swear, including director Kirk Jones and casting agent Lauren Evans – who had won the prize earlier in the night for Best Casting.
“I honestly cannot believe that I have won this award,” Aramayo reiterated. “I really, really cannot. Everyone in this category blows me away.”
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Robert Aramayo poses with his two Bafta awards (AP)
On stage, the actor went on to recall a visit from Hawke during his time as a student at Juilliard acting school, when the Training Day star gave a speech to Aramayo and his classmates.
“He gave an amazing talk on longevity as an actor, about protecting your instrument, and avoiding self-destructive behaviours and it had a great impact on everyone in that room so to be in this category with you tonight is incredible,” said the actor. “Thank you Ethan.”
It was Aramayo’s second win of the night, having earlier won the EE Rising Star Bafta for the same role.
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(BBC)
Set in 1980s Galashiels, I Swear stars Aramayo as Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson, who begins to develop tics in school, which then evolve into involuntary swearing and unintentionally off-colour outbursts.
Davidson was awarded an MBE in 2019 for his tireless work educating the public about Tourettes since he first exhibited symptoms as a teenager.
Speaking to The Independent in a recent interview, Aramayo said: “The first thing on my mind was John. I just think back to those early days, and me and [director] Kirk being like, ‘How are we going to tell this story and do justice to him?’.
“Then I kept meeting all these incredible people who live with Tourette’s. I really, really care about them and their stories. And now here we are. I never expected any of this. It’s so lovely.”
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John Davidson and Robert Aramayo (Getty Images)
Prior to I Swear, Aramayo is best known for his role as the diplomatic Elrond in Prime Video’s Lord of the Rings series The Rings of Power.
He made his stage debut this year opposite Rosie Sheehy in a critically acclaimed production of Guess How Much I Love You? at the Royal Court, about a couple’s unexpected ultrasound results.