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Bayan Layla was born in Syria in 1996, where she grew up and began studying architecture at the University of Hama. At the age of 18, she moved to Leipzig, where she learned German. By her own account, she already knew at that point that she wanted to study acting, but she had to audition at state drama schools for three years before she was finally accepted to the August Everding Theater Academy in Munich in the class of 2019.
Before that, between 2016 and 2018, she participated in projects at the Bürgerbühne of the Staatsschauspiel Dresden and at the Volksbühne Berlin, notably in "Iphigenie," a production involving Syrian refugees. During her time at the Theaterakademie August Everding, Layla also performed with the Ma'loube collective at the Theater an der Ruhr in productions like "Days in the Sun" and "OVERDOSE: the Show of Pain and Joy." In 2020, she received a scholarship from the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes and the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation for acting.
Since the start of the 2021/22 season, she has been a member of the ensemble at the Badisches Staatstheater in Karlsruhe, appearing in productions such as "Anna Iwanowa," "[BLANK]," and "Wunder geschehen."
Her film debut was in 2021 with a supporting role in "Generation Tochter" by the feminist film collective of the same name, showcased at the Hofer Filmtage festival. In 2023, she completed her acting studies in Munich and gained attention for her role in Milena Aboyan's nuanced drama "Elaha." The film, depicting the life of a young German-Kurdish woman navigating familial expectations and sexual autonomy, premiered at the Berlinale 2023 in the Perspektive Deutsches Kino section. For her performance, she received the New Faces Award for Best Emerging Actress and the First Steps - Götz-George Young Talent Award and the Bavarian Film Award for Best Emerging Actress. She was also nominated for the German Film Award as Best Actress in a Leading Role.