Deborah Ayorinde

Deborah Olayinka Ayorinde (born 13 August 1987) is a British-Nigerian actress raised in the United States. She is known for her role in the Amazon Prime horror series Them.

Early life and education

Ayorinde was born in London, England to Nigerian Yoruba parents. She spent her childhood in London before relocating to San Jose, California when she was 8.

In May 2009, she graduated with honors from Howard University's John H. Johnson School of Communications with a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production. During her time at Howard, she won the coveted Paul Robeson Best Actress award for her performance in a short film she wrote and directed. The film also won the award for Best Cinematography.

Acting career

Ayorinde's resume includes her work on Netflix's popular Marvel series Luke Cage, and as Simone (the “other woman”) in the American comedy film, Girls Trip. She starred opposite Cynthia Erivo and Janelle Monáe in Harriet, a biopic of African American abolitionist and political activist Harriet Tubman, and she also starred in a season of HBO's True Detective.

In 2019, it was announced that she had joined the cast of Amazon Prime's Them for which Ayorinde received rave reviews for her portrayal of the character, Livia "Lucky" Emory. She received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her performance.

In the same year, it was also announced that she had been added to the cast of Fatherhood. In June 2021, Fatherhood debuted at Number 1 on Netflix in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

She gained further popularity through her work on the ITV series Riches which debuted in 2022 to much acclaim. It resonated with audiences due the storyline being centered around the black British experience.

In 2024, it was announced she would appear as the lead female in a play Wedding Band: A Love Hate Story in Black and White in Lyric Theatre in London.