Ruth Negga
Ruth Negga | |
|---|---|
 Negga at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con International | |
| Born | 7 January 1982 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| Nationality |  Ireland,  Ethiopia |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Dublin (B.A.) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2004–present |
Ruth Negga (/ˈneɪɡə/; born 7 January 1982) is an Ethiopian-Irish actress who has appeared in the films Capital Letters (2004) (also released as Trafficked in some countries), Isolation (2005), Breakfast on Pluto (2005), Warcraft and Loving (both 2016). She has also played roles in television, such as in the BBC's mini-series Criminal Justice, RTÉ's Love/Hate, E4's Misfits, and ABC's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. In 2016 she began a starring role as Tulip O'Hare in AMC's Preacher.
Early life
Negga was born in 1982 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to an Irish mother, Norra, and an Ethiopian father, Dr. Negga, and lived in the country until she was four. She is an only child, but has a large family on her mother's side. Her father died in a car accident when she was seven.[1] Raised in Limerick, Ireland, she has lived in London since 2006.[2][3][4]
Negga studied at the Samuel Beckett Centre at Trinity College, Dublin,[5] graduating with a BA in Acting Studies.[1]
Career
Negga made her screen debut in the Irish film Capital Letters (2004), playing the lead role of Taiwo. She went on to play the lead role of Mary in Isolation the following year. Prior to this she had been working mostly in theatre.[5]
After seeing Negga act, director Neil Jordan changed the script to Breakfast on Pluto so that she could appear in the movie.[1] She has also starred in Colour Me Kubrick (2005), with John Malkovich, and the short films The Four Horsemen, 3-Minute 4-Play and Stars.
On television Negga has appeared in Doctors, Criminal Justice and the Irish series Love Is the Drug. She also played the lead role of Doris "Sid" Siddiqi in the BBC Three series Personal Affairs, alongside Laura Aikman, Annabel Scholey and Maimie McCoy.[6] Negga portrayed Rosie in the first two series of Love/Hate.[7] Negga also appeared as Dame Shirley Bassey in the BBC production Shirley in 2011, and won the IFTA Award for Best Actress (Television) for her performance.
Negga's theatre work includes roles in Duck, Titus Andronicus and Lay Me Down Softly.[8] As of 2007 she began working with the Irish theatrical group Pan Pan Theatre. In 2010, she played Ophelia in the National Theatre's production of Hamlet.
Negga has also provided voice acting in the video game Dark Souls II, playing Shanalotte, otherwise known as "the Emerald Herald". Shanalotte is a key character in the game, providing guidance to the player as well as permitting the player to develop their character in exchange for collected souls.
In 2013, it was announced that Negga had been booked for a recurring role as Raina on the American TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..[9][10] She appeared in 17 episodes of the programme.[7] In 2013, she appeared in Steve McQueen's Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave. In March 2015, Negga was cast in the role of Tulip O'Hare in AMC fantasy drama series Preacher, which debuted the following year.[11]
In 2016, Negga starred in Loving, which premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.[12] The film is based on the true story of the Lovings, a married interracial couple in 1950s and 1960s Virginia, whose relationship lead to the Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia. Negga received rave reviews for the role.[7]
Personal life
Negga has been dating and living with actor Dominic Cooper in London since 2010.[7][13]
Awards
Negga was nominated as 2003's Most Promising Newcomer at the Olivier Awards.[2] She was chosen as Ireland's Shooting Star for the 2006 Berlin Film Festival.[5]
Theatre
- Duck: Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh (2003)
- Phèdre: National Theatre London (2009)
- Hamlet: National Theatre London (2010/11)
- Playboy of the Western World: Old Vic Theatre London (2011)
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Doctors | Wanda Harrison | Episode: "The Replacement" |
| 2004 | Love is the Drug | Lisa Sheerin | 4 episodes |
| 2008 | Criminal Justice | Melanie Lloyd | 5 episodes |
| 2009 | Personal Affairs | Doris "Sid" Siddiqi | 5 episodes |
| 2010 | Five Daughters | Rochelle | 3 episodes |
| 2010–2011 | Love/Hate | Rosie | 8 episodes Nominated — Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Television |
| 2010 | Misfits | Nikki | 6 episodes Nominated — Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Television |
| 2010 | The Nativity | Leah | 4 episodes |
| 2011 | Shirley | Shirley Bassey | Television film Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actress in a Lead Role – Television |
| 2012 | Secret State | Agnes Evans | 4 episodes Nominated — Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Television |
| 2013–2015 | Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | Raina | 17 episodes Nominated — Irish Film & Television Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Television |
| 2016–present | Preacher | Tulip O'Hare |
Video games
| Year | Title | Voice role |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Dark Souls II | Shanalotte |
References
- ^ a b c Gutierrez, Jorge (2 December 2006). "Ruth Negga, a star without a label". Cafe Babel.com. Retrieved 18 May 2009.
- ^ a b Phil Hoad (8 January 2006). "Rising Star: Ruth Negga, actor". The Observer.
- ^ Alan Owens, "Ruth's star is on the rise with BBC", Limerick Leader, 20 August 2011.
- ^ http://www.irishtatler.com/tag/ruth-negga/
- ^ a b c Cineuropa – Interviews – Ruth Negga, Actress. Cineuropa.org.
- ^ "P.A.s cast have Secs Appeal on BBC Three". BBC Press Office. 2 June 2008.
- ^ a b c d Notaro, Vicki (23 May 2016). "How Oscar-tipped Ruth Negga's star has finally ascended..." Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ Company Members: Ruth Negga, National Theatre. April 2009.
- ^ "Jere Burns Upped On 'Justified', Michael Rispoli, Ruth Negga, Danielle Nicolet In Arcs". Deadline.com.
- ^ Declassifying Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Ep. 105: Girl in the Flower Dress. Marvel.com.
- ^ First Casting Announcement for AMC’s “Preacher”!
- ^ "Ruth Negga portrays civil rights activist Mildred Loving". Toronto Star, November 10, 2016, page E1.
- ^ McBride, Caitlin (8 June 2016). "Irish actress Ruth Negga and Dominic Cooper make rare public appearance at Warcraft premiere". Irish Independent. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
