IN CONVERSATION WITH JONATHAN AJAYI

interview by JANA LETONJA
photography by SYLVAIN HOMO

Jonathan Ajayi is quickly becoming one of the most exciting new talents to watch. He’s currently receiving rave reviews for his standout performance as Smee in FX/Hulu’s ‘Alien: Earth’, which has already become a critical and commercial hit, smashing Hulu records with 9.2 million viewers in its premiere week. Next, Jonathan will be seen opposite Willem Dafoe and Corey Hawkins in Hulu/Andscape’s ‘The Man in My Basement’, premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.

‘Alien: Earth’ has been a massive hit both critically and with audiences. What’s it been like to be part of a show that’s making this kind of impact? 

The response to the show has been a dream come true. Being on any kind of show is always a blessing, but the cherry on top is when it resonates with the critics and the audience alike. The response has been so overwhelming and so beautiful, and not just in numbers. I’ve had some really personal messages from fans telling me how the show has helped them reconnect with their inner child while dealing with grief, and how Peter Pan and characters like Smee and the other Lost Boys really resonated with them. People have thanked me for turning what could have been a footnote character into something much more. Really, as artists, all we can do is the work, let it go, and hope that when it’s in the hands of the audience, people take it into their own lives and receive it in whatever way it’s meant to be received. So, it has been nothing but a privilege.

Smee has been described as a “quiet standout” and “a lot of fun to watch.” How did you approach creating this character?

I mean, that is such a wonderful thing to hear. It’s any actor’s hope that the work they put in behind the scenes and in front of the camera resonates with the audience. So, I’m just glad that people are really connecting with Smee. I think he’s a very special character with a unique way of seeing the world, and I did everything in my power to make sure I represented him as fully as I could. A lot of my work and preparation surrounding Smee came down to three things. Reconnecting with my inner child, understanding and appreciating the genius of children, and making sure I was playing Smee and not just a generalized idea of a young boy. There’s a risk with a character like this of simply trying to convince people you’re a child in an adult’s body. I was lucky to work with some incredible acting coaches, some from drama school, others I’ve met over the years, and what became abundantly clear is that I couldn’t just “play a child.” I had to really investigate who Smee was as a person, what kind of adult he might grow into, what his bad habits and weaknesses were, and why he was the way he was. It was a treat to explore. I had a lot of conversations with my mum about what I was like as a kid. I created Spotify playlists and I did a lot of physical preparation. For me, it’s all in the mannerisms and physicality, so I dedicated a lot of time to finding very specific body language for him. Tom Hardy once said in an interview that he is from the school of ‘whatever he needs to do to get the role right’, and so am I. Whatever it takes is whatever it takes. That’s part of the adventure, and it’s why I love being an actor, and why I loved playing Smee.

The series blends horror, sci-fi, and psychological tension. How did you prepare for that tonal balance?

You know what’s funny? For most of the series, Smee isn’t even in a horror or anything deeply psychological. The first thing I realized about him, and about children in general, at least until they grow up, is that they’re taught to believe in a “please and thank you” society. Because of that, they assume goodness in people. Having that as a grounding worldview made it a fun challenge to embrace the horror elements. It didn’t help me to think about scary, acid-for-blood aliens. What helped was thinking about being afraid of spiders, or ghosts under the bed. Morrow wasn’t this terrifying robot-arm villain. To Smee, he was just “a big meanie,” as my 10-year-old self would’ve said. The thing that really fascinated me about the tonal mixture was that, as a Lost Boy, Smee is in a different movie than everybody else. In my head, everyone else was in ‘Alien’, but for a lot of Smee’s scenes, he was in ‘The Goonies’, ‘Space Jam’, or ‘Codename: Kids Next Door’, to name just a few inspirations. It actually became a joy to subvert the horror of the show with a lot of Smee’s childish antics.

You’ll next appear in ‘The Man in My Basement’ opposite Willem Dafoe and Corey Hawkins. What can you tell us about this project and your role?

‘The Man in My Basement’ is a psychological thriller/horror set in the 90s, in the affluent African-American neighborhood of Sag Harbor, a place I’d never even heard of before getting the role. I play Ricky Winkler, who’s described as being twelve steps ahead of everyone else. For those who’ve seen me as Smee in ‘Alien: Earth’, you know I have a lot of energy, and I gravitate toward characters who do too. Ricky’s a normal guy, a bit of a late bloomer romantically, but he loves his friends, his community, and for the first time in his life maybe wants a little bit more. That’s all I’ll say for now.  I also want to add that Nadia Latif, our writer-director and captain, did something really beautiful with Ricky. In a film that explores racial identity, it was such a gift to play a character who, though culturally significant to me personally, is simply having a human experience that isn’t primarily centered around that. That says a lot about the layers and diversity of the piece. And honestly, it was just nice to play someone who’s falling in love. Love is a beautiful thing.

What was it like working alongside actors like Willem and Corey? Any moments that stood out to you during filming?

I unfortunately didn’t get to have any scenes with Willem, for now, but working with Corey was a treat. I remember watching him as Dr. Dre in ‘Straight Outta Compton’ when I was still in sixth form (12th grade) and being mesmerized by the opening shots of him listening to Roy Ayers’ ‘Everybody Loves the Sunshine’, and the scene where he finds out his cousin died. It stayed with me as a younger man, and with no exaggeration, it played a part in me realizing at 16 or 17 that I wanted to be an actor. So to then be sat opposite him, doing scenes, was a real trip. I also have to mention the rest of the cast—Anna, Gershwyn, Tamara, Pamela, to name just a few—all of us, like Nadia, came from the British theatre background and have seen each other on stages time and again. Honestly, I was just honored to be surrounded by such great talent, people I’d been hoping to work with for years. I was a kid in a candy store on that set.

The film is premiering at TIFF. How does it feel to have your project debut at such a prestigious festival?

I mean, wow. It’s such a dream come true. I know saying that is a cliché, but clichés exist for a reason. This is one I’m more than happy to stand by. These are the things I dreamt about in drama school when I graduated. The kind of ambitions I had when I got rejection after rejection. Quiet prayers uttered, things hoped for even when jobs didn’t feel secure. This is a huge milestone for me as an actor and a storyteller. And I think the film deserves to be at TIFF. It’s a layered and thoughtful exploration of grief, home, and community. That’s no small feat, and it deserves a stage that reflects that.

You have roots in theater. How has that background shaped the way you approach television and film roles?

Coming from the theatre has been such a gift because it’s embedded in me this sense of play, which I find to be one of the most important pillars of acting. When you’re doing Shakespeare in an auditorium of 300+ people, even the quietest moments have to reach the back of the space. You need a playful attitude toward the moment just to begin exploring how to achieve that. When I transitioned into more film and TV work, I realized that acting on screen, with more original contemporary content, requires a lot of problem-solving. And really, in theatre, problem-solving is just another word for play. It’s made me fearless and up for anything, and I hope that never changes. Long live the theatres. Broadway, I’m coming for ya.

How do you choose your next projects? What makes you say yes to a role?

In a weird way, I don’t think actors ever really choose the next project. I think art imitates life and life imitates art, and on some level the next role comes into your life as an opportunity for growth. Playing Smee came at a time when reconnecting with my inner child was very important for me as a human being. Playing Ricky, on the other hand, was an opportunity to explore what kind of artist I want to be, and the lengths I’m willing to go to give the kind of performances I aspire to. It also comes down to what resonates with me personally, what jumps off the page. More recently, I find myself drawn to stories or characters that make me forget I’m an actor. If I enjoy reading the script over and over, if it wakes up the big kid in me or stirs the inner nerd, then I’m game.

When you’re not working, what helps you recharge or inspires your creativity?

Music, music, music. I love music. At one point in my life, I was going to pursue a career in songwriting. I decided to become an actor instead, but creating songs and jamming with other musicians still gives me a buzz like nothing else. I know the question’s about what I do when I’m not working, but music is also a big part of my acting process. I write songs for characters all the time. When I can’t quite understand a moment they’re going through, music opens the door creatively. I actually wrote a song for my character in ‘Alien: Earth’, but I won’t say more, no spoilers. Outside of work, I prioritize anything that keeps me open, curious, and alive. Writing songs, jamming with friends, walking along the Thames, or cooking the latest Instagram recipe I stumbled across while doom-scrolling at 4 a.m. What I’m really looking for are things that keep me open.

Where do you see yourself headed next, what kinds of stories do you hope to tell in the future?

I don’t really know where I’m headed next, if I’m honest. I’ve done some exciting projects since ‘Alien: Earth’ and ‘The Man in My Basement’, but I like to roll with the punches and respond to things as they come, not before. And honestly, that’s where the excitement is. I had no idea any of this was around the corner, and it’s better than anything I could’ve put on a vision board. I’d love to keep on doing ‘Alien: Earth’. There’s so much more to discover about Smee and that world. In terms of story, I’m very interested in the line between horror and comedy, not in a supernatural sense, but in the everyday. Like the horror of losing your keys and locking yourself out of your apartment an hour before getting ready for a first date. To someone else it sounds funny, but to you, at the moment, it feels like World War III. Stories that are relatable to everyone. I’d also love to tell high-concept, genre-specific stories with a simple, grounded human truth at their core. For me, it’s always about what’s at the heart of the story. If I can connect with it, if I recognize the challenge it poses, then I’m all for it. Hopefully, I get to spend a lifetime telling great stories.