Acting careers dont come out fully formed - not unless your name is Jaden Smith and your dad has done it all.

I love London. I'm a London fanatic. That's my city. I love being from there, you don't appreciate it until you go out.

My dad is a minister and my mum is a worker with the less fortunate and the disabled. They're Nigerian natives. Their first language is Yoruba, and their second language is English. My mum and dad moved to London when they had my eldest sister. They started a life in London as immigrants, and they built up from there. They're no actors in my family, but there are definitely animated black people in my family.

I'm a London fanatic. That's my city. I love being from there, you don't appreciate it until you go out.

You take your audience through such a story where they have to invest their energy and emotion, and to slap them in the face with, "Well, this is how life is. Bye," wouldn't have been as great as the ending that we have, which is optimistic and hopeful. It's not happy 100%, but it does make you feel like, "This kid may just be okay."

I want to see more people of different backgrounds being cast in films. I want to see people from inner cities being discovered, because that's where you find some really brilliant artists.

I got the script of Imperial Dreams from my agent. I was at home having a full English breakfast and the email came through in my junkmail. Funnily enough, I was paying a T-Mobile bill, so I was able to see the email. After that I was engaged in the story. I was scared - fearful - because the story doesn't just penetrate one level in terms of narrative; it goes that level after.