Gugu Mbatha-Raw, celebrated for her artistic choices and social advocacy, shares her journey as a performer and producer. Early in her career, she was advised to change her name for easier pronunciation, which she refused, valuing the meaning of 'Our Pride' in Zulu. Now an MBE and UN Ambassador, she challenges cultural complacency, believing in the importance of diverse representation. In her current project Surface, she takes on the executive producer role, allowing her deeper involvement in storytelling that navigates complex themes like identity, trust, and trauma from a female perspective.
"I declined a strong choice for a young actor. I like my name. Besides, it means 'Our Pride' in Zulu. To change that would be the antithesis of its meaning."
"I wonder if this says something about the west's complacency regarding the achievements of those with ethnic roots elsewhere. Doesn't middle England relate more easily to names that reflect their own?"
"I think it's OK for people to be challenged. To reach outside their culture and know that's not all there is. Yes, but do they? Well, you've got to give them the opportunity."
"Surface investigates identity, trust and trauma. The first series, set in San Francisco, offers an opportunity to tell a story from a female perspective."
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