Death in Paradise star Shaquille Ali-Yebuah says BBC drama helps him cope with brother's death
Officer Sebastian Rose actor Shaquille Ali-Yebuah has said his late brother would have been proud of is Death in Paradise role.
Death in Paradise star Shaquille Ali-Yebuah has said the BBC drama helps him cope with the loss of his brother.
The 30-year-old actor - who plays Officer Sebastian Rose in the hit BBC One detective series - has reflected on how landing the role came at a pivotal moment following the sudden death of his younger brother Zion in 2023, aged 20.
Speaking with the Daily Mirror newspaper, Shaquille said: “It would have been his 23rd birthday last week. His death left us all devastated and I took a break from acting.”
The actor was celebrating his own 30th birthday in Guadeloupe, where the long-running drama is filmed, when he reflected on the absence of his brother during a family gathering on the Caribbean island.
He said: “It was as if it was meant to be and fate I got the part. Guadeloupe is such a nice spiritual island. Beautiful nature, you have mangoes and coconuts just lying around in abundance.
“Beautiful sunsets and every beach is picturesque. The island also has a nice laid-back energy, there is no rush unlike the rat race in the UK.”
Shaquille - who previously appeared in BBC Two comedy The First Team and Paramount+ series FBI: International - said he often brought Zion to auditions to inspire him.
He said: “I used to bring my brother onto sets and to auditions to inspire him. I know 100 per cent he would be proud of me.
“And I know he would definitely have been with me in Guadeloupe during filming, exploring nature and island living.”
Now in its 15th series and regularly drawing audiences of around eight million viewers, Death in Paradise has introduced Shaquille’s character as a tech-savvy and energetic officer with a flair for solving crimes through social media.
He said: “Sebastian is such a great team player and he is always willing to go above and beyond. He tries new methods to solve cases and he thinks outside the box. His fidgety brain becomes his superpower! In future episodes, we are going to learn more about him.
“I am looking forward to the audience having a better understanding of him. He’s a cool kid on the island and very popular.”
