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David Ajala

David Ajala

Actor · Born May 21, 1986 (40) · Hackney, London, England, UK

David Ajala (born 21 May 1986) is a British actor. He is known for his roles as Manchester Black in Supergirl (2018–2019), Captain Roy Eris in Nightflyers (2018), and Cleveland "Book" Booker in Star Trek: Discovery (2020–present).

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 21, 1986 (40)
From
Hackney, London, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
24 on MovieCove · 35 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Up 18% in 30 days

What are David Ajala's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Self.

Genres

Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 76th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 19th percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Survival
32%
Self
26%
Morality
19%
Ideas
9%
Bonds
5%
Power
4%
Society
4%
Survival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 5 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 0 · Serious 2 · Dark 3

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 3 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 1 · Intense 3

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 1 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 0 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 1

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 4 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 2 of 6 analyzed roles.

Shadow
2 of 6
Hero
2 of 6
Ally
2 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Dread
5
Melancholic
4
Contemplative
3
Cold
1
Other
1

How their films linger

Unsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet4
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch David Ajala's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 21 of their 24 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for David Ajala's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

35 credits, 24 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Woman in Cabin 10(2025)

    as Ben Morgan

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue(2025)

    Show 6 episodes · as Zack Ellis

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • The Jetty(2024)

    Show 4 episodes · as Casey

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Daylight Rules (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Frank

  • Italian Studies(2021)

    as Ade

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Grace Under Pressure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as The Burglar

  • Nightflyers(2018)

    Show 10 episodes · as Roy Eris

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows

  • Star Trek: Discovery(2017)

    Show 36 episodes · as Cleveland 'Book' Booker

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Support (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Chris

  • Falling Water(2016)

    Show 20 episodes · as Burton

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • Brotherhood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Detective Desmond 'BUDS' Lynch

  • Kill Command(2016)

    as Drifter

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands(2016)

    Show 5 episodes · as Rate

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • Supergirl(2015)

    Show 7 episodes · as Manchester Black

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Jupiter Ascending(2015)

    as Ibis

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Emulsion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Jeff

  • Black Box (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 13 episodes · as Will Van Renseller

  • Starred Up(2013)

    as Tyrone

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Breakthrough (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Henry

  • Fast & Furious 6(2013)

    as Ivory

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Offender(2012)

    as Kelvin

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Illegal Activity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Edward

  • Payback Season (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Baron

  • Black Mirror(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeff Carter

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Death in Paradise(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Louis Nelson

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • One Day(2011)

    as Floor Manager

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • National Theatre Live: Nation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Milo

  • Hamlet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Reynaldo / Dumbshow Poisoner

  • Misfits(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Private Investigator

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • The Dark Knight(2008)

    as Bounty Hunter

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Adulthood(2008)

    as Desmond

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Who(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Peter

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Theo Walker

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Silent Witness(1996)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mark Blakefield

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 10 episodes · as Theo Walker

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 35 titles from 1990 to 2025; peak year 2015.

Biggest box office

Starred Up (2013)

$3M worldwide

Highest rated

Starred Up (2013)

Midcredits 92nd

Most popular right now

The Woman in Cabin 10 (2025)

Film career

19902025

Peak 2015 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting35 of 35: 35 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score63rd

By decade

1990s3 · acting2000s5 · acting2010s22 · acting2020s5 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 11 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do David Ajala's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 63rd percentile, the median of all 10; across their 5 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 34th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

34thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Approval · how many liked their films

26thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Reach · how many have seen their films

90thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Midcredits score across 24 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up11
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 24 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

Star Trek: Discovery (2017)

73rd percentile spread · 20% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Dark Knight (2008)

Midcredits 99th · 95% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is David Ajala's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 72 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles7–60 · median 27 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles42–87 · median 60 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 34 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 63 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does David Ajala work with?

People who share at least 2 of David Ajala's MovieCove titles; Vanessa Kirby shares the most, 2.