Fisayo Akinade

Fisayo Akinade (born 28 December 1987) is an English actor, best known for his roles as Dean Monroe in Cucumber and Banana on Channel 4 and Mr. Ajayi in the popular Netflix series Heartstopper, as well as his work in theatre such as The Crucible at the Gielgud Theatre, 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's 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.