PAUSE MEETS:
Araloyin Oshunremi
Chats Top Boy & Heartstopper, getting into character & a future in fashion.
“Never settle, be ambitious, and reach for the stars… but work hard.”
From being street-casted at a barber shop to playing one of our most beloved Top Boy (2011) characters, Araloyin Oshunremi’s meteoric rise to stardom is one to be noted. Hackney born-and-raised, Oshunremi’s London grit and unshakeable focus fills the room as we sit and speak, with a plethora of future creative ventures spilling out of the 19-year-old left, right, and centre.
From grabbing the world’s attention as Top Boy’s lovable ‘Stefan’ to his acting out of ‘Otis’ in Heartstopper (2022), Oshunremi already boasts an impressive resume despite his relatively young career, with his imitable sense of assuredness making sure to take the Nigerian-British actor even further. Fresh off his photoshoot, I sat down with Araloyin to discuss everything from his entry points into new characters and his guiding industry lights to the new season of Top Boy.
Check it all out below.
Give us a rundown on your beginnings and your entry point into the acting world.
Well, I used to do a bit of acting in school and I really enjoyed it, so I did Drama for A-Levels and GCSE. Then, I had a chance to audition for Top Boy (2011) by being street-casted at a barber shop. So yeah, since then I’ve just loved acting.
That was when you were 14, right?
Yeah, 14 or 13.
Considering you’re 6 years in, what’s been your biggest challenge so far? What have you had to overcome as a young actor?
I think the emotional scenes were very, very difficult for me, crying and producing emotion. Not now, but before when I was younger, I didn’t have to experience the things Stefan went through to that extent and as a young kid, having to push yourself to get to that emotional state is quite hard, it’s not easy. That was very difficult for me, but I got there in the end.
How did you get there?
Well, I spoke to people and friends who I know have been in similar situations and I asked them how they felt and what they did to cope with the problem. I kind of implemented their actions and thought processes into Stefan and in that way, it gives off something more natural and puts forward the most authentic performance that I can give.
Working alongside Michael Ward for Top Boy (2011), have you had any guiding lights in the industry that have helped you acclimatise to the acting world?
Yeah, definitely. I’d say Michael Ward and Ashley Walters were very helpful for me, acting as mentors and father figures when I was on set. They guided me and helped me with what to do, making sure I can be the best person I can be on set.
What impact did acting have on you growing up? Did it accelerate your growth? And how did that feel for you as a young man?
Everyone has to grow up at some point, you know, so I didn’t feel like I missed out on anything. I grew up at the right time and I just feel like acting opened more doors for me and it allowed me to enter rooms which I wouldn’t have been in before, but I also feel like it helped me change other people’s lives as well. It’s allowed me to tell stories of people from a similar background to me which may have not been heard before.
Definitely. In terms of Stefan in Top Boy (2011) and Otis in Heartstopper (2022), what parts of their characters come from yourself?
I would say Stefan is kind of like the ‘baby’ of the show, he gets taken care of a lot, and that’s similar to me as well because my older siblings baby me a lot and they look out for me. With Stefan, not only do his actual brothers baby him but everyone around him does too, like his brother’s friends, and that’s the same for me too because my brother’s friends will take care of me and protect me. I feel like the family values are similar for me and Stefan. It’s very important for both of us.
Suit: LANVIN, Sunglasses: Casablanca, Jewellery: Chained&Able, Scarf: a pledge by rmj, Sneakers: NIKE, Gloves: Stylist’s Own
In terms of characters, what’s a role that is furthest away from you as a person that you’d like to play? Are there any niches or performances you look at that you’d like to emulate?
Hmm… I would say that the thing that is the furthest away from me and is a bridge I need to build is historical acting, like playing figures of the past. That’s the only thing I haven’t really done and I think that will be very good for me, to become somebody else and learn their mannerisms, their accent, how they move, how they interact with other people. I think that will be very challenging.
Who is on your acting bucket list? I know you’ve discussed John Boyega in the past.
Yeah! Daniel Kaluuya as well, he’s a massive one for me. Denzel (Washington), of course, he set the path for everyone.
100%.
Chiwetel Ejiofor as well, he’s a very good actor that I watch a lot and his performance in 12 Years a Slave (2013) was really inspirational to me.
When getting into different roles, anything from clothing to accents can help immerse an actor into different scenarios. Do you have any triggers that help you get into character?
I think it depends on the character I’m playing. For example, Otis in Heartstopper (2022) is quite a bubbly character with a friendly and happy side, so I always like to listen to positive and jumpy music before becoming Otis, just to bring that happier mood. With Stefan, depending on the scene, it might be deeper so I’ll try and zone out from everyone else and get into that deeper mindset listening to a certain type of music, keeping to myself, you know?
Jacket & Trousers: Bianca Saunders, Trainers: NIKE
What’s on your playlist at the moment in general?
The J Hus album, everything on there! Just a lot of Afrobeats as well. Asake’s whole album, but mostly J Hus is on repeat.
How did growing up in London help mould you personally? A lot of people have different experiences.
I think growing up in London taught me a lot in terms of being street-wise, but I also think London is very competitive and it kind of pushed me to always strive for the best, never settle, be ambitious, and reach for the stars… but work hard. I think London is a very hard-working city and I think that if you’re not really hustling or working hard, you’re going to struggle.
Give us a run down of your own personal style. I know that you’re very much into fashion, having attended several fashion weeks. What do you look for when you buy a new piece? Are you trying to adapt it to your existing wardrobe? Or are you looking for a standout?
Yeah, see me, I like standing out. I like wearing things that make people ask, “ooh, what is that?”. At the same time, I like it to be controversial because when they see it on me, they know I pull it off, but they ask themselves, “can I pull it off though?”. I don’t want something where everyone can wear it, because then it’s just basic. I like one-of-ones as well, where they are custom-made for me and if people want that then they have to go to the designer.
What brands are you feeling right now? Who are you wearing?
In terms of luxury, AMIRI, Louis Vuitton, Dior – I love them. Ooh, Alexander McQueen as well, I love their suits.
Their tailoring is so good.
Yeah! With streetwear, I just wear a lot of Levi’s jeans because you can’t beat them, and then some white Nike Air Force 1s… Jordan 4s too.
Is that your favourite silhouette?
Ooh no, I’d have to say Air Forces, I have like 32 pairs. I think that’s the best shoe ever made.
I’ve seen you speak previously about a determination to succeed in fashion, so what area of the industry would you like to move into and why?
I like designing and modelling a lot! I’m not sure if you saw or not but for the Top Boy (2011) season two premiere I saw down with a designer and we designed the whole suit that I wore from start to finish, every little detail was designed together. It took around 3 to 4 months and I loved the whole designing process, because you get to take different aspects from different pieces you see on the street or from other brands and create a masterpiece.
Looping back to your experience attending different fashion weeks, what do you like about that environment?
It’s the creativity, it’s 10/10. When I went to the AMIRI show in Paris, the setting, music, and clothes were perfect; it all just made sense. At the same time, the RAINS show… they are geniuses. They gave us a card that you had to put under water to get access to the show address, but at the same time they picked the only day where it rained and they had everyone in jackets! It was so smart.
100%, I love RAINS. Who do you look to for style inspiration?
Burna Boy, but also Wizkid… I like to be in-between both of them stylistically. Their fashion senses are very different, like Wizkid is very slick and clean with his style and Burna Boy is quite extravagant. I think finding that middle ground between both of them is a perfect combination.
What can we look forward to from you going forward?
Expect a lot of big things. We’re definitely going to set the pathway for everyone in the fashion industry, open people’s eyes, and break down a lot of doors. With acting, I’ve got a lot of things coming up… two feature films should be coming out. I’ve also had Heartstopper (2022) come out again, so I’m busy.
Top Boy’s fifth and final season is set to release on September 7th.
Follow Araloyin Oshunremi on Instagram
