Born to British celebrities, Nico Parker has always had the spotlight on her. The youngest of two daughters born to her parents, Parker is the spitting image of her mother who is a popular British actress. Though she still has a long way to go before she attains her mother’s level of success, Parker is earnestly following in her mother’s footsteps and has already achieved significant success.
Nico Parker may be in the budding stage of her acting career but her filmography is a growing combination of projects that matter. She is known for her stellar performances in silver screen projects such as Dumbo (2019) and Reminiscence (2021). On the small screen, Parker notably appeared in The Last of Us (2023). With things looking up for her burgeoning career, the young actress has more projects in the works.
1. Nico Parker Is The Youngest Daughter Of Thandiwe Newton and Ol Parker
Delivered through a home birth on December 9, 2004, Nico Parker was born to her father, Oliver Parker, and mother, Thandiwe Newton. Far from being an only child, Parker shared her childhood with an older sister, Ripley Parker, and a younger brother, Booker Parker. Parker’s father is an English director, producer, and screenwriter known for his directorial effort in the 2018 musical film Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Nico Parker’s mother is a highly celebrated British actress. Growing up as Thandiwe Newton and Ol Parker’s daughter exposed Parker to the glitz and glam of the entertainment industry.
A Tring Park School for the Performing Arts alum, Newton made her professional acting debut in the movie Flirting (1991) which she began filming in 1989. She gradually rose through the ranks and attained a spot among the best in the industry. At the budding stage of her career, Newton gained recognition for her role as the title character in Beloved (1998). She is also popular for portraying Nyah Nordoff-Hall in Mission: Impossible 2 (2000), Dame Vaako in The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), Linda in The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), and Val in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) to mention a few. Newton has been nominated for and won many prestigious awards in the industry. To celebrate her services to film and charity, Newton was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 New Year Honours.
2. Her Maternal Grandmother Was From Zimbabwe
Nico Parker is originally from Kensal Rise, North West London, however, her roots go deeper than that. Parker got her African heritage from her mother, Thandiwe Newton who was born to Nyasha Jombe, a Zimbabwean woman, and an English father named Nick Newton. Parker’s maternal grandmother was a member of a Shona chieftaincy family and lived in Zambia with her husband most of the time. Jombe had her son in Zambia but Newton was born when the family traveled to England to visit relatives.
3. Nico Parker Made Her Professional Acting Debut in 2019
Nico Parker hit the ground running when she earned widespread recognition with her debut film role. She was introduced to the big screen as Milly Farrier in the Tim Burton-directed film, Dumbo (2019). Her next role came on the small screen in 2020 when she was cast as Ellie in The Third Day (2020). She appeared in three episodes of the HBO miniseries. Parker collaborated with her mother in Reminiscence (2021), appearing as Zoe alongside Hugh Jackman and Rebecca Ferguson. Parker’s older sister, Ripley Parker also works in the entertainment industry but she prefers to stay behind the cameras. Ripley is a writer and producer known for The Fuck It Bucket and Lies We Sing to the Sea.
4. She Portrayed Sarah Miller In The Last of Us
2023 ushered in a wider recognition for Nico Parker with her role in the HBO adaptation of The Last of Us. She made a guest appearance as Sarah Miller in two episodes of the American post-apocalyptic television series alongside Pedro Pascal. Her role was widely lauded by critics who unanimously agree that her performance immensely contributed to the success of the series premiere. Within her first five years in the industry, Parker was named a Bright Young Thing by Tatler in 2023.
5. Nico Parker Was Cast To Play Astrid In The Remake Of How to Train Your Dragon
The young actress has not shown any sign of slowing down since her acting career took off in 2019. Nico Parker has a few projects in the pipeline, including the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon. She was cast to play Astrid Hofferson in May 2023 and the film is scheduled for a 2025 release. Parker is also part of the cast of Suncoast in a currently unspecified role.
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