Rakie Ayola: ‘I’d love to do a costume drama – you can be fruitier’

Film, theatre and television actor Rakie Ayola, 52, recently starred in ITV drama Grace. Her other television appearances include the BBC One productions Anthony and Noughts & Crosses. She was named best female actor in the 2020 Black British Theatre Awards for her performance in On Bear Ridge.

What was your childhood or earliest ambition?
To act. I saw Barbra Streisand in Hello, Dolly! on television and said: “I want to be like that lady.”

Private school or state school? University or straight into work?
Windsor Clive Primary and Glan Ely High School in Cardiff. My drama teacher took me to youth theatre. That introduced me to the very vibrant amateur scene in Cardiff; I auditioned for anything I was eligible for. I went to the Welsh College of Music and Drama, long before it was the Royal Welsh College, on a 100 per cent grant.

Who was or still is your mentor?
My drama teacher at school and my head of studies at college. [Director] Bill Alexander, who I did a lot of plays with in the 1990s and who set my love of Shakespeare. My actor girlfriends. We formed a creative support network about 10 years ago, and fostered an energy that then went outwards — we’ve become more buoyant and more active.

How physically fit are you?
I probably couldn’t run a marathon — I’m not sure my hips would hold up. I could give you 20 press-ups right now, though.

Ambition or talent: which matters more to success?
I’d love it to be talent alone, but you have to have both. If you measure success by followers, you don’t need talent, you just need to know how to do or say the thing that gets people to look your way. But I’m old-school, so I’m saddened by ambition with no talent — and I’m also fearful of it. Politicians with ambition but no talent can affect a lot of lives.

How politically committed are you?
Very. I try to understand, even when I disagree, because I need to believe the people who govern us don’t set out to make stupid decisions.

What would you like to own that you don’t currently possess?
A driving licence. I have never taken a test — I get bored with the lessons.

What’s your biggest extravagance?
Perfume.

In what place are you happiest?
With my family, in my house.

What ambitions do you still have?
I’d love to do a costume drama. In period drama, you can be larger and fruitier and juicier. The other ambitions are the ones I’ve had since I was a kid, the ones you can’t say as an adult because they’re too ridiculous. The list is still quite long!

What drives you on?
Keeping the family running, keeping a roof over our heads. Thirty or so years ago, I wrote to the then-head of ITV drama and said: “Why do I never see black people in your dramas?” He gave me one line, my first line, and it got me a job. Stepping out of line: I’ve been running on that ever since. Saying the thing that people want to say but don’t, for fear of never working again.

What is the greatest achievement of your life so far?
My children, take that as read. Having a career — see above.

What do you find most irritating in other people?
Everyone I meet, I meet at eye level. I cannot bear it when people decide one of us needs higher status and it might as well be them. When people lord it over me, that makes me crazy.

If your 20-year-old self could see you now, what would she think?
“Thank god you calmed down.” And: “It was all right to say, ‘No, thank you.’ You didn’t have to jump all the time.”

Which object that you’ve lost do you wish you still had?
My mother’s engagement ring. I was coming back from a job and I’d taken it off and put it in my bag. I went into KFC, put the bag down at my feet — then it was gone.

What is the greatest challenge of our time?
Understanding each other’s motives. Only through understanding can we try to make sense of something.

Do you believe in an afterlife?
Yes. It takes many guises in my head.

If you had to rate your satisfaction with your life so far, out of 10, what would you score?
High right now: nine and a half. I’m so grateful for so much.

Rakie Ayola stars in the BBC One drama “The Pact” later this month

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