She's an Ely-raised, Bafta-winning Cardiff actress who's played powerful, strong women on screen and The Pact star, Rakie Ayola, has proved she's a force to be reckoned in real life too, after her measured takedown of those who say the BBC drama show's second series shows a 'woke version of a Welsh family’.
On BBC Breakfast on Monday, October 24, it was put to Rakie, who took home a Bafta for her role in Anthony last year, that having a black, Welsh family front and centre The Pact's second series could be described as 'woke'.
Presenter, Victoria Fitz, who'd already had an awkward morning with Harry Hill on the sofa, put it to the Noughts + Crosses star that: "There are some people who will see this and say it is a woke version of a Welsh family."
Read more: BBC's The Pact: Start date and cast announced as Wales-filmed drama returns for series two
Rakie, known for her roles in Grace and Holby City, was having none of it, first debating that many people probably couldn't even explain 'woke' and challenging the idea that black, Welsh families like the Reeses in The Pact, don't exist, with Fritz adding: "I can see you rolling your eyes."
She responded: “If anybody wants to say that to me, what I would say first is explain what you mean by ‘woke’ and then we can have the conversation. If you can’t explain it, don’t hand me that word.
“Don’t use a word you cannot describe. Because you don’t know what you mean, or maybe you know exactly what you mean and you’re afraid to say what you mean, so let’s have that conversation… You daren’t, do you know what I mean?”
Fritz said that she understood, with Ayola continuing: “Sit there and tell me what you mean by ‘woke’ and then we can talk about whether this show is ‘woke’ or not. Because then I will introduce you to a family just like this one.
“So when you say they don’t exist when they clearly do, are you saying that they’re not allowed to exist? What do you mean by that? Let’s have a proper conversation. Don’t throw words around willy nilly when you’re not afraid to say exactly what you mean. If you don’t know, please be quiet because you’re incredibly boring.”
Viewers were impressed with the Best Supporting Actress winner, who took home the Bafta for her role as Gee Walker in Jimmy McGovern's feature-length drama, Anthony, which is an imaginative realisation of the life Liverpudlian murder victim, Anthony Walker, could have had if he hadn't been murdered in a racist attack in 2005.
Writer Caitlin Moran wrote: "What an absolutely perfect reply. Also, sidebar, given whilst wearing an absolutely perfect dress - so double-bubble on the perfection."
Jake Godfrey tweeted: "This clip needs to be played to everybody who uses woke as an insult in the future, what a brilliant answer!" Waseem Chowdry added: "What an absolute take down and perfect response by Rakie, this is what the narrative and response should be everything when someone says the term “Woke” Hold their feet to the fire."
The Pact, series two, airs on BBC One, Monday nights and you can catch up on iPlayer.
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