When David Ajala talks about his craft, it’s less about the glamour of performance and more about excavation — peeling back the layers of what makes a character breathe. In Netflix’s upcoming psychological thriller The Woman in Cabin 10, Ajala stars opposite Keira Knightley in a tense, atmospheric adaptation of Ruth Ware’s bestselling novel. The film plunges viewers into the murky depths of perception and truth aboard a luxury yacht where one woman claims to witness a murder that everyone insists never happened. 

Ajala plays Ben Morgan, a sharp and enigmatic photographer whose charm conceals an ambiguity that might just hold the key to unraveling — or concealing — the mystery. “With a character like Ben,” he reflects, “the concept of code-switching became my avenue into exploring him. He’s someone who feels very comfortable in different environments — visible when he wants to be, but invisible when he needs to be. He’s the guy who can move through spaces unnoticed, but you remember him enough to invite him to the next soiree.” 

It’s a performance that demands subtlety — one that hinges on tension, chemistry, and restraint. “It was very important that you believe these two had a history,” Ajala says of his onscreen dynamic with Knightley. “But you also can’t quite tell which direction it’s going to go. You need to believe there’s something there, but never fully grasp it. That’s what makes it interesting.” 

Between Lens and Layers 

For Ajala, The Woman in Cabin 10 marks his first time stepping into a film adapted from a novel for the screen. “There’s always an excitement to it,” he says. “Because there’s a huge fan base behind this specific book. To be part of something like that, I just hope it resonates with the viewers.” 

But he also approaches the process with a kind of freedom that’s become signature to his work. “When you’re adapting a novel, you try to interpret what’s on the page as authentically as you can,” he explains. “With Star Trek: Discovery and playing Booker, it was completely different — that character operated outside of canon. Nothing was beholden to anything before. Everything was free-flowing, like footprints in the sand.” 

That balance between structure and spontaneity extends to his collaboration with director Simon Stone (The Dig). “Simon’s way of working is super collaborative,” Ajala says. “He’s an actor-turned-director, so he understands that space between text and instinct. We’d sit around the table and just discuss — nothing was set in stone. He’d encourage us to improvise certain scenes and moments, which made the whole experience thrilling.” 

Inside the Mind of Ben Morgan 

Ben Morgan is the kind of character who reveals himself in shadows — charming, watchful, and morally elastic. A photographer surrounded by power, privilege, and secrets, he’s the silent observer in rooms full of people desperate to be seen. “He’s aware of the spaces he occupies,” Ajala says. “He connects with people who have money, influence, power — and his instinct is to make sure that if something untoward happens, he looks the other way.” 

That moral ambiguity became the character’s heartbeat. “Power corrupts,” he adds. “Ben understands that, and he dances that fine line. He can be the professional who blends in, or the guy you want to have a drink with — but he’ll never get too comfortable. He’s smart enough to know where his bread is buttered, so he keeps the gravy train flowing.” 

Ajala was drawn to that duality — a man who can be both mirror and mask. “He skims the edge between doing the right thing and self-preservation,” he says. “That duality, that tension between visibility and secrecy, makes him human. And by the end of the film, when he finally has to make a decision, you understand the cost of that moral tightrope.” 

The collaboration with Knightley, he says, sharpened those subtleties. “Working opposite Keira was incredible,” he shares. “There’s this unspoken rhythm between the two characters. You believe they have a history, but you can’t quite pin it down — whether it’s romantic, nostalgic, or manipulative. That uncertainty is what keeps the film alive.” 

A Career Without Borders 

Across stage, television, and film, Ajala’s trajectory is defined by range and reinvention. From his emotionally resonant portrayal of Cleveland “Book” Booker in Star Trek: Discovery to leading the BBC’s The Jetty opposite Jenna Coleman, and headlining MGM+’s Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue, Ajala thrives on contrast. 

“With the roles that I choose, it’s always important not to get too comfortable,” he explains. “You never want to become one thing. I like to think I’ve benefited from finding different stories to tell — to be many things and all things at the same time.” 

His filmography spans genres and scales: The Dark Knight, Fast & Furious 6, Jupiter Ascending, and Starred Up. Yet, even as his screen presence grows, Ajala remains grounded in a quiet introspection that colors how he navigates Hollywood. 

The Art of Recalibration 

For all his poise and quiet magnetism, Ajala’s journey hasn’t been without its moments of reckoning. “Truth be told, I’ve had two crossroads in this industry,” he admits. “Times where I thought, you know what, I’m just going to pause. Because the art form is incredible, but the industry — you can’t control it. It does whatever it wants.” 

He describes those pauses not as setbacks, but as necessary recalibrations. “For me, it was about controlling the controllables,” he says. “Taking time to think, to find where I wanted to sit. I didn’t need a table for myself; I wanted to sit with like-minded people, people who have something to offer. When I reframed my thinking that way, it changed how I approached the game entirely.” 

That self-awareness is what keeps Ajala grounded amid the unpredictable nature of fame. Whether he’s navigating blockbuster franchises or small, intimate dramas, he moves with the same principle: to connect truthfully, without ego. “It’s always about the character,” he says simply. “Finding where they live, what they want, and how they change you in the process.” 

Building Forward 

Now, as Ajala steps into yet another genre, he hints at new creative frontiers. “Whatever I write or direct one day will be a passion project,” he says. “It has to come from a place of necessity. I’ll keep myself open — why not? It makes life more special.” 

And when asked what he hopes his legacy will be, Ajala pauses, considering the weight of the question before answering with quiet conviction: 

“Build yourself up authentically with love,” he says. “So that you can walk into any room and know you have something to offer.” 

It’s an answer that reflects not just the man he’s become, but the way he works — deliberate, soulful, and rooted in truth. Like Ben Morgan, the mysterious observer he portrays, Ajala sees everything — but what makes him magnetic is how deeply he makes us feel it. 

Photography Credits:
Photographer: Jemima Marriott
Styling: Tom O’Dell
Grooming: Sophia Taylor