Netflix viewers are rejoicing that "a star is born." James Bond fans are calling for him to be the "next James Bond." With starring roles in films like the Netflix hit Rebel Ridge and a lead voice role as Mufasa in the Barry Jenkins-helmed Mufasa: The Lion King to drop later this year, Aaron Pierre is proving he has arrived.
Much of the actor's previous work included a main role in the Syfy series Krypton, a recurring role in the Amazon Prime Video miniseries The Underground Railroad, and a starring role as Malcolm X in the National Geographic award-winning anthology drama series, Genuis: MLK/X. In 2021, he landed his first film role as the character 'Mid-Size Sedan' in M. Night Shyamalan's Old.
Three years later, Aaron's turn as Terry Richmond in the recently-released action thriller Rebel Ridge is being praised as a "star-making performance." And he is yet again showing the world that he more than has the range for longevity, even securing a main recurring role in Season 4 of the acclaimed Apple TV+ show The Morning Show, as reported by Deadline.
Whether you happened upon this article to learn more about Aaron's background or his career highlights, get to know a little more about the rising star below.
1.Aaron Pierre stands at a towering height of 6'3''.
Aaron Pierre in 'Rebel Ridge.'
Allyson Riggs/Netflix
Aaron's good looks and striking blue-gray eyes aren't the only physical attributes that have viewers captivated, it's also his stature. At 6'3'', Aaron spoke about how important it is to work with filmmakers in his career who understand that "physicality is not indicative of emotional intelligence" has been in his career so far.
When asked what attracted him to his Rebel Ridge character Terry Richmond, the actor told Men's Health:
"Jeremy [Saulnier] had written Terry Richmond with an elite, intimidating level of physical prowess. At the same time, he is so centered, grounded, and emotionally intelligent. That he paired those traits—and arguably made a statement in doing so—was exciting. Something highlighted to me, early in my journey, was my height and my size; I was told that some people may not be able to envision me as a character with the capacity to be emotionally intelligent."
2.Yes, his baritone voice is glorious, but did you know Aaron Pierre is also British?
Aaron was born and raised in London. According to IndieWire, Aaron grew up around "culturally diverse children from immigrant families" in public housing in West Croydon. His environment ignited within him the drive to follow his desires in the pursuit of his calling.
"How all of us in that area were raised was, ‘It’s plan A or plan A. If you want something, you have to put all your eggs in one basket, and that way at least you know for certain whether it was your calling in life. And that’s a really scary thing to do."
3.Aaron's known to do a monologue or two.
Though the camera loves him, Aaron's first love is the stage. In fact, Aaron, who describes himself as "a nerd," studied playwrights like William Shakespeare and John Steinbeck and got lost in the pages of Greek tragedies. Aaron got his first taste of theater through a high-school production where he acted as a narrator.
Years later, he studied at Lewisham College in London for two years before training in Toronto and then an additional three years at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art. Aaron went on to star in Othello in 2018, gracing the Globe Theatre in London as Cassio.
4.What is Aaron Pierre's ethnicity?
Aaron Pierre as Terry Richmond
Allyson Riggs/Netflix
When it comes to his ethnicity, Aaron resembles the melting pot he grew up in. Aaron is of Jamaican, Sierra Leonian, and Curaçaoan descent. His mother is Jamaican, and his father is Curaçaoan-Sierra Leonian. The English actor is also the eldest child of three siblings.
5.He is 'deeply in love' with martial arts.
Aaron's martial arts affinity goes beyond what you see in the movies. In fact, the actor shared with Men's Health that not only is he a "student of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and boxing," but that he is also "deeply in love with martial arts." He continued, "What I love about martial arts is, firstly, how deeply humbling it is. I love the family. I love the camaraderie. It feels like a unit or a team."
6.His top four favorite films are just as layered as he is.
Per an interview with Letterboxd, Aaron revealed some of his favorite movies in their recurring series, "Four Favorites." The Brother actor named The Departed, American Gangster, The Lion King, and the feature directorial debut of his frequent collaborator, Barry Jenkins, Medicine for Melancholy as his "Four Favorites."
7.Aaron is best friends with Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Best friends Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. link up at the 'Genuis: MLK/X' premiere.
Jemal Countess/Getty Images for National Geographic
To be young, Black, and in Hollywood is probably not the easiest path to navigate, but luckily, Aaron has a best friend in fellow actor and frequent collaborator Kelvin Harrison Jr. Kelvin dished to IndieWire about his support system in Aaron:
“Aaron’s always looking out for my best interest and making sure I feel safe and empowered, and I think a lot of that comes from how his parents raised him and his sense of identity. He has a very strong sense of where he’s come from, and that fuels a lot of it. He’s not taking on roles to figure himself out.”
Aaron and Kelvin both starred in Genuis: MLK/X as the civil rights icons themselves and will also star as Mufasa and Scar in the forthcoming live-action Lion King prequel, Mufasa: The Lion King.
8.Aaron Pierre says he got into the best shape in his life to play Terry Richmond.
In preparation for his character Terry Richmond, Aaron pushed his body to Marine Corps shape, and the work continued while filming on location in Louisiana. Per Men's Health, thanks to a warehouse set up by the director, Aaron was putting in work with "grappling mats, boxing bags, gloves, pads, wraps" and, of course, some weights. In the process of getting into action hero shape, he also did extensive weapons training and became a yoga fan. He added:
"We would spar. We would practice choreography. We would do drills. It was strength training, but I had to really work on being dynamic. This was one of the first times it fully set into me that flexibility is a strength, because without flexibility, you can’t engage with your strength to its fullest capacity. That’s one of the things I learned from this and have doubled down on since then. I’m a big Yin Yoga lover now."
We love a man who knows there's strength in flexibility.
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
___
Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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Using the same material from the interior of the Volvo EX90, Hudson crafted a wool-blend car coat and waistbelt that combine the vehicle’s Scandinavian design with his signature tailoring and intention. The exclusive collection launched on October 20, and each piece is made-to-order by Sergio Hudson Collections.
Courtesy
In October, I traveled to Charleston with a group of journalists to get a firsthand look at Hudson and Volvo’s location. During a fitting, Hudson said his goal is to make “great work that can stand the test of time.”
“People can look back on and say, ‘I remember when Sergio did that collaboration with Volvo,’” he continued. “Thinking about aligning yourself with classic brands that speak to where you want to go. And I think that's what this collaboration kind of means to me and my business.”
Hudson pinpoints his mom as the biggest influence for his designs. This collaboration was no different.
“This particular coat reminded me of the swing coats that my mom used to wear in the early 90s. You know, diva girls in the early 90s had Sandra suits,” he said, referring to Jackée Harry’s character in 227. “My mom wore those and she would have these matching swing coats to go over them. And that's where the initial idea came. This would be around the same time that we had our Volvo. So she would put on her suit, her swing coat, get in that red Volvo, and go to church.”
Courtesy
With this capsule and beyond, Hudson wants to see more staples rotating in and out of closets this fall. He advises fashionistas to build her closet out with essentials to mix and match that aren’t just stylish but also sustainable.
“It's just those special pieces,” he said. “You can wear the same shirt and pants every day and nobody will notice. But if you have a special boot, a special coat, a special bill, a special bag, that kind of speaks to everything that your style stands about, that is something you should focus on.”
These are the same kind of staple pieces that return to our Pinterest boards and TikTok feeds season after season. Fast fashion has never been Hudson’s aim. “I'm trying to create a special pieces that can stand the test of time,” he said in his warm, Southern accent. “I'm only creating those kind of pieces from here on out.”
Courtesy
For Hudson, this collaboration is revolutionary. It’s his first time working with a car company and experimenting outside of his wheelhouse in this way.
“This is a Scandinavian brand, and, you know, it's 70 years old. I'm an African-American boy from South Carolina that has had a brand for 10 years. So I think bridging those two worlds and seeing the similarities was the beauty of this project,” he explained.
Though Hudson and his partner and CEO of Sergio Hudson Collections Inga Beckham have made massive strides in just 10 years, Hudson said the industry is far from where he wants to see it when it comes to Black representation. He pointed to how few Black designers were at this year’s Met Gala despite the theme being Black dandyism.
“The fact that I dressed 18 people speaks to how many of us weren't there,” he said. He implored more of industries, fashion and beyond, to collaborate with Black designers often.
“Allow mentorship. Allow funding. Allow great design to shine through,” he implored. “When it comes to being a designer of African descent, when you can't get the funding that your counterparts have, you can't compete. When you get opportunities like doing a collaboration with Volvo, or you get opportunities to be at the Met Gala, that's putting us on the equal playing field, but really the funding behind it is what we need to take it to that desk level.”
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