British-Pakistani actor Adeel Akhtar created history by becoming the first non-white male to win the best actor British Academy of Film & Television Arts (BAFTA) award. The actor was recognised for his powerful depiction of a father, Shahzad, who murders his daughter in a so-called honour killing in BBC Three drama ‘Murdered By My Father’. The moment was savoured by the show’s screenwriter Vinay Patel, who shared a picture with Akhtar and wrote, “First non-white fellow to win a #BAFTA TV award for Best Actor? This guy. (Not me, obviously).” Born to a Pakistani father and Kenyan mother, Akhtar was born and brought up in London. The actor initially completed a degree in law, but decided to pursue his passion for acting and trained at a drama school in New York. Last year, Akhtar was nominated in the BAFTA’s Best Supporting Actor for his role as Wilson Wilson in ‘Utopia’. He has also appeared in other series such as John Le Carre’s ‘The Night Manager’, ‘Trollied’ and ‘Apple Tree Yard’. The BAFTA is an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image – film, television and game in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awards ceremonies, BAFTA has an international, year-round programme of learning events and initiatives offering access to talent through workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes in the UK and the USA.