Zimbabwean Britain based actor, Thandiwe Newton covers British Vogue's May 2021 issue. One of the most successful Black British actresses of her time, Newton is a Bafta-winning actor and the first woman of colour and Zimbabwean to play a prominent character in a Star Wars film. Despite all these achievements, she has never quite received the glory she deserves as a British national treasure and screen icon.
More than 20 years since Thandiwe was first interviewed by Diana Evans, the actor spoke to the writer again, this time about motherhood, being a persistent whistleblower on the subject of sexual violence and harassment, and returning to using the W of her birth name.
One of the industry’s engines of change, they discuss everything from battling an eating disorder that almost killed her – and what she would say to those suffering now – to how her activism now far outranks acting in order of importance.
Thandiwe Newton also speaks about how her career has developed over the years, and her changing relationship with her craft. “I find that acting takes more and more away from me,” she says, “because I’m more connected to myself than I’ve ever been, whereas before I was delighted to get an excuse to go off to another personality.” Nonetheless, with Hollywood knocking more loudly than ever, it seems likely that we will see the 48-year-old actor ascend to thespian darlinghood, starlit in maturity.
More than 20 years since Thandiwe was first interviewed by Diana Evans, the actor spoke to the writer again, this time about motherhood, being a persistent whistleblower on the subject of sexual violence and harassment, and returning to using the W of her birth name.
One of the industry’s engines of change, they discuss everything from battling an eating disorder that almost killed her – and what she would say to those suffering now – to how her activism now far outranks acting in order of importance.
Thandiwe Newton also speaks about how her career has developed over the years, and her changing relationship with her craft. “I find that acting takes more and more away from me,” she says, “because I’m more connected to myself than I’ve ever been, whereas before I was delighted to get an excuse to go off to another personality.” Nonetheless, with Hollywood knocking more loudly than ever, it seems likely that we will see the 48-year-old actor ascend to thespian darlinghood, starlit in maturity.
Over the course of a career that has spanned decades, Thandiwe Newton's roles have been varied and cross-genre, and gradually have become aligned with her political activism. "Wherever I position myself now, I don’t want to be part of the problem, I want to be part of the solution. I’m not for hire anymore. I’m not going to speak your story or say your words if I don’t feel they could’ve come from me,” the actor tells Diana Evans.@ThandieNewton stars on the May 2021 cover of British Vogue, wearing all @Fendi with a @TiffanyAndCo ring. Photographed by Mikael Jansson and styled by @Edward_Enninful. Read the interview with @DianaEvansOP in full: https://t.co/V1j9rq4BTf pic.twitter.com/zCdK1clwf5
— British Vogue (@BritishVogue) April 4, 2021