Babou Ceesay

Baboucarr Alieu Ceesay is a British actor of Gambian heritage, recognized for his performances across television, film, and theatre. Born in London on 17 November 1978, he spent his youth in West Africa and holds dual citizenship. Prior to pursuing a career in performance, he earned a degree in Microbiology at Imperial College London and worked as an internal auditor at accounting firm Deloitte. He subsequently completed the One Year Course at the Oxford School of Drama, entering the acting industry with stage appearances in productions such as A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Overwhelming alongside Andrew Garfield.

Ceesay made his major feature film debut in the horror-comedy Severance, which was followed two years later by an appearance in an episode of the television show Whistleblower. Over the subsequent years, he established a presence on British television through guest roles on numerous series, including Silent Witness, Law & Order: UK, Casualty, Strike Back, Luther, Getting On, and Lewis.

His film career gained momentum with appearances in the 2013 Nigerian feature Half of a Yellow Sun, acting alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandiwe Newton, and John Boyega, followed by the 2014 drama '71. In 2015, he appeared in the thriller Eye in the Sky, and in 2016, he featured in the action comedy Free Fire alongside Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley, and Armie Hammer, as well as the feature film Rogue One.

On television, Ceesay secured the role of John the Apostle in the 2015 drama series A.D. The Bible Continues. He followed this with a primary role as defense attorney Jerome Sharp in Channel 4's National Treasure. His portrayal of Richard Taylor in the BBC One television movie Damilola, Our Loved Boy, which depicted the events surrounding the death of ten-year-old Damilola Taylor, brought him critical recognition and a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor. Shortly after, he starred alongside Idris Elba and Freida Pinto in the miniseries Guerrilla.

Ceesay expanded his television portfolio with prominent roles in the series Into the Badlands and the BBC drama Dark Money, where he portrayed Manny Mensah. On film, he appeared in the 2019 civil rights drama The Best of Enemies, centered on a North Carolina school integration story. In 2020, he took on the role of DI Jackson Mendy in the drama series We Hunt Together, followed by the lead role of a Manchester forensic scientist in the 2021 drama Wolfe.

In recent years, Ceesay featured in the 2024 film Killer Heat and secured the lead role of the cyborg Kumi Morrow in the sci-fi television series Alien: Earth. He was also cast as Ser Bennis for the second season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Ceesay lives in London with his wife, journalist Anna Ceesay, and their two children.