In a room polished to within an inch of its life, where tuxedos outnumber humility and acceptance speeches are often pre-written in hopeful Notes apps, the smart money was on a familiar name. Either Leonardo DiCaprio would add another trophy to his armoury, or Timothee Chalamet would glide up for what many assumed was his inevitable coronation.
Instead, the envelope at the British Academy Film Awards revealed something far less predictable: Robert Aramayo.
The 33-year-old from Hull didn’t just win Best Leading Actor for I Swear — he detonated the script entirely. Earlier that same evening, he’d collected the EE Rising Star Award. By the time he returned to the stage clutching the top acting prize, he looked genuinely stunned. And honestly? So did everyone else.
A performance that refused to be flashy
In I Swear, Aramayo plays John Davidson, a Scottish campaigner who has lived with severe Tourette’s syndrome since childhood. It’s the kind of role that could tip into exaggeration with one wrong note. Aramayo never strikes it.
His portrayal is restrained, painfully human and often difficult to watch — not because it’s theatrical, but because it feels real. Set in the 1980s, the film explores a period when Davidson’s condition was widely misunderstood and frequently mocked. Aramayo leans into the discomfort without ever exploiting it. The result is a performance critics have described as “unflinching” and “deeply empathetic”.
For audiences who knew him as young Ned Stark in Game of Thrones or the ethereal Elrond in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the transformation is startling.
“I absolutely can’t believe this”
When he took the stage for the second time, Aramayo’s voice wavered. “I absolutely can’t believe this,” he said, scanning a crowd filled with actors he’d long admired.
He even thanked fellow nominee Ethan Hawke, recalling a Juilliard talk about “protecting your instrument”. It was a small, gracious moment that spoke volumes.
From Hull to Hollywood’s front row
Aramayo trained at Juilliard but started at Hull Truck Youth Theatre — and he hasn’t shaken that grounding. His win signals something bigger than an upset. It’s a reminder that prestige doesn’t always outmuscle sincerity, and that smaller films can still shake the chandelier.
As I Swear rolls out internationally, one thing is clear: Robert Aramayo is no longer the promising supporting actor in epic franchises. He’s the man who beat Leonardo and Timothee on home turf.
