Thandiwe Newton: Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}

{{Infobox person

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=UK|size=100%|OBE}}

| image = Thandie Newton by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg

| birth_name = Melanie Thandiwe Newton

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|11|6|df=y}}

| other_names = Thandie Newton

| occupation = Actress

| years_active = 1989–present

| spouse = {{marriage|[[Ol Parker]]<br />|1998|2022|end=separated}}

}}

 

 

Melanie Thandiwe Newton was born in the [[Westminster]] area of [[London]] on 6 November 1972, the daughter of [[Zimbabwe]]an mother Nyasha Jombe and English father Nick Newton.<ref name= "vogue">{{cite magazine| last= Evans| first=Diana| date= 4 April 2021|title="I'm Taking Back What's Mine": The Many Lives of Thandiwe Newton| url= https://www.vogue.co.uk/news/article/thandiwe-newton-interview| magazine= Vogue|access-date=2 September 2022}}</ref><ref name="aalbc">{{cite web| url=https://aalbc.com/reviews/thandie_newton.htm|website=aalbc.com|title=Thandie Newton|access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref> Her mother was a member of a [[Shona people|Shona]] [[Tribal chief|chieftaincy family]],<ref name= "vogue" /><ref name="aalbc" /> while her father worked as a laboratory technician and artist.<ref>Barton, Laura; [https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/may/28/water.usa "'I was so incredibly self-conscious'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904011606/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/may/28/water.usa |date=4 September 2017 }} ''The Guardian'', 28 May 2008.</ref> 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.<ref name="BBC-040608"/><ref name= "Ind311008">Lewis, Sian; [https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/thandie-newton-condi-was-my-hardest-role-ever-979864.html "Thandie Newton: 'Condi was my hardest role ever'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120429041928/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/thandie-newton-condi-was-my-hardest-role-ever-979864.html |date=29 April 2012 }} ''Independent.co.uk'', 31 October 2008.</ref> This has led her birthplace to be incorrectly reported as Zambia in some sources,<ref name="Yah!M">[https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800018708/bio "Thandie Newton Biography"] {{Webarchive| url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160121185952/https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800018708/bio/ |date=21 January 2016 }} ''Yahoo! Movies''.</ref> but she has confirmed in interviews that she was born in Westminster.<ref name="KamW-240308">Williams, Kam; [http://www.kamwilliams.com/2008/03/thandie-newton-run-fatboy-run-interview.html "Sweet as Thandie"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720144105/http://www.kamwilliams.com/2008/03/thandie-newton-run-fatboy-run-interview.html |date=20 July 2008 }} ''KamWilliams.com'', 24 March 2008.</ref><ref name="Gonda">{{cite web |url=https://mg.co.za/africa/2021-07-01-thandiwe-newton-on-reclaiming-her-identity/ |title=Thandiwe Newton on reclaiming her identity |last=Gonda |first=Violet |date=1 Jul 2021 |access-date=2 October 2022 |quote=}}</ref> "Thandiwe" is a name of [[Nguni languages|Nguni]] origin and means "beloved".<ref>{{cite book| last= Simelane Kalumba| first=Phumzile| year=2018|title=Jublani Means Rejoice: A Dictionary of South African Names |edition=2nd|publisher=Modjaji|page=289|isbn=978-1-928215-49-3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last= Campbell| first=Lucy|date=5 April 2021| url= https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/apr/05/actor-thandiwe-newton-reclaims-original-spelling-of-her-name|title=Actor Thandiwe Newton reclaims original spelling of her name| work=The Guardian|access-date=5 April 2021|quote=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'.}}</ref>

 

 

==Career==

[[File:ThandieNewton07TIFF.jpg|thumb|left|150px|upright|Newton in 2007]]

 

Newton made her film debut in the [[coming of age]] comedy-drama ''[[Flirting (film)|Flirting]]'' (1991), filmed in 1989 but shelved for two years. She was credited as "Thandie Newton" and subsequently continued to use this name professionally.<ref name= "vogue"/><ref name="Gonda"/> She then portrayed the slave "Yvette" in the [[Brad Pitt]] and [[Tom Cruise]] film ''[[Interview with the Vampire (film)|Interview with the Vampire]]'' (1994). Newton appeared in the [[Merchant Ivory]] production of ''[[Jefferson in Paris]]'' as [[Sally Hemings]]. Next, she played in [[Jonathan Demme]]'s drama ''[[Beloved (1998 film)|Beloved]]'' (1998), based on [[Toni Morrison]]'s novel, in which she played the title character, the ghost of a young slave girl whose mother kills her to save her from slavery. The film also starred [[Oprah Winfrey]] and [[Danny Glover]]. Newton starred as Nyah Nordoff-Hall, again opposite Cruise, in ''[[Mission: Impossible 2]]''. Her next role was in the low-budget film ''[[It Was an Accident]]'', written by her husband, screenwriter [[Ol Parker]].<ref>Thandie's Mission, ''[[Evening Standard]]'', she also starred in the [[Guy Ritchie]] film ''[[Rock n' Rolla]]'' as a michievous accountant. 22 July 2005. Quote: "...but turned down the [[Lucy Liu]] role in ''Charlie's Angels'' in favour of making ''It Was An Accident'', a minor film by her scriptwriter husband [[Ol Parker]]."</ref>

[[File:Thandie Newton 2, 2010.jpg|thumb|right|170px|Newton in 2010]]

 

 

 

From 2016 to 2022, Newton portrayed Maeve Millay in [[HBO]] science fiction drama series ''[[Westworld (TV Series)|Westworld]]'', for which she garnered universal acclaim. She received several accolades, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series]] (out of three nominations), two [[Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series|Critics’ Choice Awards]], and nominations for a [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film|Golden Globe]] and [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series|Screen Actors Guild Award]]. James White for ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' lauded Newton's performance, saying: "Thandie Newton is killing these emotional moments, giving Maeve a twitchy, panicked air without ever overplaying it and really helping us to feel for her." <ref>{{cite web|title= Westworld: Season 1, Episode 4 – Dissonance Theory Review |url=https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/westworld-season-1-episode-4-dissonance-theory-review/ |last=White |first=James |website=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |date=October 23, 2016 |access-date=February 12, 2023}}</ref> William Goodman for ''[[Complex Networks|Complex]]'' wrote: "Westworld becomes the Thandie Newton show, which benefits everyone involved; she’s consistently electric, and the series gives her no shortage of fun things to do."<ref>{{cite web|title= 'Westworld' Bounces Back With Season 4 |url=https://amp.www.complex.com/pop-culture/westworld-season-four-review |last=Goodman |first=William |website=[[Complex Networks|Complex]] |date=June 24, 2022 |access-date=February 12, 2023}}</ref>

 

Newton appeared as Val in the ''[[Star Wars]]'' film ''[[Solo: A Star Wars Story]]'', which was released in May 2018 to generally favorable reviews but bombed at the box office with a worldwide gross of $393.2 million.<ref>{{cite the numbers|id=Solo-A-Star-Wars-Story|title=Solo: A Star Wars Story|access-date=February 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224000407/https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Solo-A-Star-Wars-Story|archive-date=February 24, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Newton became the first black woman to have a major non-alien role in a ''Star Wars'' film; however, she expressed disappointment in the role as the fate of the character was changed during filming and found it to be a mistake for the franchise in the sense of what it meant for black women in the franchise.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/thandiwe-newton-interview-reminiscence-star-wars-westworld |title=Thandiwe Newton Speaks Out on Her Star Wars Death: 'A Big Mistake' |last=Feldberg |first=Isaac |date=August 25, 2021 |access-date=February 13, 2023 |website=[[Inverse (website)|Inverse]]}}</ref> Additionally, Scott Mendelson for ''[[Forbes]]'' felt that Newton was "underutilized" and [[David Edelstein]] for ''[[Vulture (magazine)|Vulture]]'' wrote in praise of her performance: "The only thing wrong with Thandie Newton’s performance is that there’s not enough of it."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2018/05/15/solo-review-a-star-wars-story-that-plays-like-an-indiana-jones-movie/amp/ |title='Solo' Review: A 'Star Wars' Story That Plays Like An 'Indiana Jones' Movie |date=May 15, 2018 |last=Mendelson |first=Scott |access-date= February 13, 2023 |website=[[Forbes]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/05/solo-a-star-wars-story-review.html |title=Solo: A Star Wars Story Hits All Its Marks — Except for the Most Important One |date=May 24, 2018 |last=Edelstein |first=David |access-date= February 13, 2023 |website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]]}}</ref>

 

 

==Charity work==

 

==Personal life==

 

Newton is a [[veganism|vegan]] and was named [[PETA]]'s "Sexiest Vegan of 2014" in the UK.<ref>{{cite news |title=Thandie Newton named PETA's sexiest vegan |url=http://www.torontosun.com/2014/12/23/thandie-newton-names-petas-sexiest-vegan |newspaper=[[Toronto Sun]] |date=23 December 2014 |access-date=19 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402142257/http://www.torontosun.com/2014/12/23/thandie-newton-names-petas-sexiest-vegan |archive-date=2 April 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2007, after [[Greenpeace]] members put a sticker that said "this gas-guzzling 4x4 is causing climate change" on the [[BMW X5]] she had only recently purchased, she sold the car and bought a [[Toyota Prius]].<ref name="Scots4">{{cite news |last=McLean |first=Craig |url=http://living.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=19422007 |title=Telling it like it is |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012212703/http://living.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=19422007 |archive-date=12 October 2007 |work=[[The Scotsman]] |date=7 January 2007 }}</ref> She has expressed an affinity for [[Buddhism]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tricycle.com/blog/buddha-buzz-mindfulness-and-being-buddhist-woman |title=Buddha Buzz: Mindfulness and Being a Buddhist Woman |access-date=15 June 2012 |publisher=[[Tricycle: The Buddhist Review]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617181718/http://www.tricycle.com/blog/buddha-buzz-mindfulness-and-being-buddhist-woman |archive-date=17 June 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pittsburghurbanmedia.com/A-Body-in-Motion--Thandie-Newton-The-For-Colored-Girls-Interview-/ |title=A Body in Motion: The ''For Colored Girls'' Interview with Kam Williams |access-date=15 June 2012 |publisher=Pittsburgh Urban Media |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014173038/http://www.pittsburghurbanmedia.com/A-Body-in-Motion--Thandie-Newton-The-For-Colored-Girls-Interview-/ |archive-date=14 October 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[David Schwimmer]], who directed ''[[Run Fatboy Run]]'', called her "the queen of [[practical joke]]s" for her behaviour on film sets.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6977643.stm |title=Actress Newton admits to pranks |work=[[BBC News Online]] |date=4 September 2007 |access-date=13 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203111436/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6977643.stm |archive-date=3 February 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>

 

 

 

===Film===

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

|rowspan=2| 1994

| Zita

|

| ''[[Besieged (film)|Besieged]]''

| Shandurai

|-

| ''[[Beloved (1998 film)|Beloved]]''

| Beloved

|-

|rowspan=2| 2000

| ''[[Mission: Impossible 2]]''

| Nyah Nordoff-Hall

|-

| ''[[It Was an Accident]]''

| ''[[The Truth About Charlie]]''

| Regina Lambert

|-

| 2003

| ''[[Crash (2004 film)|Crash]]''

| Christine Thayer

|-

| 2006

| ''[[The Pursuit of Happyness]]''

| Linda

|-

|rowspan=2| 2007

| ''[[For Colored Girls]]''

| Tangie Adrose

|-

| 2011

| ''Pirate Prince''

| Becky Newton

|-

| 1997

| ''In Your Dreams''

| Clare

|-

| 2003–2009

| ''[[ER (TV series)|ER]]''

| Makemba "Kem" Likasu

|-

| 2006

| ''[[Rogue (TV series)|Rogue]]''

| Grace Travis

|-

| 2015

| ''[[NBC's The Slap|The Slap]]''

| Aisha

|-

| 2016–2022

| ''[[Westworld (TV series)|Westworld]]''

| [[Maeve Millay]]

|-

| 2017

| ''[[Line of Duty]]''

| DCI Roseanne "Roz" Huntley

|-

| 2018

| 2020

| ''[[RuPaul's Drag Race]]''

|-

| 2022–2023

| Mona the Hormone Monstress (voice)

| Recurring role

|}

 

{| class="wikitable"

!Year

!Song

!{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

|-

|2017

|}

 

==References==