Robert Aramayo, 33, won both the best actor and rising star awards at the Baftas in London on Sunday night, becoming the first actor to win both prizes on the same evening. He was recognised for his role as a man with Tourette syndrome in the film I Swear, beating nominees including Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet.
His former drama teacher at Wyke College in Hull, Andy Feetom, said he was not surprised by the wins. 'For me the rising star award was a foregone conclusion, everyone north of the Watford gap will have been voting for him,' Feetom said. 'I wasn't shocked at the best actor win, why couldn't he win that?'
Feetom recalled that Aramayo's A-level drama performance was 'mesmerising' and that the only note he gave the teenager was to trim it down to avoid exceeding time limits. Aramayo later attended Juilliard in New York, which he chose after searching 'best drama school in the world' online. His father told him: 'We'll worry about the money later, just do whatever you can to get your arse over there.'
Richard Feldman, one of his Juilliard teachers, described Aramayo as 'one of the hardest workers that's ever come through the school' and praised his pride in his Hull background. Mark Babych, artistic director of Hull Truck theatre, said the win was a culmination of hard work and hoped it would inspire young performers from Hull.
