Born into a Nigerian family in Whitechapel, London, Hammed Animashaun joined Half Moon Young People's Theatre in Hackney, East London at the age of 11. His first professional role came in the Manchester Royal Exchange's Mogadishu in 2012 while his 2019 portrayal of Bottom in Nicholas Hytner's A Midsummer Night's earned him several awards. He stars as Kay in the 2023 BBC One comedy series Black Ops alongside Gbemisola Ikumelo, winning best male comedy performance at the 2024 Royal Television Society awards. In 2026, he was announced as being part of the initial cast for the UK version of Saturday Night Live.