
8 Things To Know About Aaron Pierre, The Actor On Everyone’s Radar

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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'He Said, She Said': Love Stories Put To The Test At A Weekend For Love
At the A Weekend For Love retreat, we sat down with four couples to explore their love stories in a playful but revealing way with #HeSaidSheSaid. From first encounters to life-changing moments, we tested their memories to see if their versions of events aligned—because, as they say, every story has three sides: his, hers, and the truth.
Do these couples remember their love stories the same way? Press play to find out.
Episode 1: Indira & Desmond – Love Across the Miles
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but for Indira & Desmond, love made it stronger. Every mile apart deepened their bond, reinforcing the unshakable foundation of their relationship. From their first "I love you" to the moment they knew they had found home in each other, their journey is a beautiful testament to the endurance of true love.
Episode 2: Jay & Tia – A Love Story Straight Out of a Rom-Com
If Hollywood is looking for its next Black love story, they need to take notes from Jay & Tia. Their journey—from an awkward first date to navigating careers, parenthood, and personal growth—proves that love is not just about romance but also resilience. Their story is full of laughter, challenges, and, most importantly, a love that stands the test of time.
Episode 3: Larencia & Mykel – Through the Highs and Lows
A date night with police helicopters overhead? Now that’s a story! Larencia & Mykel have faced unexpected surprises, major life changes, and 14 years of choosing each other every single day. But after all this time, do they actually remember things the same way? Their episode is sure to bring some eye-opening revelations and a lot of laughs.
Episode 4: Soy & Osei – A Love Aligned in Purpose
From a chance meeting at the front door to 15 years of unwavering love, faith, and growth, Soy & Osei prove that when two souls are aligned in love and purpose, nothing can shake their foundation. Their journey is a powerful reminder that true love is built on mutual support, shared values, and a deep connection that only strengthens with time.
Each of these couples has a unique and inspiring story to tell, but do their memories match up? Watch #HeSaidSheSaid to find out!
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I’ve gotta say that, for the most part, my friends are pretty damn chill. There is one (major) exception, though — and it’s an odd one. Even after all these years and countless times of me giving them the same answer, if there is a time when they think they are my mama, it’s when they see an email come through at an odd hour of the night. Then, all of a sudden, here they come asking me when do I get sleep if I’m emailing at (say) three in the morning.
Again, the answer never changes because, if there is one thing that Shellie Reneé Warren is gonna get, it’s 6-8 (sometimes nine) hours of sleep. However, since my chronotype (check out “Ever Wonder What Personality Traits Make Someone A 'Morning Person'?”) means that I like/prefer to write in the wee hours of the morning, sometimes I will sleep for the night for five hours and take a nap in the day. And y’all, that is just fine with me because I am well aware of the fact that napping does everything from give me more energy, heighten my alertness and even make me more creative to decrease stress levels, strengthen immunity, and reduce my chances of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
My problem is I will oftentimes go “overboard” with my daytime zzz’s. What I mean by that is, in order to get the most out of a nap, they say thatyou shouldn’t sleep for longer than 25 minutes or so; otherwise, you could wake up feeling sluggish (I don’t but…). Also, it can make resting, soundly, at night a bit of a struggle.
So, what are you saying, Shellie? We should get quickies in? Yeah. And it’s funny that the word “quickie” would come up because just like a sex quickie can do wonders for you (and it can — check out “12 Super Solid Reasons To Have A Quickie Every Single Day”), it’s a full-circle moment when I say that something that can improve the quality of your sex life is to have a power nap (a nap that lasts between 10-30 minutes).
Wanna know how the two things correlate? Honestly, it’s no secret that sleep and sex work together to optimize both (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”). Today, though, we’re going to tap into how a nap, specifically, can have you partaking in some of the best sex that you’ve experienced in a minute. I’ll explain.
Naps Reduce Stress
If you’re feeling super stressed out right now, you are not alone. There is plenty of data out here that says that most of us are stressed for at least a couple of reasons at a time — and that can impact your sexual health on a few levels. For one thing, it can bring about feelings of depression and/or anxiety. Stress can also throw your hormone levels off (including your cycle) which can weaken your libido. Stress can make you want to put distance between you and your partner (yes, literally).
Stress can also make it challenging to get aroused or to have an orgasm. And just what can help to decrease stress? Taking a nap. Since sleep has a way of helping you to “get off of the clock” and relax a bit, that can lower your stress levels and “reset” your body so that you are calmer — and that, in turn, can do wonders for your sex drive and ultimately your sex life.
Naps Improve Your Mood
There is one person in my life, and fairly 80 percent of the time, she’s in a super good mood. Oh, but let that girl go without sleep, and…who is this woman? LOL. There’s research behind why this happens. When a person is sleep-deprived, it messes with their brain chemicals, and that can amplify emotions like anger, restlessness and sadness. In fact, one study revealed that people who had their sleep disrupted throughout the night, they ended up having their positive outlook on life reduced by about 30 percent.
And geeze, who wants to have sex when they’re not feeling very good? Anyway, since serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate your moods, your sleep patterns, and your libido and sleep is what helps to keep it in balance — by taking a nap, not only can it help you to feel better, it can also increase your desire for sex (it can also build up your endurance which is also…sexually beneficial).
Naps Increase Your Focus and Concentration
Something that some of my clients bring up is how, when it comes to having sex, sometimes the flesh is willing while the spirit is weak because, although the desire for intimacy is there, so much is going on that they aren’t able to get still enough to focus on experiencing copulation with their partner. This also tracks because, when you don’t have enough rest, your brain finds itself not working in harmony and that can make it hard to do everything from approaching life with a sense of flexibility to making necessary decisions.
Certain data also reveal that a lack of rest can cause you to have a really poor attention span and not process things in context (the more you know). So, if you really want to get some yet it’s hard for you to focus long enough to make it happen, ask your bae to lie down with you and take a nap. Between the sleep and the snuggling (check out “Fall's Coming: 8 Wonderful Health Benefits Of Cuddling”) — you may wake up with your mind and body totally on the same page. #wink
Naps Can Make You Feel Better About Your Body
Even if, overall, you feel really good about your body, I think that we all have moments when we feel less attractive than others — and who wants to have sex when they don’t really feel…very sexy? Well, something else that sleep, in general, can do is increase your confidence in your body.
For one thing, if you want to lose a few pounds, sleep can actually make that happen by helping your body metabolize the glucose (sugar) that’s in it so that you can better manage your appetite. Other studies go on to share that since sleep deprivation can impact one’s mental health and emotional stability in a negative way, of course, getting enough rest would increase body positivity.
Shoot, science even goes so far as to say that insomnia can cause people to have an elevated level of dissatisfaction when it comes to their body image. Don’t take their word for it, though. Look in the mirror before a nap. Then look in a mirror after waking up from me. Do you feel better? I’d be surprised if you don’t.
Makes Your Brain Bigger…Which Could Make Your Orgasms Better
I saved the best for last by design. Now if you’re wondering how in the world a nap can improve (and possibly increase) your orgasms — oh, there is a method to the madness…trust. For starters, the saying that your biggest sex organ is your brain? That isn’t a myth. Long story less long, the brain is what houses your central nervous system and that is what controls how men and women sexually function (yes, literally).
And since the brain also releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin during sex and brain activity significantly increases in women during sexual activity (especially right before she orgasms) — well, would it trip you out to know that when you take a nap, your brain actually expands? A bigger brain (that’s healthy) can potentially intensify your sexual experiences (and your climaxes) — and who doesn’t want that to go down?
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Like I said earlier, I never have to be convinced to get a nap in. However, if your sex life has been a bit stagnant lately, you’ve been feeling a little sluggish and you’re not sure what to do — I’m hoping that a nap can get you right.
There’s enough science to prove that it can. All you need to do is give it a shot.
Now where’s your pillow and sleep mask, chile?
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