My Journey: David Jonsson

David Jonsson arrived at the National Youth Theatre by an unusual route. After his GCSEs he spent two years training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, then returned to London at 18 and joined the NYT. With the company he starred in a stage adaptation of Pigeon English, based on Stephen Kelman’s novel. From the NYT he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating in 2016. A decade on, he is one of the company’s fastest-rising alumni. He won the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2025 and was announced in 2026 as the new Black Panther.