Born in London, David Ajala, 39, trained at the Anna Scher Theatre School. He joined the RSC in 2008, went on to work at the National Theatre and this year appeared in the West End with Ewan McGregor in My Master Builder. He has had roles in the films Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood, The Dark Knight, Fast & Furious 6 and Jupiter Ascending. Currently he is in Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue on BBC One and The Woman in Cabin 10 on Netflix. He lives in Essex with his wife and two children.
When were you happiest?
When I was naive to the complexities of life.
What is your greatest fear?
Loneliness.
What was your most embarrassing moment?
Helen Mirren was in the elevator with me at the National Theatre. She pressed the button but it didn’t move. I said, “Fancy seeing you here and being stuck in an elevator.” And she said, “Was that meant to be funny?” I apologised, and she laughed. Even talking about it now, it feels so awkward and embarrassing.
Aside from a property, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought?
A Banksy.
What is your most treasured possession?
The audacity of faith, to be aware of the hurdles in life and still choose to push forward and embrace challenges.
If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you choose?
The [northern] white rhino. There are still two female white rhinos on the planet, but the last male passed away.
Describe yourself in three words
Curious, playful and silly.
What is your most unappealing habit?
My inability to say no to a pack of roast beef Monster Munch.
What scares you about getting older?
I don’t think anything scares me. It’s a gift and I want to embrace it.
What was the last lie that you told?
I went to watch an Arsenal game at the Emirates and there was a really long queue. I went to the front and told the security guard that I’d got a runny belly and needed the toilet ASAP. It worked and I got in.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.
What do you owe your parents?
Everything. Their main thing was: we want you to be happy and to never shy away from working hard. To have that instilled in me, and with their support, it felt like I had already won.
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To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?
To a resistant materials teacher at secondary school called Mr Noel. He had a comb-over and whenever he turned his back to write on the blackboard, we would roll up bits of paper and launch them at his head. Once, I hit him. I remember him turning around and looking crestfallen.
What does love feel like?
Finding a tenner in your jeans pocket. It has always been there but you find it at the moment you really need it.
What is the worst job you’ve done?
Telesales – having to sell terrible kitchens. I thought, maybe I’m not a good actor because I can’t even convince myself that these kitchens are worth paying for.
If not yourself, who would you most like to be?
An oak tree. It’s regal to look at and gives life.
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
Stretching.
Tell us a secret
When walking up or down stairs I always have to take the first and last step with my right foot. It has become a superstition.
