With hundreds of options to choose from in their library, it can take a while to pick the perfect Netflix watch. Much to the relief of indecisive scrollers, when Rebel Ridge arrived on the streaming platform earlier this month, tuning in was a no-brainer for several reasons. First, the movie’s nail-biting redemption story of a man wronged by local law enforcement is unfortunately relatable. Second, the lead actor, Aaron Pierre is a complete and total heartthrob, as his Instagram followers love to let him know.
Born on June 7, 1994, in Brixton, England, the 30-year-old (who’s of Jamaican, Curaçaoan and Sierra Leonean descent) found his love for acting as a teen. He joined the Croydon Young People’s Theatre to develop his skills, then studied Performing Arts at Lewisham College and overseas in Toronto, Canada. In 2016, Pierre graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. His early roles were mostly smaller TV spots: Prime Suspect 1973, The A Word, and Britannia, but it wasn’t long before he caught the eye of American director Barry Jenkins, taking his career to new heights.
Since His 2018 Breakout, the English Actor Has Been Booked and Busy
In 2018, Aaron Pierre was nominated for the Ian Charleson Award for his performance as Cassio in Othello at Shakespeare’s Globe. This is also where Jenkins saw him and invited the British actor to audition for a historical miniseries he was working on – Amazon Prime’s The Underground Railroad, which debuted in 2021. That same year, Pierre appeared in M. Night Shyamalan’s Old thriller film and joined the Disney family as the voice of young Mufasa in the upcoming Lion King prequel.
He played Francis in Brother in 2022, bringing home a Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Performance. Around the same time, Pierre joined the cast of Marvel’s Blade (due out in November 2025) but was ultimately released from the project in March 2024 following rewrites. Not letting this get him down, the rising star has been seen in Foe (film adaptation of Iaian Reid’s novel of the same name) and more recently, Rebel Ridge. John Boyega was initially tapped to star in the latter but stepped down for family reasons. Earlier this year, he appeared opposite Kelvin Harrison Jr. in Genius: MLK/X, which is now streaming on Hulu.
In the Past, Aaron Pierre’s Partners Haven’t Been in the Spotlight
A lot can be said about Aaron Pierre’s good looks, acting abilities, well-trained body, cute accent, and ambitious spirit. On the other hand, until recently, there wasn’t much to be said about his love life. Despite his celebrity status, the Hollywood heartthrob was notoriously single. Or at least, very tight-lipped about his relationships.
Of course, that didn’t stop fans and social media users from speculating about his sexuality (and shamelessly flirting) in the comment sections of his plentiful thirst traps.
Under a shirtless snapshot from his Men’s Health shoot in September 2024, @the.shandawg wrote, “I’m going to be slightly heartbroken if I find out he’s a part of the community.”
It seems even married men are aware of the Aaron Pierre effect. “I’m just here to make sure my wife has not liked this one,” @revtlr joked.
Another fan, @lyricscrib pointed out that the entertainer might not have reached his peak yet: “He’s only 30 years old!! Not even as fine as he’s going to be!!”
Is Aaron Pierre in a Relationship With Teyana Taylor?
After going solo in the spotlight for years, it looks like Pierre is finally in a relationship!
Rumors about a romance between Pierre and singer Teyana Taylor started after The Neighborhood Talk posted a quick clip of the two stars chatting each other up at a fundraising event in February 2025. When Taylor posted stunning pics of her and Pierre at the Vanity Fair Oscars Afterparty to her Instagram in March 2025, fans were convinced the two had started dating. But neither Pierre nor Taylor publicly confirmed their relationship that spring.
They did, however, continue to trade flirty messages on social media. In April, People reported that Taylor seemingly responded to a particularly steamy pic Pierre posted to his Instagram Stories with a steamy story of her own. Her text-only story said simply, “on di wey” followed by an exhaling emoji.
Over the next few months, the two continued to flirt back and forth on social media and were spotted chatting at multiple events, but they still didn’t confirm their relationship. At the beginning of June, Taylor released a music video and trailer for her upcoming visual album, and both videos featured steamy scenes with Pierre. Everyone was convinced they’d officially announce their relationship, but they remained tight-lipped.
The Actor Celebrated His Recent Birthday With Taylor, And Finally Confirmed Their Relationship
The momentous day finally came on June 7, when Taylor shared an adorable snap on Instagram in honor of Pierre’s birthday. The pic showed Pierre snuggling into her shoulder and was accompanied by the caption, “Cheers to Thirty-WON & many more wins around the sun.🌹H”AP”PY BIRTHDAY Woody 🎈.”
A few days after Taylor’s post, Pierre shared a picture from his birthday party, which he revealed Taylor had planned for him. In the caption, he thanked her for the wonderful party and gushed with admiration.
Taylor responded in the comments section, writing, “You’re so welcome & so deserving. ❤️Happy bdayyyyyyyy 🌹🥳.”
Since then, the couple hasn’t graced social media with any new pics, but they’re sure to share more now that their relationship is out in the open.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What ethnicity is Aaron Pierre?
The actor has shared on his Instagram that his heritage includes ancestors from Jamaica, Curaçao, and Sierra Leone. In 2023, he visited Curaçao to explore his roots for the first time.
Does Aaron Pierre have any siblings?
In an interview with Curzon, Pierre spoke about his two siblings and how his role as the oldest sibling prepared him for his role in Brother.
What movies has Aaron Pierre acted in?
Most of Pierre’s roles have been on the stage or television series. However, he has ascended to the big screen in the past few years with roles in movies like Brother, Foe, Rebel Ridge, and most recently, Mufasa: The Lion King.