Tosin Cole has built a career around transformation. From his early appearances in British television dramas to playing Ryan Sinclair in Doctor Who and Michael Lasaki in Netflix’s Supacell, the actor has moved between very different worlds without allowing himself to be defined by a single role. His performances have taken him from science-fiction adventures to historical dramas, contemporary comedy and theatre.
Born in the United States and raised in London, Cole’s journey into acting was not the result of a carefully mapped-out childhood ambition. Instead, an unexpected introduction to youth theatre opened a door that would eventually lead to international productions and leading roles. His story is one of persistence, creative curiosity and a determination to explore characters that challenge him.
Who Is Tosin Cole?
Tosin Cole is a British-American actor known for his work in television, film and theatre. He gained wider recognition through roles in EastEnders: E20 and Hollyoaks, before reaching a much larger audience as Ryan Sinclair in the BBC science-fiction series Doctor Who.
In 2024, he took on another leading television role as Michael Lasaki in Rapman’s Netflix series Supacell. His film credits include Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Till and House Party. He also appeared in Bob Marley: One Love, portraying musician Tyrone Downie.
In a Flaunt Magazine profile of Tosin Cole, the actor discussed his creative outlook and the experiences that have influenced his approach to performance. His career reflects an interest in taking on different characters rather than remaining within one genre or familiar type of role.
Early Life and Growing Up Between America and London
Tosin Cole was born in Florida, United States, and spent part of his childhood in New York before moving to south-east London at the age of eight. Growing up across different places gave him experiences that would later inform his understanding of identity, community and belonging.
In an interview with The Standard, Tosin Cole discussed his move from New York to London and his early experiences of acting. He also spoke about the importance of seeing performers who looked and sounded like him on stage. Watching those performances helped him imagine acting as a possible future.
His introduction to acting came during his teenage years. At around 16, he became involved with Intermission Youth Theatre after someone he knew encouraged him to attend a workshop. Cole initially had reservations about Shakespeare, having found the language difficult at school. However, participating in theatre changed his perspective.
In The Independent’s interview with Tosin Cole, he recalled being encouraged to attend the weekend workshops and discovering an unexpected enthusiasm for performing. His first experience of theatre helped him fall in love with storytelling, making people laugh and connecting with an audience.
The experience became a turning point, giving him the opportunity to develop his abilities and begin pursuing acting professionally.
Tosin Cole: From Youth Theatre to British Television
Tosin Cole’s early professional opportunities arrived through television. One of his first significant appearances was in the BBC teen drama The Cut, where he played Noah Achebe. He also appeared in EastEnders: E20, the online spin-off of the long-running British soap opera, playing Sol Levi.
These roles helped introduce him to television audiences and gave him valuable experience in front of the camera. He later joined the cast of Hollyoaks as Neil Cooper, a recurring character that further established his presence in British television.
His early career is also discussed in Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow 2024 profile. The feature looks back at his route into acting and highlights how his involvement with Intermission Youth Theatre helped set his career in motion.
Rather than relying on one breakthrough performance, Cole gradually built his experience through different productions, learning to adapt to different characters and storytelling styles. His early television work eventually opened the door to international film and television opportunities.
Tosin Cole in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Although it was not a leading role, being part of a major international production marked a significant moment in his career. The film placed him within a franchise with a long-established global audience.
His involvement in Star Wars also reflected the range of opportunities available to an actor willing to work across different genres. From British television dramas to a major science-fiction film, Cole continued to expand his professional experience.
In its profile of the actor, British GQ explored Cole’s work in Star Wars, House Party and other productions, offering a broader picture of the projects that have shaped his career.
Doctor Who: Tosin Cole’s Role That Brought Wider Recognition
For many viewers, Cole became widely recognisable through his portrayal of Ryan Sinclair in Doctor Who. He joined the BBC series in 2018, appearing alongside Jodie Whittaker, who played the Thirteenth Doctor.
Ryan was introduced as a young man navigating personal challenges before becoming involved in extraordinary adventures across time and space. One of the character’s defining details was his dyspraxia, a condition that can affect coordination and movement. The storyline gave the programme an opportunity to represent an experience that is not often explored in mainstream science-fiction television.
Cole played Ryan across the show’s eleventh and twelfth series. The character’s journey and his relationship with the Doctor became an important part of that era of the programme. The official Doctor Who character profile for Ryan Sinclair confirms Cole’s role and outlines Ryan’s development throughout the series.
In November 2020, Cole and co-star Bradley Walsh spoke about their departure from the programme and the upcoming special Revolution of the Daleks. In the official Doctor Who interview about leaving the series, Cole reflected on Ryan’s growth and what viewers could expect from his final adventure with the Doctor.
His time on Doctor Who became a defining chapter, but it was not the limit of what he wanted to achieve. Cole continued to seek roles that would allow him to explore different aspects of performance.
Tosin Cole’s Supacell and His Breakthrough as Michael Lasaki
In 2024, Cole returned to the science-fiction genre with a very different project. He played Michael Lasaki, the central character in Netflix’s Supacell, a series created by Rapman.
The story follows a group of ordinary Black Londoners who unexpectedly develop superhuman abilities. Michael discovers that he has the power to travel through time, and his experiences draw him into a much larger story involving family, relationships and the consequences of extraordinary abilities.
Unlike the expansive universe of Doctor Who, Supacell places its supernatural story within recognisable communities and everyday London life. The series combines action and science fiction with themes of identity, social inequality and representation.
In an interview with Radio Times, Tosin Cole explained how Supacell differs from Doctor Who. Although both productions involve science fiction, he described Supacell as a story grounded in real-life situations rather than distant worlds and alien encounters.
Cole also discussed the show’s cultural significance in British GQ’s feature, “Supacell’s local hero”. He spoke about how meaningful it was to see characters and communities that reflected people he knew growing up in south London.
The series itself was designed to feel connected to its setting rather than following the familiar style of American superhero productions. In The Guardian’s feature on Rapman’s approach to Supacell, the creative team discussed the show’s south London identity, grounded characters and distinctive approach to the superhero genre.
For Cole, Michael was another opportunity to move beyond the character audiences already associated with him. The role placed him at the centre of a story that combined personal relationships with larger social themes.
Film and Theatre: Exploring Different Characters
Tosin Cole’s career has extended well beyond television. In the historical drama Till (2022), he portrayed civil rights activist Medgar Evers. The film tells the story of Mamie Till-Mobley and her fight for justice following the murder of her son, Emmett Till.
He also appeared in the 2023 comedy House Party, playing Damon. The following year, he portrayed Tyrone Downie, the Wailers’ keyboardist, in the musical biographical film Bob Marley: One Love.
These projects required different kinds of preparation. Playing a historical figure, performing in a comedy and portraying a musician in a biographical film each presented a separate creative challenge. His range of screen roles is also explored in British GQ’s profile of the actor.
Theatre has remained another important part of his career. Cole returned to the stage in Benedict Lombe’s play Shifters, playing Dre in a production that began at the Bush Theatre before transferring to the West End.
In an interview with The Standard, Cole discussed Shifters, his return to theatre and his experience working on Supacell. The conversation offered insight into his connection with south London and the significance of filming a story in places familiar to him.
His work across film, television and theatre demonstrates that his interests are not limited to one format. Each production has given him a different opportunity to explore performance and storytelling.
Tosin Cole’s Approach to Acting and Personal Life
Despite his growing public profile, Tosin Cole has generally kept much of his personal life away from the spotlight. Interviews about his work tend to focus on his creative decisions, professional experiences and the ideas behind the characters he portrays.
His Flaunt interview offers a glimpse into his perspective on creativity and the process of bringing characters to life. Meanwhile, his conversation with British GQ explores his background, his relationship with south London and the importance of seeing authentic representation on screen.
This preference for creative exploration helps explain the variety of projects in his filmography. He has moved from a British soap opera to a global science-fiction franchise, from a historical drama to a Netflix superhero series, and from television back to the stage.
What Comes Next for Tosin Cole?
Tosin Cole’s career continues to reflect his interest in variety. His work in Doctor Who introduced him to a worldwide television audience, while Supacell gave him the opportunity to lead a contemporary science-fiction story rooted in London.
Rather than building his identity around one successful character, he has continued to explore different genres and forms of performance. His experience in theatre, television and film has given him a broad professional foundation, and his interviews suggest that he remains interested in work that challenges his expectations.
For audiences discovering him through Supacell, his earlier performances offer a reminder that his career has been developing for years. From the youth theatre workshops that first sparked his interest to major screen productions, Cole’s journey demonstrates how an unexpected opportunity can become the beginning of a lasting creative career.
