Ruth Negga facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ruth Negga
Negga in 2017
Born	(1981-05-04) 4 May 1981 (age 44) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Nationality	Irish, Ethiopian
Alma mater	Trinity College Dublin
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2004–present

Ruth Negga (born 4 May 1981) is an Irish actress. She is well-known for her roles in the TV show Preacher (2016–2019) and the movie Loving (2016). For her part as Mildred Loving in Loving, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. She also received a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her first role on Broadway in 2022. There, she played Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Negga has also acted in films like Isolation (2005), Breakfast on Pluto (2005), and Warcraft (2016). Other TV shows she has been in include Criminal Justice (2008–2019) and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–2015).

About Ruth Negga's Early Life and School

Ruth Negga was born in 1981 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Her mother was Irish and her father was Ethiopian. They met while working at a hospital in Ethiopia. Her mother was a nurse and her father was a doctor. Ruth was an only child. She lived in Ethiopia until she was four years old.

When Ruth was seven, her father died in a car accident. She grew up in Limerick, Ireland. Later, she moved to London, England, for high school. Ruth studied acting at the Samuel Beckett Centre at Trinity College Dublin. She earned a degree in Acting Studies.

Ruth Negga's Acting Career

Starting Out: 2004–2012 Roles

Negga at San Diego Comic-Con for the AMC show Preacher in 2018

Negga's first movie role was in the Irish film Capital Letters (2004). She played the main character, Taiwo. The next year, she played Mary in the movie Isolation. Before these films, she mostly worked in theatre. Director Neil Jordan changed his movie script for Breakfast on Pluto so Ruth could be in it. She also appeared in Colour Me Kubrick (2005) with John Malkovich.

On TV, Negga was in Doctors and Criminal Justice. She played Doris "Sid" Siddiqi in the BBC Three series Personal Affairs. Ruth also played Rosie in the first two seasons of RTÉ's Love/Hate. In 2011, she played Shirley Bassey in the BBC show Shirley. She won an IFTA Award for Best Actress for this role. In theatre, she played Ophelia in the National Theatre's Hamlet in 2010. She also voiced Shanalotte in the video game Dark Souls II.

Becoming More Famous: 2013–2019 Roles

In 2013, Ruth Negga got a role as Raina in the American TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. She appeared in 17 episodes of the show. She also filmed scenes for the Oscar-winning movie 12 Years a Slave (2013). However, her part was cut from the final movie. In 2015, Negga was cast as Tulip O'Hare in the AMC fantasy drama Preacher. This show started in 2016.

In 2016, Negga played Mildred Loving in the movie Loving. This film was shown at the Cannes Film Festival. It is based on the true story of the Lovings, a couple who were married but had different races in the 1950s and 1960s. Their marriage led to an important Supreme Court decision. Negga received great reviews for her role. She was nominated for many awards, including an Academy Award for Best Actress. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.

Negga played Prince Hamlet in the Gate Theatre's 2018 play Hamlet. She played Hamlet again in 2020. In 2021, it was announced that Negga would star in a TV series about Josephine Baker. Baker was a famous Jazz age performer and civil rights activist.

Recent Work: 2021–Present

Negga in 2022

In 2021, Negga starred in Passing with Tessa Thompson. This movie is based on a 1929 novel. The film premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Negga plays Clare, a Black woman with light skin in 1920s New York. Her character pretends to be a white woman. Variety magazine praised Negga's acting. For this role, Negga was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA.

In 2022, Negga made her first appearance on Broadway. She played Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth. Daniel Craig played the main character. For her performance, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play. In 2023, Negga also starred in the movie Good Grief.

Awards and Recognition

In 2020, The Irish Times newspaper listed Negga as one of Ireland's greatest film actors. In 2006, she was chosen as the Irish Shooting Star for the Berlin Film Festival.

Negga has won and been nominated for many awards for her acting. For her role as Mildred Loving in the 2016 film Loving, she received nominations for the Academy Award, Critic's Choice, and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. In 2022, her role as Clare Bellew in the 2021 film Passing also earned her awards. These included the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also received nominations from the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild, and BAFTA.

Personal Life

Ruth Negga was in a relationship with actor Dominic Cooper starting in 2010. They met in 2009 while working on a play together. They lived together in London. Their relationship lasted for six years. Negga and Cooper also acted together in AMC's Preacher, where they played a couple. Negga has said they are "best friends."

As of 2020, Negga lives in Los Angeles, California.

Ruth Negga's Acting Roles

Movies

Television Shows

Theatre Plays

Video Games

Images for kids

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  Negga in 2017

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  Negga at San Diego Comic-Con for the AMC show Preacher in 2018

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  Negga in 2022

See also

In Spanish: Ruth Negga para niños

• List of actors with Academy Award nominations