аÄÃÅ¿ª½±½á¹û

Thandie_Newton_photo by_Gage_Skidmore-

Top 10 Facts about Thandiwe Newton

Thandiwe means beloved in Nguni. Originally and officially known as Thandie but later changed her name to Thandiwe after 30 years in honor of her African heritage. An award-winning actress, a mother of 3, and an atheist and vegan, here are the top 10 Facts about Thandiwe Newton.

1. Her mother was from the Shona tribe of Zimbabwe

Thandiwe was born in Westminster, London, United Kingdom on 6 November 1972. She is one of two children born to British and Zimbabwean parents. Her father, Nick Newton, British, was a laboratory technician and artist. Her mother, a Zimbabwean from the Shona tribe, was a healthcare worker.

She has a younger brother named Jamie Newton. Unfortunately, not much is known about him. When she was three years old her parents moved from Zambia back to Penzance, Cornwall due to political unrest.

2. Her dream was to be a dancer

At the age of 11, she joined London’s Art Educational School to study modern dance. Unfortunately, she was forced to quit due to a back injury. Though a setback, this opened the opportunity to audition for films.

Her first audition was for a role in John Duigan’s Flirting alongside actress Nicole Kidman. Though the movie was a success, her career did not pick up as she desired, forcing her to focus on something else. She joined Cambridge University to study anthropology. While still schooling, she would continue actively looking for acting engagements between semesters. Fortunately, she started getting noticed and opportunities opened up.

3. She has acted in several movies

Thandie_Newton photo by Sean Reynolds-

 In 1994, she landed a supporting role in Interview with The Vampire appearing with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. In 1995, she played Sally Hemings in Jefferson in Paris.

In 1998 she was cast in Jonathan Demme’s Beloved alongside co-stars Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover. Her career ascended when she reteamed with Tom Cruise in the film Mission: Impossible II. She was the female lead, Nyah Hall.

 In 2002 she starred in Jonathon Demme’s The Truth About Charlie alongside Mark Wahlberg. In 2004 she played the wife of Terrence Howard’s director in the Oscar-winning film Crash.

This role earned the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award. In 2006, she played Chris Gardner’s wife, Linda Gardner in The Pursuit of Happiness. She played as wife to Dr. John Carter on the American series ER. 

In 2007, she played alongside Eddie Murphy in the comedy Norbit as his romantic interest. In 2008 she played Condoleezza Rice in Oliver Stone’s film biography of President George W. Bush.

She played Maeve Millay in Westworld. She was applauded for her role and this earned her several Emmy nominations. In 2018, alongside Kit Harington and Natalie Portman, she played in the drama film The Death and Life of John F. Donovan.

4. She has three children

 Thandiwe is married to Ol Parker, director, writer, and producer. They have three children: a son and two daughters. Thandiwe is 49 years old while her husband is 53 years.

Her oldest child Ripley was born in December 2000. She is a writer, and her series, The F**k It Bucket, will be featured on Netflix.

Her second daughter Nico was born in December 2004. She has begun her acting career and is being cast in major projects. Alongside her mom, she has appeared in the film Reminiscence. Their last child Booker Jobe Parker, was born in 2014. Interestingly she delivered all her children naturally via a birthing pool. 

5. She has a net worth of $ 14 million.

Thandie_Newton photo_by_Gage_Skidmore –

 Thandiwe’s net worth is approximately $ 14 million. Her annual income is approximately $2- $3 million. Her primary income sources are shows, Series, Films, and brand collaborations. After the first season of Westworld, her salary was increased to $250,000 per episode. It is estimated that during the first season of Westworld she earned $100,000 per episode.

6. She has won several awards

Some of the awards and nominations she has received include; In 2017 and 2020 she was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards for an outstanding supporting actress in the drama series Westworld. In 2020 she was awarded best-supporting actress playing Maeve Millay in the drama series Westworld. 

In 2006 BAFTA awarded her best performance by an actress in a supporting role in the film Crash. In 2018 BAFTA awarded her Best Leading Actress in the film Line of duty. 

She has also been nominated three times for the Golden Globe award and was awarded twice for being the best drama Supporting Actress. In 2019, she was appointed an officer of the order of the British Empire for her service and contributions to film and charity during the Queen’s New Year’s Honours.

7. She has rejected to appear in the movie Charlies Angels

In 2000 Thandiwe turned down a role to play in Charlie’s Angels due to comments remarked by Amy Pascal, a Sony studio executive, making her feel objectified. She recollects the conversation uttered by the director that the “first shot” of her would show her butt in tight denim jeans. She said, “Oh, I don’t think we’re going to go down this road together”. Lucy Liu got the part Thandiwe had turned down.

8. She has faced sexual harassment in her career

 At age 16, Director John Duigan who was 39 years old at the time groomed her as she starred alongside actress Nicole Kidman in the film Flirting. 

She claims he took advantage of her innocence and vulnerability during her teens. The six-year affair with John Duigan left her feeling suicidal. She had not shared this with anyone till later. Thandiwe has since gone through therapy to deal with the trauma the relationship left on her.

At 18 an unnamed director asked her to touch her tits on camera and think of a guy making love to her in the scene.

Though it was weird she was comfortable doing this because there was a female casting director present. Years later she was informed that the unnamed director was showing the audition tape to his friends after poker games at his house.

9. She has dealt with racism in her work environment

Thandie_Newton_&_Rodrigo_Santoro_photo by Gage Skidmore-

On so many occasions Thandiwe has encountered racism in her acting journey. She accuses Amy Pascal, a Sony studio executive, in Charlie’s Angels of pushing her to turn the said character into a Black stereotype to be more believable and convincing.

She quotes the film director saying, “Maybe there could be a scene where you’re in a bar and she gets up on a table and starts shaking her booty”.

10. She was diagnosed with Bulimia

 The sexual and racism trauma contributed to her anxieties, leading her to develop Bulimia, a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder. In 1996, while acting in the film Gridlock, she is reported to have been so thin that she had to get therapy. To date, she is yet to overcome these traumas, and many times she has breakdowns.