Fisayo Akinade () is an English actor, best known for his roles as Dean Monroe in Cucumber and Banana on Channel 4 and Mr. Ajayi in the Netflix series Heartstopper. Akinade has also done work in theatre, notably portraying Reverend Hale in The Crucible at the National Theatre and Gielgud Theatre in London.
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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 has performed in a number of productions on both stage and screen. On stage, he played Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Eros in Antony and Cleopatra. and several National Theatre productions.
