Available to book
David Harewood
Transform conversations on diversity and social justice with David Harewood OBE, speaker, acclaimed actor and mental health advocate. David works with organisations to address racial inequality and promote mental wellbeing, delivering powerful insights as RADA President and UNICEF UK Ambassador.
David Harewood OBE is a British actor, director, and author, currently serving as the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He is widely recognised for his roles as David Estes in Homeland and as J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter in Supergirl.
Harewood advocates for the British government to apologise for its role in the slave trade, a cause deeply personal to him due to his ancestry. His great-great-great-great grandparents were enslaved on a plantation in Barbados owned by Henry Lascelles, 2nd Earl of Harewood. He has engaged with David Lascelles, the current Earl, who shares his views on the need for an apology. In 2007, Harewood visited Harewood House, built with profits from slavery, to discuss this history with Lascelles. In September 2023, a portrait of Harewood was unveiled at Harewood House, acknowledging their families' shared past.
In addition to his acting career, Harewood has been involved in various political and charitable efforts. He presented a Party Election Broadcast for the Labour Party in 2012 and supported Change UK in the 2019 European Parliament election. He has also donated bone marrow to save a life and campaigned for the British Lung Foundation to ban smoking in cars with children.
Harewood is a passionate supporter of Birmingham City Football Club and participated in Soccer Aid 2018, helping England win a charity match for UNICEF, which raised over £5 million. His accolades include nominations and awards from the Screen Actors Guild, Nashville Film Festival, and the Edinburgh TV Festival, among others. In 2023, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his contributions to drama.
With a career spanning nearly 35 years, Harewood has performed in prestigious theatres and on major television networks. He made his directorial debut during the final season of Supergirl. His documentaries, such as David Harewood: Psychosis and Me, explore mental health and racial injustices, making him a significant advocate for change. His memoir, Maybe I Don’t Belong Here, was published in September 2021.
As a UNICEF UK Ambassador, Harewood has raised awareness for children's health and vaccination efforts, particularly in Sierra Leone. He has also been a vocal advocate for mental health, sharing his experiences to encourage open dialogue and support. His work extends to promoting representation in the arts and addressing issues affecting the black community, including organ donation and voting rights.
Harewood continues to use his platform to challenge inequalities and inspire change, both in the UK and beyond.
Book David Harewood OBE as a speaker to inspire your team with his powerful insights on mental health, racial equality, and personal resilience. His compelling storytelling and advocacy for change will motivate your audience to embrace diversity and foster a culture of understanding and support within your organisation.
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frequently asked questions
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To book David Harewood, email david.harewood@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm David's availability and speaking fee. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and about your audience.
No. PepTalk adds no booking fee, so you pay the speaker's fee and nothing beyond it. The service, from shortlist through to contracts and event-day logistics, is included. For repeat or multi-event bookings, PepTalk can agree preferential rates with your procurement team.
Share your event date, audience, format, objectives and budget, and PepTalk sends a hand-picked shortlist within 24 hours. Each suggestion comes with a profile, a fee and a recommendation on the strongest fit. Once you choose, PepTalk handles contracts, travel and logistics through to event day.
The typical fee range is the speaker's standard in-person fee in their home market, shown in their local currency. It moves with format, location, date and session length: virtual sessions and shorter slots usually cost less, while international travel and peak dates cost more. Send your brief to PepTalk and the team will confirm the exact fee in your currency.
Not all of them, and it makes no difference to your booking. PepTalk's network of 15,000+ speakers covers talent the team works with directly alongside speakers represented by agents and agencies worldwide. PepTalk approaches the speaker, negotiates the fee and handles contracting either way.
Three to six months ahead is comfortable for most events, and 12 months is better for large conferences, peak-season dates or one specific in-demand speaker. Shorter timelines are workable, and PepTalk regularly fills last-minute and replacement bookings within days. Availability is the constraint, so get in touch as soon as you have a date.
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