Laya Lewis
- Actress
Laya Aiesha Lewis is a British actress and voiceover artist. Born in South London but raised in Bristol, Laya got her start in acting at 18 when she was cast as rebellious, provocative, and fun-loving party animal Olivia "Liv" Malone in the fifth and sixth series of E4's hit drama Skins (2007). She secured her career-defining role after undergoing a rigorous audition process that began with an open audition held at her sixth form, where she had also completed an A-level in drama.
Since 'Skins', Laya has continued working in the performing arts. She went on to star in several short films, including The Line (2014) and Swing for the Fences (2020), and has made a handful of small television appearances. Her second most notable role, however, was as the titular protagonist in the biographical short film Beverley (2015), for which she earned several awards, including Best Actress and the BBC Award for Best Emerging Talent at the 2016 BUFF Awards. She made her first music video appearance in 2012 as the lead for R&B and soul singer Emeli Sandé's chart-topping single, "My Kind of Love." The following year, she was accepted into the University of Greenwich, from which she graduated in 2016 with a First Class Honours B.A. in Media and Cultural Studies.
In addition to her achievements in film and TV, Laya has found success in commercial and voiceover work. She once voiced the idents for BBC's 'Radio 1 Breakfast' and has served as an announcer for the London Eye. In April 2023, she made her stage debut in the play 'Unseen Unheard: The untold breast cancer stories of black women in the UK'. She is also a youth worker and an advocate for sustainable fashion and living, partnering with organizations such as Greenpeace UK to protest against corporate greed.
She resides in her birthplace, London.
Since 'Skins', Laya has continued working in the performing arts. She went on to star in several short films, including The Line (2014) and Swing for the Fences (2020), and has made a handful of small television appearances. Her second most notable role, however, was as the titular protagonist in the biographical short film Beverley (2015), for which she earned several awards, including Best Actress and the BBC Award for Best Emerging Talent at the 2016 BUFF Awards. She made her first music video appearance in 2012 as the lead for R&B and soul singer Emeli Sandé's chart-topping single, "My Kind of Love." The following year, she was accepted into the University of Greenwich, from which she graduated in 2016 with a First Class Honours B.A. in Media and Cultural Studies.
In addition to her achievements in film and TV, Laya has found success in commercial and voiceover work. She once voiced the idents for BBC's 'Radio 1 Breakfast' and has served as an announcer for the London Eye. In April 2023, she made her stage debut in the play 'Unseen Unheard: The untold breast cancer stories of black women in the UK'. She is also a youth worker and an advocate for sustainable fashion and living, partnering with organizations such as Greenpeace UK to protest against corporate greed.
She resides in her birthplace, London.
