Oscar-nominated Wunmi Mosaku says she didn’t enjoy ‘isolating’ time at Rada

‘Sinners’ actor says she was mocked for her accent and was never given any parts

Rada is considered one of the most prestigious drama schools in the world, but Oscar-nominated actor Wunmi Mosaku didn’t have the best experience.

The actor, who has received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for Ryan Coogler’s vampire film Sinners, attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2004, but “didn’t really enjoy” her time there.

Mosaku, who was the only Black girl in her year, claimed she was mocked for her Manchester accent and didn’t get given any roles.

“I found it very difficult,” the 39-year-old told The Times. “It was my first time away from home, everyone mimicked my Manchester accent, I was the only Black girl in my year and I didn’t get any parts. It felt isolating.”

She added that she spent all her student loan on travelling home every weekend in her first year.

Mosaku also questioned some of the methods taught to her, explaining that instead of studying Shakespeare in her first year, as she had expected, she was instead given a year’s membership to London Zoo and “sent off to look at the animals so we could pretend to be them”.

“I thought, ‘What am I doing? I cannot be getting into debt for this. I’m from a family of academics; I want some hard facts.’”

Mosaku, whose previous credits include Luther and ITV drama Passenger, previously praised her mother, who paid for her Megabus trip to London so she could audition for the school. “She really took a risk,” Mosaku told BBC News, adding: "She let me explore and take my own risks and encouraged me to do so."

Wunmi Mosaku has been Oscar nominated for her role in ‘Sinners’ (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Comedy star Daisy May Cooper (This Country) previously told The Independent that her time at Rada was a "traumatic" experience.

“I think I’ve been too nice about it in the past, but I don’t give a s*** anymore,” she said.

She claimed she was bullied by a “tyrannical teacher” who told her she couldn’t act, which left her “terrified every day”.

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“He would say, ‘That’s dreadful. You can’t act, why are you even on this course?’ It was such a headf***, and if you had a bad class, the rest of your peers would ostracise you,” she said.

“It was unbelievably stressful – 15-hour days where you were just told how s*** you were all the time and pushed to your absolute limit. It was toxic.”

‘This Country’ star Daisy May Cooper also had a bad time at Rada (BBC)

The Independent has contacted Rada for comment.

At the time of Cooper’s comments, a representative for the school said: “We are very sorry to hear about Daisy May Cooper’s experiences at Rada when she trained here, and would not tolerate the practices she describes in our present teaching environment.

“The well-being of our students is critical to us, and our well-being team works closely with students while they are exploring challenging material, and afterwards. We are also committed to a zero-tolerance policy on any discrimination, harassment or bullying.”

Mosaku is nominated for Best Supporting Actress alongside Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another), Amy Madigan (Weapons), Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas (both Sentimental Value).

‘Wunmi Mosaku’ in Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ (Warner Bros)

The ceremony takes place on 15 March.