Gugu Mbatha-Raw facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gugu Mbatha-Raw MBE
Mbatha-Raw in 2013
Born	Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha-Raw (1983-04-21) 21 April 1983 (age 42) Oxford, England
Education	Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (BA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2001–present

Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha-Raw, also known as Gugu Mbatha-Raw, is a talented English actress. She was born on April 21, 1983. Gugu started her acting journey at the National Youth Music Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She became well-known for her roles in plays like Romeo and Juliet and Anthony and Cleopatra in 2005.

She made her debut on London's West End and Broadway in 2009, playing Ophelia in Hamlet. Gugu has also starred in many popular TV shows and movies. These include Doctor Who (2007), Undercovers (2010), and Touch (2012). She also earned praise for her main roles in films like Belle (2013) and Beyond the Lights (2014).

More recently, she has appeared in the Netflix episode San Junipero from Black Mirror (2016). She also starred in the Apple TV+ series Surface (2022–present). You might also recognize her from The Morning Show (2019) and the Disney+ series Loki (2021–2023). In 2017, she received an award called the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) from Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to drama. She also became a global Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2021.

Early Life and Education

Gugu Mbatha-Raw was born in Oxford, England, on April 21, 1983. Her father, Patrick Mbatha, was a doctor from South Africa. Her mother, Anne Raw, was an English nurse. Gugu's first name, Gugulethu, comes from the isiZulu language. It means "our treasure."

Her father was an activist against apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid was a system of unfair racial separation. He had to leave his home country because of his activism. Gugu's parents separated when she was one year old. She mostly grew up with her mother.

Gugu went to The Henry Box School in Witney, Oxfordshire. From a young age, she loved acting, dancing, and musical theatre. She joined the National Youth Theatre. In 2001, she moved to London to study acting. She trained at the famous Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Acting Career

Starting Her Career

Gugu Mbatha-Raw began her professional acting career in theatre. In 2005, she played Octavia in Antony and Cleopatra in Manchester. Later that year, she had a big breakthrough role. She starred as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet alongside Andrew Garfield. Her performance earned her a nomination for Best Actress.

After her theatre success, Gugu took on smaller roles in TV shows. She appeared in Bad Girls (2006) and Marple (2007). In 2007, she got a recurring role in the popular science fiction show Doctor Who. She played Tish Jones, the sister of the Doctor's companion, Martha Jones.

In 2009, Gugu played Ophelia in Hamlet in London and on Broadway. She acted opposite famous actor Jude Law. After seeing her in Hamlet, director J. J. Abrams cast her in his TV series Undercovers in 2010. In 2011, she was cast as the main female lead in the TV series Touch, starring with Kiefer Sutherland. She also had a supporting role in the movie Larry Crowne (2011), directed by Tom Hanks.

Major Film and TV Roles

Gugu Mbatha-Raw in 2020

Gugu Mbatha-Raw received a lot of praise for her role in the 2013 film Belle. She played Dido Elizabeth Belle, a mixed-race woman raised in a wealthy English family in the 1700s. For this role, she won the Best Actress award at the British Independent Film Awards. She also spoke at the United Nations when the film was shown there.

In 2014, Gugu starred as a pop singer in the romantic drama Beyond the Lights. She was nominated for Best Actress at the Gotham Awards for this role. The next year, in 2015, she was nominated for a BAFTA Rising Star Award. She also appeared in the science fiction movie Jupiter Ascending. She played Prema Mutiso in the movie Concussion, alongside Will Smith. This film was about brain injuries in football players.

In 2016, Gugu starred in "San Junipero", a popular episode of the TV series Black Mirror. She also had a big supporting role in Miss Sloane, a drama about lobbyists in Washington. In the same year, she acted with Matthew McConaughey in Free State of Jones. She played Rachel, a freedwoman who started a family with a farmer after the Civil War.

In 2017, Gugu played Plumette in the live-action movie Beauty and the Beast. In 2018, she appeared in several science fiction films. These included A Wrinkle in Time and The Cloverfield Paradox.

From 2021 to 2023, she played Judge Ravonna Renslayer in the Disney+ series Loki. In 2022, she began starring in the Apple TV+ psychological thriller series Surface. She also works as an executive producer for this show. In 2024, she played the main female role in the Netflix action film Lift with Kevin Hart. It was also announced that she will return to the Doctor Who universe in a new spin-off series.

Personal Life and Advocacy

Gugu Mbatha-Raw has always loved art. She even thought about becoming an artist instead of an actor. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she painted portraits of important figures like George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. She used painting supplies that her Concussion co-star Will Smith gave her. She also enjoys painting portraits of her co-stars. For example, her portrait of actor Kevin Hart hangs in his office.

In 2021, Gugu Mbatha-Raw was named a global Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This means she helps raise awareness and support for refugees around the world. Since 2018, she has visited refugee camps in Rwanda and Uganda. She has also taken part in campaigns to help refugees. In 2021, she was one of the people who announced the Refugee Paralympic team.

Awards and Recognition

Gugu Mbatha-Raw has received many awards and nominations for her acting.

• In 2014, she won the Best Actress award at the British Independent Film Awards for her role in Belle.
• She also won the Best Actress award from the African-American Film Critics Association in 2014 for Belle.
• In 2015, she won the Best Actress award at the Black Reel Awards for Belle.
• She was nominated for a BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2015.
• In 2017, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. This honor recognized her services to drama.

See also

In Spanish: Gugu Mbatha-Raw para niños