The ‘I Swear’ actor was up against Cillian Murphy, Jennifer Lawrence, Frank Dillane, David Jonsson and Harry Melling
Robert Aramayo has been announced as the winner of the BIFA for Best Lead Performance at the British Independent Film Awards in London. The 33-year-old actor from Hull played Tourette Syndrome activist John Davidson MBE in the critically acclaimed film I Swear.
The biopic by writer and director Kirk Jones chronicles the life of John from his time as a bullied teenager to one of the biggest campaigners for acceptance and understanding of people with Tourette’s. Many leading actors were nominated for Best Lead Performance, including Cillian Murphy, Jennifer Lawrence, Frank Dillane, David Jonsson and Harry Melling.
But it was Robert who came out on top, as announced at the awards ceremony at The Roundhouse on Sunday, November 30. The actor, who studied at Juilliard in New York, previously returned to Hull for a special screening of I Swear.
Speaking at the time, he said: “Portraying John Davidson was the biggest challenge of my life, but also a tremendous honour. Kirk gave me a lot of freedom in shaping the role, and John worked closely with me throughout the process to help bring his story to life.
“My dream for the film is that it sparks more conversations around Tourette’s and other neurodivergent conditions. And of course, I also hope audiences find it moving and entertaining.”
Mike Aramayo, Robert’s dad, hired out Reel cinema in Hull for 97 family members and friends to watch his son in the lead role. Kim Mitchell, CEO and cofounder of the Hull charity Tourettes-syndrome Inclusion in the Community (TIC), had also attended the screening and tipped Robert’s performance as “award-winning”.
At the time, she said the film took Tourette’s away from being a “public punchline” and instead created “conversation and acceptance” around the condition. “We can’t thank Johnny Davidson MBE, Robert Aramayo, Scott Ellis Watson and of course Kirk Jones along with everyone else involved, enough,” she said.
In Robert’s acceptance speech at the BIFAs, he thanked all his family and dedicated the award to John Davidson. I Swear was recently purchased by Sony Pictures Classics, which means the film will soon also be reaching audiences in the US.
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