David Jonsson: Everything About the BAFTA-Winning Actor

Not long ago, David Jonsson was a teenager from Custom House in East London, getting kicked out of school with no clear path ahead.

Now, at 32, he is a BAFTA winner with roles in Hollywood franchises and critically acclaimed indie films, and he has a production company of his own. His rise has been fast but deliberate, and 2026 finds him busier than ever.

This blog covers his life from the Docklands to the red carpet, including his family, training, every major role, and what he has lined up next.

David Jonsson’s Early Life and Family Background

David Jonsson was born on September 4, 1993, in Custom House, a neighborhood tucked into the East London Docklands. His father worked as an IT engineer at Heathrow Airport, and his mother worked for the Metropolitan Police.

He is the youngest of four children, with an older brother and two older sisters who played a large role in raising him.

Jonsson has described his family background as Creole, with roots that span Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Caribbean, and Sweden. Money was tight growing up, and he has spoken openly in interviews about what it was like being raised in a single-parent household in East London.

In a 2026 interview with Hollywood Authentic, he reflected on how those years still shape him. The tough times stick with you, he said, but you use them for something better.

School did not go smoothly for the young David Jonsson. He got into fights, was dismissed from one school, and transferred to another in Hammersmith.

But it was around this time that he told his mother he wanted to become an actor, a decision that changed everything. His mother asked him what he wanted to do with his life, and he answered, “Acting.”

How David Jonsson Trained as an Actor

After finishing his GCSEs, Jonsson left London for New York, where he spent two years studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. When he returned to London at 18, he joined the National Youth Theatre, an experience he has called “an awakening.” It was the first time acting felt like more than a dream.

That led to a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), one of the most respected drama schools in the world. RADA has produced actors like Anthony Hopkins, Ralph Fiennes, and Tom Hiddleston, and Jonsson graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting. He went straight into professional work after graduation, which is rare even for RADA alumni.

David Jonsson’s Stage Career

Jonsson’s professional acting debut came almost immediately after drama school. He was cast as William Davison in the play Mary Stuart at the Almeida Theatre in 2016. When the production transferred to the Duke of York’s Theatre in early 2017, it marked his West End debut.

He stayed on the West End that same year, appearing in Don Juan in Soho alongside David Tennant at Wyndham’s Theatre. Theatre remained important to him even as screen roles began to come his way.

In 2021, his solo performance in the play and breathe… at the Almeida won him a Black British Theatre Award for Best Male Actor in a Play. The one-hour monologue explored themes of death, love, and masculinity, and it proved Jonsson could hold a stage entirely on his own.

Despite his growing film career, Jonsson still considers himself “a theatre boy” at heart. That grounding in live performance is something audiences can feel in his screen work, where he brings a physical awareness and emotional intensity that sets him apart.

David Jonsson in Industry (HBO/BBC)

Jonsson’s first television credit came in 2018, with two episodes of the ITV detective drama Endeavor. He also wrote, directed, and starred in a short film called Gen Y that same year, proving early on that he had ambitions beyond acting. In 2019, he took a recurring role as Isaac Turner in the Fox UK espionage thriller Deep State.

But the real breakout for David Jonsson, the actor, arrived in 2020 with the BBC Two and HBO investment banking drama Industry. He played Augustus “Gus” Sackey, a Yale-educated intern navigating ambition, privilege, and identity at a high-pressure London trading firm.

On the show, Gus is an openly gay character from an elite background, a world miles away from Jonsson’s own upbringing. To prepare, he visited Eton College and Oxford University to familiarize himself with the environments his character would have traversed.

Industry introduced Jonsson to a global audience and turned him into one of British television’s most talked-about young actors. He appeared in the first two series before departing to pursue film work full-time. It was a gamble, but one that paid off almost immediately.

David Jonsson’s Movies: A Complete Breakdown

1. Rye Lane (2023)

Jonsson’s feature film debut was the romantic comedy Rye Lane, co-starring Vivian Oparah and directed by Raine Allen-Miller.

The film premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and earned wide praise for its joyful, fresh portrayal of a Black British love story set in Peckham and Brixton.

Jonsson played Dom, a recently heartbroken man who stumbles into a day-long adventure with a stranger. The film earned him a British Independent Film Award nomination for Best Joint Lead Performance.

In interviews during the Rye Lane press tour, Jonsson admitted he had gone through a real breakup just before shooting, which may have lent the performance genuine emotion.

The film also caught Hollywood’s attention, and bigger offers followed quickly. For many David Jonsson fans, Rye Lane is still the role that first caught their attention.

2. Murder Is Easy (2023)

That same year, Jonsson took the lead role of Luke Fitzwilliam in the BBC’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy. Moving from a contemporary rom-com to a period mystery adaptation showed his range early on.

3. Alien: Romulus (2024)

The biggest leap in David Jonsson’s career came with Alien: Romulus, where he was cast as the synthetic character Andy. It was his first major Hollywood franchise role and the film that introduced him to the widest audience yet.

His performance as a reprogrammed android navigating loyalty and survival drew strong reviews and directly led him to win the 2025 BAFTA EE Rising Star Award, the only BAFTA category decided entirely by public vote.

A sequel to Alien: Romulus is in the works, and David Jonsson is expected to return as Andy. For fans wondering whether David Jonsson is in the next Alien movie, the answer, based on current reporting, is yes.

4. Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. (2024)

In 2024, Jonsson appeared in the biographical drama Bonhoeffer, about German dissident theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, alongside Jonas Dassler, August Diehl, and Clarke Peters. The film was released by Angel Studios.

5. The Long Walk (2025)

David Jonsson starred as Peter McVries in The Long Walk, a dystopian thriller based on Stephen King’s 1979 novel. Directed by Francis Lawrence and released by Lionsgate, the film featured an ensemble that included Cooper Hoffman, Mark Hamill, Judy Greer, and Charlie Plummer.

Critics singled out Jonsson’s performance, and the role earned him nominations at the Independent Spirit Awards, the Black Reel Awards, and the Astra Awards. The entire cast won the Robert Altman Award at the 2026 Spirit Awards.

6. Wasteman (2025)

David Jonsson co-starred with Tom Blyth in the British prison thriller Wasteman, and this one was personal. He had first auditioned for the project straight out of drama school, but funding fell apart.

Six years later, he reconnected with producer Sophia Gibber and helped get the film made. Jonsson executive-produced the project and lost 25 pounds for the role, eating just 800 calories a day.

Most of his co-stars in the film were ex-prisoners, and he has said the experience felt like they were doing something beyond Hollywood.

Wasteman premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, won the Douglas Hickox Award for best debut director at the British Independent Film Awards, and earned a BAFTA nomination for outstanding debut.

It opened in UK cinemas in February 2026 and is set for a U.S. theatrical release on April 17, 2026, through Vertigo and Sunrise Films.

7. The Road Trip (2025)

Jonsson also appeared as Marcus in The Road Trip, a British rom-com TV series on Paramount+ about a chaotic drive to Spain for a friend’s wedding.

David Jonsson Complete Filmography

David Jonsson’s Awards and Nominations

The recognition for David Jonsson has come steadily and accelerated with each new project.

His 2021 Black British Theatre Award for and breathe… was the first major sign the industry was paying attention.

British GQ named him one of its Men of the Year Honourees in 2022, the same year the Evening Standard included him on its Londoners to Watch list. Tatler followed in 2023 by naming him a Bright Young Thing, and Screen International selected him as a Star of Tomorrow.

By 2024, Variety had placed him on its 10 Actors to Watch list.

The biggest honor came at the 2025 BAFTAs, where David Jonsson won the EE Rising Star Award.

His work in The Long Walk then brought nominations at the Independent Spirit Awards, Black Reel Awards, Astra Awards, and the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards heading into 2026.

Wasteman added a BAFTA nomination for outstanding debut and a Douglas Hickox Award win.

David Jonsson’s Upcoming Movies and Projects

David Jonsson’s upcoming slate of projects signals he is not slowing down.

Scandalous (Sammy Davis Jr. Biopic)

The most talked-about project is Scandalous, a period drama about the secret 1950s romance between singer Sammy Davis Jr. and movie star Kim Novak.

David Jonsson will play Sammy Davis Jr. opposite Sydney Sweeney as Kim Novak, with Colman Domingo directing his first feature film. The story centers on the racist backlash the couple faced once their relationship became public. The film is expected to be released in 2027.

Untitled Frank Ocean Film

Jonsson has been cast in an untitled film directed by Frank Ocean, set for release in 2026. Details about the project remain tightly under wraps, but it represents Ocean’s move into filmmaking.

Chaperones

After that comes Chaperones, a road movie that reunites Jonsson with The Long Walk co-star Cooper Hoffman and adds Paul Dano to the cast.

Alien: Romulus Sequel

Jonsson is expected to reprise his role as the synthetic Andy in the planned sequel to Alien: Romulus. No release date has been confirmed yet.

Television Writing and Production

Behind the scenes, David Jonsson is developing his first television script, a project called Hype, with Clerkenwell Films.

He has also co-founded a production company, GreyArea, with his producing partner on Wasteman, Sophia Gibber. The name reflects their creative mission.

As Jonsson explained in a Screen Daily interview, they want to tell stories that don’t live in black or white but somewhere in the middle.

David Jonsson’s Personal Life: Girlfriend, Relationships, and Dating

As of 2026, there is no publicly confirmed information about a current partner or relationship.

Jonsson has publicly stated that he considers himself a romantic. During the Rye Lane press tour in 2023, he mentioned going through a breakup just before filming began.

In a Time Out London interview, when asked for a first-date tip, he said he likes to take someone for food. Beyond those moments, he has kept the conversation focused on his career.

David Jonsson is not married and has no publicly known children. Speculation about his sexuality surfaced after he played the openly gay character Gus in Industry, but Jonsson has not publicly addressed his sexual orientation.

He keeps his personal life firmly separated from his public persona.

David Jonsson’s Height, Weight, and Physical Appearance

David Jonsson stands approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, or about 175 cm. For his role in Wasteman, he lost 25 pounds by restricting his diet to just 800 calories per day, showing his willingness to transform physically for a part.

He has also worked with Cartier as a brand ambassador, appearing in campaigns and wearing pieces from the Santos de Cartier and Tank collections.

Final Thoughts

David Jonsson went from getting expelled from school in East London to winning the BAFTA Rising Star Award and landing roles across rom-coms, sci-fi horror, dystopian thrillers, and prison dramas.

Few actors his age are working with that kind of range. With Scandalous, a Frank Ocean film, and his production company greyarea all on the horizon, his career is still early and building fast.

Whether you found this article searching for his age, his movies, or his next project, the takeaway is the same: David Jonsson is one to watch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is David Jonsson’s Ethnicity?

Jonsson has described his heritage as Creole, with roots in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Caribbean, and Sweden.

Is David Jonsson in the Alien Sequel?

He is expected to return as the synthetic character Andy in the planned sequel to Alien: Romulus. No release date has been confirmed.

Is David Jonsson gay?

David Jonsson played an openly gay character, Gus, in the HBO series Industry. He has not publicly discussed his sexual orientation in interviews.

What is David Jonsson’s Net Worth?

His net worth is estimated between $1 million and $2 million based on 2025 figures, with growth expected as new projects are released.

Who Does David Jonsson Play in Scandalous?

He is set to play Sammy Davis Jr. in the period drama Scandalous, directed by Colman Domingo, opposite Sydney Sweeney as Kim Novak.

Does David Jonsson Have Siblings?

Yes. He is the youngest of four children. He has an older brother and two older sisters.

What is David Jonsson’s Zodiac Sign?

David Jonsson was born on September 4, which makes him a Virgo.

Who Does David Jonsson Play in Alien: Romulus?

He plays Andy, a synthetic android reprogrammed by the late father of the lead character, Rain, to serve as her surrogate brother and caretaker.

Who is David Jonsson’s Co-Star in Alien: Romulus?

His primary co-star is Cailee Spaeny, who plays Rain Carradine. The two share the central relationship in the film. The cast also includes Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu.

Has David Jonsson Won an Oscar?

No. David Jonsson has not been nominated for or won an Academy Award as of 2026. His most notable win to date is the 2025 BAFTA EE Rising Star Award.