British-Canadian-Nigerian actor Ayo Solanke, who portrayed Ryan Adebayo in the BET series streaming on Netflix, has opened up about his journey into the creative industry and how his personal experiences helped shape his performance on screen.
Appearing on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Solanke shared his path to stardom, beginning in Nigeria where he was born, before moving to England at the age of two as his parents sought better opportunities for their children.
The actor said he spent ten years in England, engaging in community theatre as a hobby with his brother, never intending to pursue it as a career. In 2015, however, Solanke moved to Winnipeg, Canada, where his passion for acting grew stronger.
Surrounded by a vibrant film environment, he recalled how he began appearing in productions and eventually secured professional roles.
Reflecting on his role in the BET series, Solanke explained how he could personally connect with the character Ryan Adebayo. He related Ryan’s feelings of being unseen and treated like an outcast to his own lived experiences.
“That was very interesting exploring,” he said, referring to the emotional depth of the role and its similarity to his own story of growth and resilience.
When asked if he would feature in a Nigerian film soon, Solanke said he hopes so, hinting at a desire to reconnect with his roots through film.
He also discussed his work in horror productions, admitting that he underestimated the emotional weight such roles carry.
“It’s not for the weak,” he said, noting how intense and unsettling the scenes felt, even from behind the scenes.
With his feature debut in Tales from the Hood 3 in 2020, followed by roles in Sniper: Rogue Mission and Clown in a Cornfield, Solanke rose to international attention starring as Ryan Adebayo in Netflix’s Bet, which debuted in May 2025 and quickly charted globally.
