Naomie Harris

Naomie Harris
Naomie Harris at the Toronto Film Festival, September 2010
Born	Naomie Melanie Harris 6 September 1976 (1976-09-06) London, England, UK
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1987–present

Naomie Melanie Harris (born 6 September 1976) is an English actress. She is best known for her starring role as Selena in 28 Days Later, as well as her supporting turn as Tia Dalma/Calypso in the second and third Pirates of the Caribbean films. In November 2011, it was announced that she would appear in the next James Bond movie, Skyfall.

Personal life

Harris was born and raised in London, England, the daughter of sitcom writer Lisselle Kayla, a single mother who had emigrated to England from Jamaica as a child. After graduating in 1998 from Pembroke College, Cambridge with a degree in Social and Political Sciences, Harris trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

She had a very difficult time as a student at Cambridge. "When I went to Cambridge University, Mum said I wouldn't fit in and she was right," she explains. "I hated it. The people there were so different to me. They talked about Eton and skiing and here I was, this black girl from Finsbury Park. I just felt so lonely. There was only one other black person in my year; I was very unhappy and cried every day."

Harris is a Buddhist.

Career

Harris has appeared in television and film since she was nine, including a stint on the remake of the science fiction series The Tomorrow People. She became internationally well known in 2002 with her lead performance in Danny Boyle's post-apocalyptic film 28 Days Later, opposite Cillian Murphy. In the same year, she starred in the television adaptation of Zadie Smith's White Teeth.

Since then, Harris has been cast in supporting roles in big budget films, such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, and Michael Mann's Miami Vice. She also did a comic turn in Michael Winterbottom's well-regarded indie ensemble piece, A Cock and Bull Story, and appeared with Josh Hartnett in the 2008 release of August. She starred in Channel 4's adaptation of the novel Poppy Shakespeare which was first shown on 31 March 2008. She also appeared in BBC's historical drama Small Island in December 2009.

She played Elizabeth Lavenza in Danny Boyle's production of Nick Dear's adaptation of Danny Boyle's stage production of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein for the National Theatre from 22 February to 2 May 2011.

She plays the lead role in The First Grader, directed by Justin Chadwick, and premiered on May 18, 2011 in the Seattle International Film Festival.

The British newspaper News of the World first reported that Harris was in talks for an undisclosed role in the upcoming 23rd James Bond film, "Skyfall". In UK interviews for The First Grader, she confirmed that she had been talking with producers for the film, but Harris at the time wouldn't reveal for which role or whether she had accepted or not.

Awards

• 2004: Won Black Reel Award for Best Breakthrough Performance in 28 Days Later (2002)
• 2007: Nominated for Rising Star Award at the BAFTAs
• 2007: Screen Nation Film and TV Award for Best Female Film Performance.
• 2007: Ansbacher Rising Star Tribute - Bahamas International Film Festival

Filmography

Films

• Crust (2001), Receptionist
• Living In Hope (2002), Ginny
• Anansi (2002), Carla
• 28 Days Later (2002), Selena
• Trauma (2004), Elisa
• After the Sunset (2004), Sophie
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006), Tia Dalma
• Miami Vice (2006), Det. Trudy Joplin
• A Cock and Bull Story (2006), Jennie
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Tia Dalma/Calypso
• Street Kings (2008), Linda Washington
• Explicit Ills (2008), Jill
• August (2008), Sarah
• Morris: A Life with Bells On (2009), Sonja
• Ninja Assassin (2009), Mika Coretti
• Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2009), Denise
• My Last Five Girlfriends (2009), Gemma
• The First Grader (2010), Jane Obinchu
• Skyfall (2012), Field Agent Eve

Television

• Simon and the Witch (1987–1988), Joyce
• Erasmus Microman (1989, 1 episode), Millie
• Runaway Bay (1992–1993), Shuku
• The Tomorrow People (1994–1995), Ami Jackson
• Trial & Retribution V (2002, miniseries), Tara Gray (part 2)
• White Teeth (2002, miniseries), Clara
• The Project (2002, miniseries), Maggie Dunn
• Dinotopia (2002–2003), Romana
• Poppy Shakespeare (2008), Poppy Shakespeare
• Small Island (2009), Hortense Roberts
• Blood and Oil (2009), Alice Omuka
• Accused (2010), Alison Wade

Video games

• Fable III (2010), Page

Theatre

• "Frankenstein" (2011), Elizabeth Lavenza

External links

• Naomie Harris at the Internet Movie Database
• 2002 interview with The Guardian Unlimited
• Naomie Harris talks 'The First Grader'

Preceded by Olga Kurylenko

Bond girl 2012

Succeeded by Incumbent