Rooted in Nigeria, Raised on Stage: The Rise of Nigerian-British Actor, Ayo Solanke

And, hopefully, more scenes where Ryan doesn’t just react but reshapes the game. At 13, the Solankes moved again—this time to Canada, the land of maple syrup, healthcare, and the kind of arts programs that actually fund school theatre productions. It was here that Ayo Solanke’s transition from theatre to screen acting began, and not in the way most expect. There’s no mysticism in Solanke’s Lagos Nigeria chapter—just ordinary life. His earliest years, as he’s mentioned in interviews, were filled with extended family, unpredictable power cuts, and the occasional bootleg DVD of a Nollywood horror movie that left a permanent mark on his imagination.

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Now pivot to Tales from the Hood 3, which lands somewhere between anthology experimentation and straight-up genre pastiche. Solanke leans into the unsettling tone here, not with overacting but with a kind of quiet dread. Ayo Solanke’s horror movie roles are rarely written to win awards, but he uses that freedom to inject a kind of specificity that’s usually lost in scream-heavy screen time. It’s not the gore that makes them effective—it’s his unwillingness to act like he’s in a horror movie at all.

• There’s no mythology to mine here—just a kid who moved countries, swapped accents, absorbed cultures, and didn’t flinch.
• Edwards is a 24-year-old actress from Canada.
• Solanke’s dip into horror didn’t come with the glossy prestige of a Sundance darling or the PR sheen of a studio reboot.
• The manga is famous worldwide due to its intense characters and unpredictable plot twists, thus being ripe for live-action adaptation.

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The reception of the show has shown that when it comes to adaptations, the balance between creative reinterpretation and respecting the culture of the original material becomes very important. Set in St. Dominic’s Boarding School for Girls, where gambling dictates the social hierarchy. Yumeko Kawamoto, portrayed by Miku Martineau, is a transfer student who shakes up the established order as she takes on the student council in high-stakes gambles. Netflix’s newest teen drama, Bet, has entered the Top 10 charts in 32 countries in just one week.

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Bet’ On Netflix, Where A Teen Goes To A Boarding School Where Gambling Is A Way Of Life

The writers obliged, letting the actor shape the emotional rhythm of scenes that could’ve easily been swallowed by stylized excess. As a pure high-school drama Bet probably wouldn’t work that well, but the gambling games add a lot of surprising tension and excitement because they’re clearly designed as narrative devices. But the human drama mostly works, largely thanks to the cast being so up for it.

The indie studio has a reputation for picking actors who don’t need to shout to be heard. And Ayo Solanke’s role in A24’s Altar seems positioned to pivot him from emerging talent to serious contender—without the usual award-season desperation. Unlike the curated grids of celebrities holding lattes or fake-laughing with influencers, Ayo Solanke’s Instagram feels like it was built by a human with taste and a sense of humor. Scroll far enough and you’ll find saxophone clips recorded in grainy rehearsal rooms, obscure film recommendations, and behind-the-scenes shots that aren’t drenched in filters. He posts like someone who doesn’t need validation, which—ironically—makes him more worth following.

• From dance‑floor ensembles to tense confrontations, Ayo found the heart of Ryan in personal stakes.
• Yumeko Kawamoto, portrayed by Miku Martineau, is a transfer student who shakes up the established order as she takes on the student council in high-stakes gambles.
• While the series does provide drama with high stakes and excitement in visuals, it also delves deep into the problems of cultural adaptation.
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• Laura Afelskie is a Canadian actress who plays Runa in the live-action manga adaptation.
• From creator Simon Barry, the teen drama focuses on St. Dominic’s, an elite private school where underground gambling rules the social scene.

Who Is The Owner Of Bet9ja? Meet Him + Networth

From an upcoming role in an A24 psychological thriller to the high-stakes return of Bet, Ayo Solanke’s future projects don’t follow a straight trajectory. They zigzag between prestige and pop, art-house and streaming spectacle. This chapter looks ahead, not with PR spin, but with a critical eye on what these choices say about where he’s headed—and who he refuses to become.

Kunle Soname Biography & Personal Life

We’ll be discussing the brief history of bet9ja’s owner(Kunle Soname), his current net worth, picture, state, and other details about this man below. This betting company is currently managed in Nigeria by KC Gaming Networks Limited and run by some other shareholders of different nationalities. It is also licensed in Nigeria by the Lagos State Lotteries Board (LSLB). This website cannot be displayed as your browser is extremely out of date. Even clarifies context on misquoted interviews.

Just a visual puzzle with enough thematic weight to demand more than one watch. Solanke’s dip into horror didn’t come with the glossy prestige of a Sundance darling or the PR sheen of a studio reboot. Instead, he picked roles that could’ve easily sunk under cliché—and decided to mess with them from the inside. The ensemble cast of Bet reads like an anime convention after three Red Bulls, but Solanke’s chemistry with Miku Martineau’s Yumeko is grounded, tense, and human. He’s said in interviews that their dynamic was “built off eye contact more than script cues,” and that tracks.

• They make the rules of the games played.
• It is also licensed in Nigeria by the Lagos State Lotteries Board (LSLB).
• There’s a danger in treating manga tropes with reverence—they become parodies without punch.
• In an era where actors outsource their personality to PR firms, Ayo Solanke’s social media engagement with fans is refreshingly DIY.
• Solanke’s dip into horror didn’t come with the glossy prestige of a Sundance darling or the PR sheen of a studio reboot.
• From an upcoming role in an A24 psychological thriller to the high-stakes return of Bet, Ayo Solanke’s future projects don’t follow a straight trajectory.
• There’s no mythology to mine here—just a kid who moved countries, swapped accents, absorbed cultures, and didn’t flinch.

Final Thoughts: Power, Revenge, and Resonance

The new series has been developed by Simon Barry, who worked on seasons 1 and 2 of the fantasy adaptation series Warrior Nun, and will be directed by Jacquie Gould, Craig Wallace, and Joyce Wong for this season, set to consist of 10 episodes. As the owner of the biggest betting company in Nigeria, Kunle is no doubt one of the most influential people in the Nigerian sports industry today. However, the current CEO of Bet9ja betting company is Mr. Ayao Ojuroye and he’s different from the owner who is Kunle. Bet9ja like other betting companies in Nigeria is an online company that gives sports lovers in Nigeria the opportunity to place bets on various games and stand a chance to win cash if the bet is successful.

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If the first episode is any indication, episodes will consist of one face-off after another, characters giving sneering and sniveling speeches, and lots of expositional dialogue of the type that weighed down the first episode. Last year, Netflix quietly revealed that it was diving into the anime and manga world of Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler with a live-action adaptation that’d be helmed by the same showrunner as Netflix’s ill-fated Warrior Nun. The streamer has now confirmed that the new series will stream on May 15th globally and revealed four first looks. The supporting cast do their jobs, too. These are all likeable and engaging characters who create an interesting ensemble thanks to their varied personalities, circumstances, and motivations. There’s something almost too fitting about Solanke joining an A24 film.

Deal or Detention: How Ayo Solanke Bet Big on Netflix and Won

The Canada chapter didn’t launch Solanke. There’s no mythology to mine here—just a kid who moved countries, swapped accents, absorbed cultures, and didn’t flinch. There’s something quietly radical about that. Just sharp, self-aware evolution—scene by scene.

‘Bet’ on Netflix: Plot Twists, Cast & Know All About This ‘Kakegurui’ Series

You feel the tension—not the romantic kind, thankfully, but the kind where two people recognize each other’s damage and make a silent pact not to flinch. With BET and Island vaulting him into broader audiences, Ayo Solanke is poised for roles that demand emotional authenticity and cultural nuance. In an era when representation matters more than ever, he’s not just navigating identity, he’s defining it, scene by scene. For now, Ayo’s back to auditions, but he’s also working on his own short film Island, exploring his skills behind the camera. Still, he’s hopeful for more BET — and judging by the show’s performance, there’s a good chance he’ll get that call. While Musk may not want Edebiri to touch “Pirates,” the actress is booked and busy enough, next starring in films “After the Hunt” and “Ella McCay,” while “The Bear” was renewed for a fourth season.

Plenty of actors turn to directing for control. The film isn’t autobiographical, but it’s clearly personal—especially in how it toys with themes of isolation, duality, and the cyclical nature of choice. As a director and writer, he isn’t flexing genre tricks.

And he does it without sounding defensive or rehearsed. Which, in a digital landscape of overly managed personas, makes him far more watchable off-screen than most of his peers onscreen. He’s been open about how those early ensemble shows—where mics cut out and spotlights misfire—taught him how to listen for timing. Not just musical timing, but emotional timing.

Born in Nigeria and raised in East London, the 22-year-old British-Nigerian actor now carries the weight of two cultures with ease and uses them as strengths m.youtube.com+9youtube.com+9aestetica.net+9. At USTA Advocates, we are proud to combine experience, expertise, and resources to achieve exceptional results for our clients. With a proven track record as a trusted advisor, we have played a pivotal role in groundbreaking transactions and resolved complex legal questions, shaping Uganda’s legal landscape.

Bet cast: All the stars of Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Kakegurui and where you’ve seen them before

• This would allow it to stand on its own for new viewers as well as longtime Kakegurui fans.
• He plays Ryan in the live-action adaptation.
• The indie studio has a reputation for picking actors who don’t need to shout to be heard.
• The writers obliged, letting the actor shape the emotional rhythm of scenes that could’ve easily been swallowed by stylized excess.
• The reception of the show has shown that when it comes to adaptations, the balance between creative reinterpretation and respecting the culture of the original material becomes very important.
• In an era where actors outsource their personality to PR firms, Ayo Solanke’s social media engagement with fans is refreshingly DIY.
• Unlike the curated grids of celebrities holding lattes or fake-laughing with influencers, Ayo Solanke’s Instagram feels like it was built by a human with taste and a sense of humor.

From the mixed reviews, it can be inferred that it is possible for the show to gather enough strength for some more seasons. Provided Netflix pays heed to the criticisms and stays true to the core concepts of the original manga while treating issues with care, all-out respect, and adaptation appropriateness. Yumeko becomes friends with Ryan (Ayo Solanke), who becomes a housepet after losing a round of cards to a council member named Mary (Eve Edwards). She also meets Michael (Hunter Cardinal), who refuses to participate in the wagering madness and encourages Yumeko to do the same. But gambling is the very reason why Yumeko is there; in fact, right after she meets her new roommate, she bets her $10,000 that she’ll willingly switch beds by the end of the day.

• Each character conveys depth in the storyline, reflecting complex social structures in the school.
• And his filmography reads like an actor deliberately swerving past the typecasting conveyor belt.
• Scroll far enough and you’ll find saxophone clips recorded in grainy rehearsal rooms, obscure film recommendations, and behind-the-scenes shots that aren’t drenched in filters.
• A good example is Bet, an adaptation of a manga about a high schooler who is a compulsive gambler going to a prep school full of people wagering their parents’ money.
• That instinct now shows up everywhere from his sax solos to his slow-burn monologues on screen.

On Ayo Solanke’s Twitter, things get even less polished—and better for it. He occasionally posts character notes, often shares observations about scripts he’s reading, and rarely misses the chance to poke fun at his own industry. His tweets rarely break the internet, which is precisely the point. In an era where actors outsource their personality to PR firms, Ayo Solanke’s social media engagement with fans is refreshingly DIY. Ayo Solanke could’ve easily coasted on the buzz from Bet. But Solanke isn’t playing for comfort—he’s playing for range.

As the character Tucker, Solanke dodges the usual disposable trope status by refusing to play it safe or self-aware. He’s not the comedic relief, the tragic martyr, or the guy with secret trauma. He’s just a believable teenager who happens to be stuck in a death maze with a psychotic clown—and who doesn’t miraculously develop plot armor halfway through. Bet is representative of Netflix’s attempt to bring adaptations of manga to a global audience. While the series does provide drama with high stakes and excitement in visuals, it also delves deep into the problems of cultural adaptation.

Everything evolves fairly naturally, and by the time the finale rolls around, you’re more invested in the interpersonal relationships than the gimmicks, which feels just about right. The premise revolves around Yumeko Jabami (Miku Martineau, Kate), an enigmatic transfer student who arrives at St. Dominic’s Prep with a mind to take down its dominant and corrupt Student Council as revenge for her parents’ murder. St. Dominic’s is one of those weird made-for-TV schools where nobody seems to do any work, there are no teachers in sight, and the whole place is divided into themed cliques with eccentric gimmicks. The costuming and social structure are a little reminiscent of Elite, but that’s as far as the comparison goes. In Canada, Ayo Solanke’s education took a sharper turn. He enrolled in youth acting intensives—not the kind where everyone hugs it out, but the kind where you’re told your cold-read was “technically fine” and “emotionally vacant.” It was brutal.

Ayo believes BET is more than a stylish teen thriller — it’s a reflection of deeper truths. Solanke points to the final episodes, especially the scenes where Ryan defends Yumiko or squares off with Hunter Cardinal’s character Michael, as some of his favorite to shoot. Anwen O’Driscoll is the Canadian actress who plays Riri on Bet. Edwards is a 24-year-old actress from Canada. Bet is Netflix’s latest live-action based on the manga Kakegurui.

Ayo Solanke doesn’t just survive this high-stakes teen chaos—he detonates expectations from his very first scene. While the series itself splits audiences faster than a bluff gone wrong, Solanke’s character, Ryan Adebayo, is a wildcard worth watching. His performance doesn’t just anchor a slippery narrative—it elevates it. This chapter dissects how Ayo Solanke turned a supporting role into a slow-burn scene-stealer, all while the roulette wheel of Bet keeps spinning. According to Ayo Solanke in a behind-the-scenes featurette, Ryan was intentionally designed as “the one ayobet.id kid who didn’t want to play, but had to.” That tension between survival and complicity is where the performance lives. Solanke discusses how he pushed for less exposition and more ambiguity—fewer speeches, more loaded glances.

Netflix Live-Action Kakegurui Adaptation ‘BET’: Release Date, Trailer & Everything We Know

This would allow it to stand on its own for new viewers as well as longtime Kakegurui fans. Immensely promoted for their quantizing visuals and slick cinematography, Bet was conceptualized by Simon Barry-the same mind who also gave us Warrior Nun. Dramatic lighting and insane close-ups all throughout gambling scenes yield an atmosphere of heightened tension and suspense as the psychological stakes are being asserted. Bet is based on the acclaimed manga Kakegurui, created by Homura Kawamoto and Tōru Naomura. Since its initial serialization in 2014, Kakegurui immediately became quite popular because of its unique juxtaposition of psychology-thriller-gambling themes. If you were searching for the owner of Bet9ja, we hope that your question has been answered by reading this post.

And if you enjoyed it, consider sharing this post with your friends on social media with the share buttons below. Now to the main question – who is the owner of bet9ja? Continue reading to find out more about him. Jonathon is one of the co-founders of Ready Steady Cut and has been an instrumental part of the team since its inception in 2017, with the leading role as Senior Editor. Jonathon has remained involved in all aspects of the site’s operation, mainly dedicated to its content output, remaining one of its primary Entertainment writers while also functioning as our dedicated Commissioning Editor. Plenty about Bet doesn’t work, but it’s so full of big swings and fun ideas that it’s an easy, characterful binge-watch all the same.

There’s a temptation to romanticize this phase as formative, but Solanke resists the narrative. His acting wasn’t “inspired” by his roots so much as complicated by them. Nigeria wasn’t a springboard—it was a baseline. Ayo Solanke is carving a spot in film and TV by refusing to blend in.

He’s not dabbling—he’s building something that could easily stand on its own. Netflix’s new hit series BET, a live-action adaptation inspired by the manga Kakegurui, has taken audiences by storm — and one of the standout characters is Ryan, portrayed by rising star Ayo Solanke. I recently caught up with Ayo for Pop Culture Unplugged, where we talked about the show’s global success, stepping into a beloved fandom, and why Ryan’s evolution is resonating with viewers around the world.