Get to Know Bukky Bakray, BAFTA’s 2021 Rising Star Winner

She's the Youngest Ever Rising Star Winner

Image Source: Danny Kasirye for Prada

At just 19 years old, Bakray took home the rising star award at the 2021 BAFTAs, making her the youngest ever recipient of the award. Previous winners have included the likes of Michael Ward, Letitia Wright, and Daniel Kaluuya.

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She's Good Friends With Her Onscreen Partner in Rocks

Kosar Ali plays Rocks's best friend Sumayra in the film, but it turns out that the pair are actually pretty good friends in real life, too. In an interview with The Guardian, Ali said that "me and Bukky, we're like this", miming them drawn together with her hands. She added that "she's at my house, like, three days a week. She's like a mum, a best friend, a sister and an auntie in one. The things her brain comes up with, I could literally sit there and have a conversation with her for six hours".

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She Was Born in Hackney, East London

Bakray was born in Hackney, East London, in 2002. She grew up on an estate in Lower Clapton, near the filming location for Rocks, and went on to join the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) Youth Company, before enrolling in the Originate Actor Training programme at Theatre Peckham.

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She Was Discovered at Age 15

Rocks marked Bakray's first ever acting role, and she was discovered by the film's director, Sarah Gavron, when she was just 15 years old. Through Gavron's research for the film, she visited numerous youth clubs and schools in Hackney and Newham to cast potential roles, one of which just happened to be Bakray's school!

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She Has Two Upcoming Roles, Including a Netflix Series

Image Source: Amazon

Rocks may have been Bakray's first role, but it won't be her last! Already, the BAFTA award winner is set to feature in a new BBC and Netflix series, called You Don't Know Me, alongside Ella Greenwood's upcoming mental health film, Self-Charm.

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She Won Young British/Irish Performer at the London Critic's Circle Film Awards

Image Source: Getty / Jemal Countess

Bakray's BAFTA award unsurprisingly wasn't her first; the actor recently took home best young British/Irish performer at the London Critic's Circle Film Awards, which took place earlier this year. Alongside her wins, Bakray was also nominated for actress of the year, best actress, and most promising newcomer.

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