Thandiwe Newton
Thandiwe Newton OBE | |
---|---|
Born | Melanie Thandiwe Newton 6 November 1972 London, England |
Other names | Thandie Newton |
Education | Downing College, Cambridge (BA) |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1989–present |
Spouse | |
Children | 3, including Nico Parker and Ripley Parker |
Melanie Thandiwe Newton
Newton is known for starring roles such as the title character in
Early life
Melanie Thandiwe Newton was born in the Westminster area of London on 6 November 1972, the daughter of Zimbabwean mother Nyasha Jombe and English father Nick Newton.[3][4] Her mother was a member of a Shona chieftaincy family,[3][4] while her father worked as a laboratory technician and artist.[5] Her parents lived in Zambia, and she was born whilst they were in England to visit relatives; they then returned to Zambia, where her younger brother was later born.[6][7] This has led her birthplace to be incorrectly reported as Zambia in some sources,[8] but she has confirmed in interviews that she was born in Westminster.[9][10] "Thandiwe" is a name of Nguni origin and means "beloved".[11][12]
When Newton was three years old, she returned with her family to England, where they settled in Penzance so her father could help run his family's antique business.[6] She attended St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School.[13] She later said of her upbringing, "From about the age of five, I was aware that I didn't fit. I was the black atheist kid in the all-white Catholic school run by nuns. I was an anomaly."[14] She began dropping the letter "w" from her middle name, making it "Thandie" (pronounced /ˈtændi/ TAN-dee).[3][4] She studied dance at the Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, then studied at Downing College, Cambridge, where she obtained a degree in social anthropology in 1995.[15]
Career
Newton made her film debut in the
Between 2003 and 2005, Newton played Makemba "Kem" Likasu, love interest of
In 2007, Newton co-starred with Eddie Murphy as his love interest in the comedy Norbit. She played opposite Simon Pegg as his ex-girlfriend in the 2008 comedy Run Fatboy Run. She next portrayed Condoleezza Rice, US National Security Advisor and then Secretary of State in W., Oliver Stone's biography of President George W. Bush. The film was released in October 2008.
Newton was an introducer at Wembley Stadium on 7 July 2007, for the UK leg of Live Earth. She was due to introduce former US Vice President Al Gore to the concert, but he was delayed, leaving Newton to tell jokes in an attempt to entertain the audience.[18] Newton next portrayed fictional US First Daughter Laura Wilson in 2012, a disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich and released 13 November 2009.
In July 2011, Newton delivered a
From 2016 to 2022, Newton portrayed Maeve Millay in
In 2017, she served as a narrator for the documentary entitled
Newton appeared as Val in the
In a 2021 interview, Newton announced that she would be changing her first name back to its original form "Thandiwe",[27] and would be credited as such beginning with Reminiscence (2021). She also said that she would attempt to have corrections applied to her past performance credits.[3]
In 2022, Newton played the lead role of Sandra Guidry in the thriller God’s Country which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. For her performance in the film, she received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Performance at the Gotham Awards.[28]
Charity work
In 2006, Newton contributed a foreword to We Wish: Hopes and Dreams of Cornwall's Children, a book of children's writing published in aid of the NSPCC. In it, she wrote about her childhood memories of growing up in Cornwall, and the way in which its cultural heritage made it easy for her to "enrich every situation with layers of magic and meaning".[29]
In 2008, Newton visited the poverty-stricken village of Nampasso in Mali, describing it as a "humbling experience".[30]
In 2013, Newton led the One Billion Rising flash mob in London for justice, gender equality, and an end to violence.[31]
Personal life
Newton married English filmmaker Ol Parker in 1998. They separated in 2022.[32][33] They have two daughters, Ripley (born 2000) and Nico (born 2004), and a son, Booker (born 2014). All three were home births.[34] Nico is also an actress. Newton has been close friends with Nicole Kidman since 1989.[35] Newton is currently in a relationship with American musician Elijah Dias, better known by his stage name Lonr, who is 24 years younger than she.[36][37]
Newton is a
In 2016, Newton stated she had been the victim of a director who repeatedly showed his friends a video of her in a sexually graphic audition she had made as a teenager.[43][44] She cited this experience as part of why she had taken the Westworld role, which involved substantial nudity and reflected experiences of survivors of sexual abuse while also asking moral questions about what it means to be human.[44] In 2018, she said she was disappointed not to have been invited to participate in Time's Up, a movement against sexual harassment, considering that she had been "ostracised" for having spoken out about alleged sexual abuse by a director.[45]
Newton was ranked one of the best-dressed women in 2018 by fashion website Net-a-Porter.[46] Later that year, she was named as one of the 100 most influential black British people in the Powerlist.[47]
In 2020, Newton was one of a number of celebrities and MPs who signed a letter opposing the deportation of 50 convicted offenders from the UK to Jamaica.[48]
Filmography
Film
Television
Music video
Year | Artist | Song | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
2017 | Jay-Z featuring Beyoncé | "Family Feud" |
References
- ^ Gonda, Violet (24 June 2021). "The Hot Seat with Violet Gonda. Thandiwe Newton". YouTube. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
- ^ "New Year Honours List 2019". The London Gazette. 29 December 2018. Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Evans, Diana (4 April 2021). ""I'm Taking Back What's Mine": The Many Lives of Thandiwe Newton". Vogue. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- ^ a b c "Thandie Newton". aalbc.com. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ Barton, Laura; "'I was so incredibly self-conscious'" Archived 4 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian, 28 May 2008.
- ^ a b A Taste of My Life, Series 4 (BBC Two, 4 June 2008) Thandie Newton - Quote: Nigel Slater (host): "You were born in London but you didn't stay here for long did you? You went down to Cornwall?" Thandie Newton (answers): "'Actually I don't know how my mum and dad managed to do this. But we lived in Zambia, and my mum was pregnant with me. And I was born on a two-week trip back to London, and then we went back to Zambia and my brother was born there. And we ended up coming to England finally when I was three years old. So my dad could help out with the family antique business."
- ^ Lewis, Sian; "Thandie Newton: 'Condi was my hardest role ever'" Archived 29 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine Independent.co.uk, 31 October 2008.
- ^ "Thandie Newton Biography" Archived 21 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine Yahoo! Movies.
- ^ Williams, Kam; "Sweet as Thandie" Archived 20 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine KamWilliams.com, 24 March 2008.
- ^ a b Gonda, Violet (1 July 2021). "Thandiwe Newton on reclaiming her identity". Retrieved 2 October 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-928215-49-3.
- ^ Campbell, Lucy (5 April 2021). "Actor Thandiwe Newton reclaims original spelling of her name". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
Thandiwe means 'beloved' in the Zulu, Ndebele and Xhosa languages. [...] This article was amended on 5 April 2021 to remove an incorrect phrase saying 'Thandiwe means "beloved" in the Shona language'.
- ^ Hards, Shannon (27 February 2019). "Thandie Newton was denied school photo in Cornwall because her hair was in corn-rows". Cornwalllive.com. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
- ^ "Thandie Newton: Embracing otherness, embracing myself". Ted.com. July 2011. Archived from the original on 13 December 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
- ^ "Downing alumna Thandie Newton wins BAFTA award". Dow.Cam.ac.uk. Downing College. Archived from the original on 22 January 2010.
- ."
- ^ "Doctor Who poised for radio panto" Archived 7 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine News.BBC.co.uk, 15 December 2006.
- ^ Needham, Alex; "Live Earth: The live blog, part 2" Archived 24 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian, 7 July 2007.
- ^ "Thandie Newton: Embracing otherness, embracing myself". TED. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ "Rogue to Debut on AUDIENCE Network in April". directv.com. 7 January 2013. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
- ^ White, James (23 October 2016). "Westworld: Season 1, Episode 4 – Dissonance Theory Review". Empire. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ Goodman, William (24 June 2022). "'Westworld' Bounces Back With Season 4". Complex. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ "Solo: A Star Wars Story". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ Feldberg, Isaac (25 August 2021). "Thandiwe Newton Speaks Out on Her Star Wars Death: 'A Big Mistake'". Inverse. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ Mendelson, Scott (15 May 2018). "'Solo' Review: A 'Star Wars' Story That Plays Like An 'Indiana Jones' Movie". Forbes. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ Edelstein, David (24 May 2018). "Solo: A Star Wars Story Hits All Its Marks — Except for the Most Important One". Vulture. Vox Media. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "Thandie Newton reverts to original spelling of first name, Thandiwe". BBC News. 5 April 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- ^ Mandinach, Zach (25 October 2022). "2022 Gotham Awards Nominations Full List". TheGotham.org. The Gotham Film & Media Institute. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "We Wish – Hopes and dreams of Cornwall's children". WeWish.org.uk. 30 November 2006. Archived from the original on 6 December 2006.
- ^ "Thandie Newton humbled by Mali trip". Contact Music. 4 February 2009. Archived from the original on 9 June 2008. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
- ^ "Thandie Newton joins women's protest". CNN. Archived from the original on 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
- ^ Todisco, Eric (20 April 2022). "Thandiwe Newton's Husband Spotted Without Wedding Ring Amidst Split Rumors: Photo". Hollywood Life. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
- ^ Zeller, Terry (30 July 2022). "Thandiwe Newton & Ex Ol Parker Reunite In 1st Photos Since Split & Her PDA With BF Lonr". Hollywood Life. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
- ^ Eggenberger, Nicole (5 March 2014). "Thandie Newton welcomes baby boy Booker Jombe Parker in home birth". Us Weekly. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
- ^ "Thandie Newton is Finally Ready to Speak Her Mind". 7 July 2020.
- ^ Zeller, Terry (24 April 2022). "Thandiwe Newton, 49, Seen Kissing Musician Lonr, 25, Amid Split Rumors From Husband: Photos". Hollywood Life. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
- ^ Zeller, Terry (27 May 2022). "Thandiwe Newton, 49, Enjoys Sushi Date With BF Lonr, 25, After Split From Husband". Hollywood Life. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
- ^ "Thandie Newton named PETA's sexiest vegan". Toronto Sun. 23 December 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
- ^ McLean, Craig (7 January 2007). "Telling it like it is". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007.
- ^ "Buddha Buzz: Mindfulness and Being a Buddhist Woman". Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
- ^ "A Body in Motion: The For Colored Girls Interview with Kam Williams". Pittsburgh Urban Media. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
- ^ "Actress Newton admits to pranks". BBC News Online. 4 September 2007. Archived from the original on 3 February 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
- ^ "Thandie Newton on Why She's Drawn to Tough Roles". W magazine. 5 July 2016. Archived from the original on 9 December 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ a b Nededog, Jethro (2 October 2016). "Westworld star Thandie Newton defends her decision to play a brothel madam". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
- ^ Oppenheim, Maya (25 April 2018). "Thandie Newton explains why she thinks the Time's Up movement didn't want her involved". The Independent. Archived from the original on 3 January 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
- ^ "Best Dressed 2018". Net a. Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
- ^ Hicks, Amber (23 October 2018). "List of 100 most influential black people includes Meghan Markle for first time". mirror. Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
- TheGuardian.com.
External links
- Thandiwe Newton at IMDb
- Thandiwe Newton on Twitter
- Thandiwe Newton on Instagram