Zawe Ashton is a notable English Actress. Ashton comes from a prestigious family with her mother’s father, Paulo Muwanga, being a former president of the African country, Uganda. Zawe Ashton was born in London, England which is also where she spent most of her life. Her career in acting started early on when she was still a child. By the time she was six years old, she was already part of England’s National Youth Theatre. Her first professional work as an actress happened when she was 11 on the sitcom Game On. She would then go on to Manchester Metropolitan University where she gained a degree in acting.
Ashton’s career as an actress is not limited to just TV and films. She is also prominent in the theatre scene in her home country. This was where her career as an adult started before she branched off into film. Some of the plays she has worked on are Othello, Salome, The Children’s Monologues and Betrayal. Zawe Ashton’s work in entertainment extends beyond acting. She is also a writer and a narrator. In this article, we cover some of her top performances in both TV shows and Movies.
Fresh Meat (2011-2016)
This is arguably Zawe Ashton’s most popular performance. Fresh Meat is a comedy TV show, that follows the lives of 6 people – 5 of whom are students at Medlock University. On the show, Ashton plays Violet Nordstrom, a literature student who comes from a military family. She is the lead character, who is also the life of the party and a carefree person who lives by anti-establishment values. Throughout the series, we see her overcome some difficulties and insecurities. After a scare on the state of her life, she emerges as a well-rounded adult who is ready to take on the world.
The Marvels (2023)
In her latest performance, Zawe Ashton is Dar-Benn. She plays a Krull Accuser who is seeking to avenge her people after the havoc wreaked by Captain Marvel on their Artificial Intelligence governing body, Supreme Intelligence. Her addition to the cast was announced in 2021. Ashton had previously tried to work with the film’s producer, Nia DaCosta, in the past and had hoped the two would collaborate on an indie film. However, in 2021, DaCosta offered her a place in the film and the MCU at large.
Not Safe For Work (2015)
In Not Safe For Work, Ashton is Katherine a civil servant who has to uproot her life in London and move to the more remote Northampton. The show might be a comedy but it packs a heavy punch with its themes. As viewers observe, it becomes harder to not see themselves reflected in the life of Ashton’s character as she grapples with different kinds of insecurities that are rooted in systematic failings, particularly for millennials.
Mr. Malcolm’s List (2022)
Zawe Ashton is Julia Thistlewaite in the 2022 film, Mr. Malcom’s List. This period film is comedic in its observations of the Regency era and is based on a novel by Suzanne Allain. Ashton’s character has been shunned by the most eligible bachelor in society and she finds out it is because she did not meet the things on his list for a potential wife. She then sets out to enact revenge on him by making her cousin, Selina Dalton, the perfect bride for him. Such that when Mr. Malcolm falls in love with Dalton, she can break his heart on her behalf. But her plans are foiled.
Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)
In the black-comedy film Velvet Buzzsaw, Asthon plays Josephine. It is her character that sets off a lot of the activities that happen in the film. After she discovers the paintings of a dead neighbour, Josephine introduces them to her friends who are a curator and an art critic and all three decide to sell them. By the end of the film, it is discovered that the paintings hold a lot of significance and all the people directly involved in its sale and distribution die mysteriously. The film features a somewhat ensemble cast of Jake Gyllenhaal, Toni Collette, Rene Russo, Tom Sturridge and John Malkovich
Dreams of a Life (2011)
This is one of earlier film performances in Zawe Ashton’s career. The 2011 film Dreams of a Life, tells the story of a woman’s life after her remains were discovered in her apartment, two years after she had died. The film is a drama-documentary and Ashton played the lead role of Joyce Carol Vincent.
Follow Us
