Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha-Raw, born on April 21, 1983, is a British actress known for her work in both stage and screen. She began her career in theatre, training at the National Youth Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Mbatha-Raw gained recognition for her performances as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Octavia in Anthony and Cleopatra at the Royal Exchange Theatre in 2005. She made her West End and Broadway debut as Ophelia in Hamlet in 2009. Her breakthrough came with the British period drama Belle in 2013. Mbatha-Raw was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2017 and has recently become a global Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).