Rolan Bell Explained

Rolan Alfonso Bell (born 17 October 1983) is a Laurence Olivier Award nominated British actor who was born in West London,^[1] of Jamaican origin. He became known for appearing in the BBC One television soap opera EastEnders as Theo Kelly in 2009, and the role of Sgt King (Kingy) in the BBC drama Our Girl.^[2]

He is currently playing the part of Ike Turner in Tina (musical) at the Aldwych Theatre in the West End. Prior to this he played the part of Robert in The Play That Goes Wrong at the Duchess Theatre.^[3]

Background and career

Bell was born in London, England, to Jamaican parents (the second oldest of their seven children). He began his training as an actor in 2000 at Hammersmith and West London College on a two-year performing arts course, before going on to the Drama Centre London. Bell was first seen professionally in Doctors in 2006 and also appeared in a number of theatre productions, including a stage adaptation of The Harder They Come in which he played the lead role, Jimmy Cliff.^{[4] [5]} He has played the role of Scar in The Lion Kingand the lead Fela Kuti in the Broadway show Fela! in December 2010.^[6]

Bell has also appeared as Coalhouse Walker Jr in Ragtime, the Musical.^[7] He also had the role of Britney in the We Will Rock You world arena tour 2013.^[8] For his performance in the West End production of Memphis The Musical,^[9] he was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical in 2015.^[10]

Bell took a break from the West End to appear in BBC's Our Girl alongside Michelle Keegan as “Kingy”.

In 2022 Bell played the role of Robert in the West Ends The Play That Goes Wrong.

Currently he is playing Ike Turner in the west Ends Aldwych Theatre in Tina The Tina Turner Musical.

Panto

He played Silly Billy in the pantomime Jack and The Beanstalk at the Cambridge Arts Theatre^[11]

Notes and References

1. Gillian Fisher, "Rolan Bell, Ragtime the Musical", Afridiziak Theatre News, 20 May 2012.
2. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2489180/ Rolan Bell at IMDb.
3. https://www.mischiefcomedy.com/theplaythatgoeswrong-london/london/cast-creatives.
4. http://www.whatsonstage.com/interviews/theatre/london/E8821215010165/Rolan+Bell+On+...+His+Reggae+Education.html "Rolan Bell On ... His Reggae Education"
5. http://www.thisistheatre.com/londonshows/hardertheycome.html "The Harder They Come"
6. Neil Spencer, "Fela Kuti remembered: 'He was a tornado of a man, but he loved humanity'", The Observer, 31 October 2010.
7. Web site: Rolan Bell is in Ragtime the Musical at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre from 18 May to 8 September 2012. October 25, 2012.
8. Web site: We Will Rock You UK Tour - Principals - Rolan Bell. 10 December 2012.
9. Matthew Amer, "Memphis The Musical", Official London Theatre, 24 October 2014.
10. http://www.olivierawards.com/video/view/item277073/2015-nominations-announcement-interviews-rolan-bell/ "Interview: FRolan Bell"
11. http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/37985/jack-and-the-beanstalk Hugh Homan, "Jack and the Beanstalk", The Stage, 17 December 2012.
12. https://cambridgeartstheatre.purchase-tickets-online.co.uk/public/show.asp?shcode=10339%7Ctitle=Cambridge Arts Theatre - Jack and the Beanstalk|accessdate=December 10, 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130421064245/https://cambridgeartstheatre.purchase-tickets-online.co.uk/public/show.asp?shcode=10339%7Carchivedate=April 21, 2013}}] (Hugh Homan commented in The Stage: "Rolan Bell as Silly Billy is superb at involving the audience").^[11] More recently Bell played “Abananzar” in Aladdin where he was awarded “Best Villian” at The Uk Pantomime Awards in 2022.

    Voice Over Artist

    Bell has featured on many successful advertising campaigns as a Voice Over Artist. These include Pepsi, Pringles and

    External links