David Jonsson
Born1993/1994
Other namesDavid Jonsson-Fray
Alma materRADA
Years active2016–present

David Jonsson (born 1993/1994) is a British actor. He began his career in the West End. He is known for his roles in the BBC Two and HBO series Industry (2020–) and the film Rye Lane (2023). For the latter, he earned a British Independent Film Award nomination.

In 2022, Jonsson appeared on the Evening Standard list of Londoners to watch[1] and was one of British GQ's Men of the Year Honourees.[2] He was named a 2023 Bright Young Thing by Tatler[3] and a Screen International Star of Tomorrow.[4]

Early life

Jonsson grew up in Custom House, an area of the East London Docklands.[5] His father was an IT engineer at Heathrow Airport and his mother worked for the Metropolitan Police. Jonsson is the youngest of four, with an older brother and two older sisters.[6] He describes his background as Creole with African, Caribbean and Swedish heritage.[7]

After getting in trouble at and expelled from school, Jonsson transferred to a school in Hammersmith.[6] He admitted to his mother that he wanted to be an actor. Once he completed his GCSEs Jonsson spent two years in New York. On returning to London at the age of 18,[8] he joined the National Youth Theatre and won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting in 2016.[9]

Career

Upon graduating from RADA, Jonsson was cast in his professional stage debut as William Davison in the play Mary Stuart at the Almeida Theatre.[10] The production transferred to Duke of York's Theatre in early 2017, marking Jonsson's West End debut. That same year, he appeared in the West End again, this time in Don Juan in Soho alongside David Tennant at Wyndham's Theatre.[11]

In 2018, Jonsson made his television debut in two episodes of the ITV detective drama Endeavour. He wrote, directed, and starred in a short film titled Gen Y. The following year, he played the recurring character Isaac Turner in the second series of the Fox UK espionage thriller Deep State.[12]

Jonsson starred as Augustus "Gus" Sackey in BBC Two and HBO's 2020 investment banking drama Industry.[13][14][15][16] To prepare for the role, he visited the character's alma maters Eton College and Oxford University to familiarise himself with such a different background from his own.

In 2021, Jonsson won a Black British Theatre Award for his performance in and breathe... at the Almeida, and presented the Jean Michel Basquiat episode of Great Lives for BBC Radio 4.[17]

Jonsson made his feature film debut opposite Vivian Oparah in the romantic comedy Rye Lane, which opened at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim.[15][16][18] He also played the lead character Luke Fitzwilliam in the BBC's 2023 adaptation of Agatha Christie's Murder is Easy. [19][20]

He has upcoming roles in the films God's Spy, Benn/Eubank,[21] Bonhoeffer, as well as the Paramount+ series The Road Trip.

Acting credits

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2018 Gen Y Theo Short film; also director, writer
2021 The Booker Prizes 2021: The Promise Storyteller Short film
2023 Rye Lane Dom Joint lead
2024 Alien: Romulus Post-production[22]
TBA Bonhoeffer Frank Fisher
Benn/Eubank Chris Eubank

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2018 Endeavour Cromwell Ames 2 episodes
2019 Deep State Isaac Turner 6 episodes (series 2)
2020–present Industry Augustus "Gus" Sackey Main role
2023 Murder is Easy Luke Fitzwilliam Lead role
TBA The Road Trip Marcus Main role

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2016–2017 Mary Stuart William Davison Almeida Theatre / Duke of York's Theatre, London
2017 Don Juan in Soho Col Wyndham's Theatre, London
2021 and breathe... Junior Almeida Theatre, London

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2022 Black British Theatre Awards Best Male Actor in a Play and breathe... Won [23]
2023 British Independent Film Awards Best Joint Lead Performance Rye Lane Nominated [a]

Notes

  1. ^ Shared with Vivian Oparah.

References

  1. ^ O'Sullivan, Charlotte (11 January 2022). "Culture in London: the faces to watch in 2022 - Film". Evening Standard. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  2. ^ "The GQ Men of the Year Honourees: introducing GQ's Class of 2022". British GQ. 2022-11-04. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  3. ^ Hanover, Lola (2 March 2023). "Bright Young Things Class of 2023: Tatler crowns the next generation of glam, gifted actors to watch in the April issue". Tatler. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  4. ^ Salisbury, Mark (28 June 2023). "Stars of Tomorrow 2023: David Jonsson (actor)". Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  5. ^ Segalov, Michael (5 March 2023). "'I'm not really a freedom fighter': actor David Jonsson on Tinseltown and making it on home turf". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  6. ^ a b Cumming, Ed (15 December 2023). "David Jonsson: 'I'm the first black lead in an Agatha Christie – it's scary'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  7. ^ Jebali, Aiysha (18 January 2021). "Actor David Jonsson: From East London to HBO & BBC series' regular..." Film Forums. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  8. ^ Davies, Hannah J (19 June 2021). "Industry's David Jonsson: 'Lena Dunham thinks British people eat scones every day'". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  9. ^ "David Jonsson". RADA. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  10. ^ Hayer, Taj (14 March 2021). "SPOTLIGHT: Mr David Johnson". The Rakish Gent. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  11. ^ Warner, Solly (19 March 2021). "David Jonsson: Digging for Truth". Notion. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  12. ^ Calamandrei, Lorenza. "David Jonsson". Nuit Magazine. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  13. ^ Earle, Toby (14 December 2020). "David Jonsson: "Black bankers have told me 'Industry' represents their experiences"". NME. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  14. ^ Wolfson, Sam (3 May 2022). "Harry Lawtey and David Jonsson's industrial complex". GQ. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  15. ^ a b Segalov, Michael (5 March 2023). "'I'm not really a freedom fighter': actor David Jonsson on Tinseltown and making it on home turf". The Guardian.
  16. ^ a b Richards, Olly (23 March 2023). "David Jonsson: "I think I'm just a bit weird and strange"". NME.
  17. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - Great Lives, David Jonsson on Jean Michel Basquiat". BBC. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  18. ^ Smith, Anna (23 January 2023). "'Rye Lane' Sundance Review: A Sunny, Irreverent Tribute To British Rom-Com Forebears". Deadline. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  19. ^ Cumming, Ed (15 December 2023). "David Jonsson: 'I'm the first black lead in an Agatha Christie – it's scary'". The Daily Telegraph.
  20. ^ Cormack, Morgan (27 December 2023). "David Jonsson: Murder Is Easy's David Jonsson explains why he initially turned down role". Radio Times.
  21. ^ Yossman, KJ (20 May 2022). "David Jonsson, Joshua Maynard, Nathalie Emmanuel Join David Harewood's 'Benn/Eubank' Feature Produced By Fulwell 73 (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  22. ^ Kit, Borys (March 3, 2023). "Fede Alvarez's Alien Movie Rounds Out Cast (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  23. ^ Sherwood, Harriet (21 November 2021). "And Breathe dominates Black British theatre awards". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 September 2022.

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