{{Short description|British actor (born 1993)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}} {{Use British English|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox person | image = David Jonsson by Gage Skidmore.jpg | caption = Jonsson in 2025 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|9|4|df=y}} | birth_place = London, England | other_names = David Jonsson-Fray | education = Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (B.A., 2016) | occupation = Actor | years_active = 2016–present | awards = See below }}
'''David Jonsson''' (born 4 September 1993) is an English actor. He began his career on the West End, winning a Black British Theatre Award for his performance in the play ''and breathe...'' (2021). He is known for his performance in the BBC Two and HBO television series ''Industry'' (2020–22), as well as his roles in the films ''Rye Lane'' (2023), ''Alien: Romulus'' (2024), and ''The Long Walk'' (2025).
In 2022, Jonsson appeared on the ''Evening Standard'' list of Londoners to watch<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/culture-london-actors-to-watch-2022-film-b973362.html|title=Culture in London: the faces to watch in 2022 - Film|journal=Evening Standard|first=Charlotte|last=O'Sullivan|date=11 January 2022|accessdate=22 January 2023}}</ref> and was one of British ''GQ'''s Men of the Year Honourees.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-04 |title=The GQ Men of the Year Honourees: introducing GQ's Class of 2022 |url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/men-of-the-year/article/gq-men-of-the-year-2022-honourees |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=British GQ |language=en-GB}}</ref> He was named a 2023 Bright Young Thing by ''Tatler''<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.tatler.com/bright-young-things-class-of-2023|title=Bright Young Things Class of 2023: Tatler crowns the next generation of glam, gifted actors to watch in the April issue|journal=Tatler|first=Lola|last=Hanover|date=2 March 2023|accessdate=3 March 2023}}</ref> and a ''Screen International'' Star of Tomorrow.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/features/stars-of-tomorrow-2023-david-jonsson-actor/5183299.article|title= Stars of Tomorrow 2023: David Jonsson (actor)|first=Mark|last=Salisbury|date=28 June 2023|accessdate=29 June 2023}}</ref> In 2025, he won the BAFTA Rising Star Award<ref name="bafta">{{Cite web |date=2025-02-16 |title=David Jonsson named Rising Star winner at Bafta film awards |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24939782.david-jonsson-named-rising-star-winner-bafta-film-awards/ |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=The Herald |language=en}}</ref> and was nominated at the British Independent Film Awards in the Best Lead Performance category for his role in the film ''Wasteman'' (2025).<ref name="bifa">{{Cite web |date=2025-12-02|title=British Independent Film Awards: 'My Father's Shadow' and 'Pillion' Lead Nominations |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/bifa-2025-nominations-british-independent-film-awards-list-1236416506/ |language=en}}</ref>
==Early life== Jonsson grew up in Custom House, an area of the East London Docklands.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://theguardian.com/film/2023/mar/05/im-not-really-a-freedom-fighter-david-jonsson-industry-rye-lane|title='I'm not really a freedom fighter': actor David Jonsson on Tinseltown and making it on home turf|journal=The Guardian|first=Michael|last=Segalov|date=5 March 2023|accessdate=7 March 2023}}</ref> 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.<ref name="tdt dec 23">{{Cite journal|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2023/12/15/david-jonsson-interview-murder-is-easy-agatha-christie-bbc/|title=David Jonsson: 'I'm the first black lead in an Agatha Christie – it's scary'|journal=The Daily Telegraph|first=Ed|last=Cumming|date=15 December 2023|accessdate=27 December 2023}}</ref> He describes his background as Creole, with family from West Africa (Nigeria and Sierra Leone),<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.gq.co.za/culture/entertainment/british-actor-david-jonsson-is-a-scene-stealer-in-exciting-britbox-original-murder-mystery-1942b0a9-a151-4b45-bc5f-30154ba6e2b8|title=British actor David Jonsson is a scene stealer in exciting BritBox Original murder mystery|journal=GQ South Africa|date=13 March 2024|accessdate=21 August 2024}}</ref> the Caribbean and Sweden.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://film-forums.com/actor-david-jonsson-from-east-london-to-bbc-series-regular-industry-hbo/|title=Actor David Jonsson: From East London to HBO & BBC series' regular...|journal=Film Forums|first=Aiysha|last=Jebali|date=18 January 2021|accessdate=26 January 2023}}</ref>
After getting in trouble at and dismissed from school, Jonsson transferred to a school in Hammersmith.<ref name="tdt dec 23"/> He told his mother he wanted to be an actor. After completing his GCSEs, Jonsson spent two years in New York. Upon returning to London at the age of 18,<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/jun/19/industry-david-jonsson-lena-dunham-thinks-british-people-eat-scones-every-day|title=Industry's David Jonsson: 'Lena Dunham thinks British people eat scones every day'|journal=The Guardian|first=Hannah J|last=Davies|date=19 June 2021|accessdate=26 January 2023}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rada.ac.uk/profiles/david-jonsson/|title=David Jonsson|website=RADA|accessdate=26 January 2023}}</ref>
==Career== Upon graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), Jonsson was cast in his professional stage debut as William Davison in the play ''Mary Stuart'' at the Almeida Theatre.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.therakishgent.co.uk/pages/spotlight-mr-david-jonsson|title=SPOTLIGHT: Mr David Johnson|website=The Rakish Gent|first=Taj|last=Hayer|date=14 March 2021|accessdate=26 January 2023}}</ref> The production transferred to Duke of York's Theatre in early 2017, marking Jonsson's West End debut. That same year, he appeared on the West End again, this time in ''Don Juan in Soho'' alongside David Tennant at Wyndham's Theatre.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://notion.online/david-jonsson-digging-for-truth-interview-industry/|title=David Jonsson: Digging for Truth|journal=Notion|first=Solly|last=Warner|date=19 March 2021|accessdate=26 January 2023}}</ref>
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''.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.nuitmagazine.com/mag/david-jonsson/|title=David Jonsson|journal=Nuit Magazine|first=Lorenza|last=Calamandrei|accessdate=26 January 2023}}</ref>
Jonsson starred as Augustus "Gus" Sackey in the first two series of the BBC Two and HBO investment banking drama ''Industry'' from 2020 to 2022.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.nme.com/features/tv-interviews/david-jonsson-industry-tv-interview-2838508|title=David Jonsson: "Black bankers have told me 'Industry' represents their experiences"|journal=NME|first=Toby|last=Earle|date=14 December 2020|accessdate=26 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/harry-lawtey-david-jonsson-industry-interview|title=Harry Lawtey and David Jonsson's industrial complex|journal=GQ|first=Sam|last=Wolfson|date=3 May 2022|accessdate=26 January 2023}}</ref><ref name="Guardian230305">{{cite news |last=Segalov |first=Michael |date=5 March 2023 |title='I'm not really a freedom fighter': actor David Jonsson on Tinseltown and making it on home turf |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/mar/05/im-not-really-a-freedom-fighter-david-jonsson-industry-rye-lane |work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref name="NME230323">{{cite news |last=Richards |first=Olly |date=23 March 2023 |title=David Jonsson: "I think I'm just a bit weird and strange" |url=https://www.nme.com/features/film-interviews/david-jonsson-interview-rye-lane-industry-alien-chris-eubank-3418158 |work=NME}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000r3nz|title=BBC Radio 4 - Great Lives, David Jonsson on Jean Michel Basquiat|website=BBC|date=12 January 2021|accessdate=26 January 2023}}</ref>
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.<ref name="Guardian230305" /><ref name="NME230323" /><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://deadline.com/2023/01/rye-lane-review-sundance-david-jonsson-vivian-oparah-1235237987/|title='Rye Lane' Sundance Review: A Sunny, Irreverent Tribute To British Rom-Com Forebears|journal=Deadline|first=Anna|last=Smith|date=23 January 2023|accessdate=26 January 2023}}</ref> He also played the lead character Luke Fitzwilliam in the BBC's 2023 adaptation of Agatha Christie's ''Murder Is Easy''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cumming |first=Ed |date=15 December 2023 |title=David Jonsson: 'I'm the first black lead in an Agatha Christie – it's scary' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2023/12/15/david-jonsson-interview-murder-is-easy-agatha-christie-bbc |work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Cormack |first=Morgan |date=27 December 2023 |title=David Jonsson: Murder Is Easy's David Jonsson explains why he initially turned down role |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/murder-is-easy-david-jonsson-turned-down-role-newsupdate/ |work=Radio Times}}</ref>
In 2023, Jonsson was cast in ''Alien: Romulus'' as the synthetic Andy, which released in 2024, that led to him winning the 2025 BAFTA Rising Star Award.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=2023-03-03 |title=Fede Alvarez's 'Alien' Movie Rounds Out Cast (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/fede-alvarez-alien-movie-cast-1235340396/ |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="bafta" /> He is expected to return as Andy in the sequel.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Tamera |last2=Nemiroff |first2=Perri |date=2025-09-12 |title='Alien: Romulus' Rising Star David Jonsson Gives an Exciting Sequel Update for Fans |url=https://collider.com/david-jonsson-alien-romulus-sequel-tom-blyth-wasteman/ |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=Collider |language=en}}</ref> Later in 2024 he was cast as Pete McVries in ''The Long Walk'', which released in 2025 to positive reviews, with specific praise for his performance.
Jonsson is developing his first television script ''Hype'' with Clerkenwell Films.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://deadline.com/2024/04/david-jonsson-writing-drama-series-hype-clerkenwell-films-1235885688/|title='Rye Lane' Star David Jonsson Penning Debut Drama Series 'Hype'|journal=Deadline|first=Jesse|last=Whittock|date=17 April 2024|accessdate=21 April 2024}}</ref> In addition, he has upcoming roles in the films ''Wasteman'', ''Benn/Eubank'', and ''Scandalous!''<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/david-jonsson-joshua-maynard-benn-eubank-1235272817/|title=David Jonsson, Joshua Maynard, Nathalie Emmanuel Join David Harewood's 'Benn/Eubank' Feature Produced By Fulwell 73 (EXCLUSIVE)|journal=Variety|first=KJ|last=Yossman|date=20 May 2022|accessdate=26 January 2023}}</ref>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |+Key | style="background:#ffc;" |{{dagger|alt=Titles that have not yet been released}} |Denotes titles that have not yet been released |}
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2023 | ''Rye Lane'' | Dom | |- | rowspan="2" | 2024 | ''Alien: Romulus'' | Andy Carradine | |- | ''Bonhoeffer'' | Frank Fisher | |- | rowspan="2" | 2025 | ''The Long Walk'' | Pete McVries (#23) | |- | ''Wasteman'' | Taylor | Also executive producer<ref>{{cite web |last=Tabbara |first=Mona |date=5 November 2024 |title=Bankside Films reveals first look at 'Wasteman' starring David Jonsson, Tom Blyth (exclusive) |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/bankside-films-reveals-first-look-at-wasteman-starring-david-jonsson-tom-blyth-exclusive/5198847.article |accessdate=5 November 2024 |website=Screen Daily}}</ref> |- | TBA | {{Pending film|The Chaperones}} | | ''Post-production'' |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2018 | ''Endeavour'' | Cromwell Ames | Episodes: "Quartet", "Icarus" |- | 2019 | ''Deep State'' | Isaac Turner | Regular role; series 2 |- | 2020–22 | ''Industry'' | Augustus "Gus" Sackey | Main role |- | 2023 | ''Murder Is Easy'' | Luke Fitzwilliam |Miniseries |- | 2024 | ''The Road Trip'' | Marcus |Main role |- | 2025 | ''Too Much'' |Oriel Terrabianco |Episode: "One Wedding and a Sex Pest" |}
===Audio drama=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Voice role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2017 | ''UNIT: The New Series'' | Cpl. James Morley | Episode: "Invocation" |}
== Stage credits == {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Venue !Notes |- | rowspan="2" | 2016–17 | rowspan="2" | ''Mary Stuart'' | rowspan="2" | William Davison | Almeida Theatre, London | |- |Duke of York's Theatre, London | |- | 2017 | ''Don Juan in Soho'' | Col | Wyndham's Theatre, London | |- |2020 |''“Daddy” A Melodrama'' |Franklin | rowspan="2" |Almeida Theatre, London |Rehearsals only<ref>{{Cite web |title=Production of “Daddy” A Melodrama {{!}} Theatricalia |url=https://theatricalia.com/play/hrt/daddy-a-melodrama/production/10gt |access-date=2026-02-27 |website=theatricalia.com}}</ref> |- | 2021 | ''and breathe...'' | Junior | |}
==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |- ! Award ! Year ! Category ! Work ! Result ! {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- | British Academy Film Award |2025 | Rising Star Award |''Alien: Romulus'' | {{won}} | <ref name="bafta" /> |- | Black British Theatre Award | 2022 | Best Male Actor in a Play | ''and breathe...'' | {{won}} | <ref>{{Cite journal |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/nov/21/and-breathe-black-british-theatre-awards-yomi-sode-regents-park-romeo-and-juliet |title=And Breathe dominates Black British theatre awards |journal=The Guardian |first=Harriet |last=Sherwood |date=21 November 2021 |accessdate=17 September 2022}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" | British Independent Film Award | 2023 | Best Joint Lead Performance {{small|(with Vivian Oparah)}} | ''Rye Lane'' | {{nom}} | <ref name=":0" /> |- |2025 | Best Lead Performance | ''Wasteman'' |{{nom}} | <ref name=":0">https://www.bifa.film/awards/2025/winners-nominations/</ref> |- | Saturn Awards | 2025 | Best Supporting Actor | ''Alien: Romulus'' | {{nom}} | <ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2025/02/saturn-awards-winners-2025-list-1236276923/ |title='Dune: Part Two', 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' & 'Alien: Romulus' Lead Saturn Awards |last=Pedersen |first=Erik |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=February 3, 2025 |access-date=February 15, 2025}}</ref> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|9657438}} * [https://www.spotlight.com/0818-0160-5835 David Jonsson] at Spotlight
{{BAFTA Rising Star Award}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jonsson, David}} Category:Living people Category:1990s births Category:Actors from the London Borough of Newham Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Category:Black British male actors Category:BAFTA Rising Star Award winners Category:English people of Nigerian descent Category:English people of Sierra Leonean descent Category:English people of Swedish descent Category:English people of West Indian descent Category:Male actors from London Category:National Youth Theatre members Category:People from Canning Town Category:21st-century English male actors Category:English male stage actors Category:English male television actors Category:English male film actors