Raye Lands First Major Film Role With London Crime Drama Lineage
Raye is making her first serious move into acting, stepping from the recording studio onto a film set with what marks her first major scripted dramatic role.
The British singer-songwriter, born Rachel Keen, has joined the cast of Lineage, an upcoming London-set crime drama from director Yann Demange, according to Variety. The project places her alongside one of European cinema’s most respected names, Isabelle Huppert, as well as actors Dali Benssalah and Adam Bessa, signaling a notably ambitious first feature for a musician whose career has already undergone one of pop’s most dramatic reinventions in recent years.
Details about Raye’s specific role remain under wraps, but the premise suggests a tense, character-driven crime story rooted in family loyalty, survival, and generational power. Set in present-day London, Lineage follows Tariq, a young father attempting to rebuild his life after prison while raising his son, Amine. That fragile reset begins to collapse when a plea for help from his brother pulls him back into the criminal world he was trying to escape. Complicating matters further, the family’s matriarch is reportedly a major figure in London’s underworld, setting the stage for a story where blood ties and organized crime are deeply intertwined.
Production is scheduled to begin in London in early August.
For years, Raye existed largely behind the scenes of mainstream pop, writing hits for other artists while battling a frustrating relationship with the traditional label system. Despite contributing to major commercial records and building a reputation as one of Britain’s strongest songwriting voices, she spent much of that period publicly voicing frustration over stalled releases and creative limitations.
That changed dramatically with My 21st Century Blues, her independently released debut album in 2023.
The project transformed her public profile almost overnight, repositioning her from industry songwriter to fully formed artist in her own right. Critically acclaimed and emotionally raw, the album showcased not just vocal power, but a clear artistic identity that had previously felt constrained by commercial expectations. Grammy recognition followed, along with a wider sense that Raye had finally taken ownership of a career long shaped by other people’s decisions.
She spoke candidly about that shift at the time, describing independence not just as a business move, but as a psychological one.
While Lineage marks her first substantial dramatic screen role, it is not technically her first acting credit. She previously appeared as herself in Netflix’s Black Rabbit, where she shared scenes with Jason Bateman, an experience she later described as unforgettable.
Demange is not a director known for lightweight projects or stunt casting. His breakout film ’71 earned strong critical praise for its intensity and precision, while later projects, including White Boy Rick and episodes of HBO’s Lovecraft Country, established a filmmaker drawn to psychologically layered, high-stakes storytelling.
