Gugu Mbatha-Raw Quotes

I was born in the '80s, so I don't really remember it very strongly, but the music is so iconic. And so those artists - Madonna, Prince, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston - you still hear those songs all the time. And there's such a distinctive style - the clothes, the shoulder pads, the big hair, the perm.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Big, Iconic, Very, Madonna

The actors that inspire me are the comedians and the people able to shape-shift into different roles and into different media.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

People, Media, Roles, Different Roles

I see L.A. as a workplace rather than somewhere to live. If I don't get out, I go crazy. If you have a little success, people treat you differently, so it's good to keep a healthy perspective. It's acting, not rocket science.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Treat, Rocket, Rather, Rocket Science

I didn't really grow up on hip-hop. Ella Fitzgerald and the old school jazz divas are more my comfort zone.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Grow, Old, Ella Fitzgerald, Comfort Zone

I played Dorothy in 'The Wizard of Oz.' That was my first role on stage.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Stage, Role, Wizard, Wizard Of Oz

I like to choose things that fit my body for sure; you learn to find the things that complement your shape.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Like, Shape, Sure, Complement

I like the collarbone, a very clean collarbone. I think there's something also very delicate and balletic about that part of a woman's body, and I'm not really a cleavage person, but I do like a back or a shoulder; I think there's something very alluring about backless dresses.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Delicate, Very, Alluring, Shoulder

Sometimes you can't fight change, because you're a part of it, and I feel that in the context of these films that are happening now, there is a kind of change coming in terms of how history is represented on film, and the African, and the African-American and British African experience.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Sometimes, Feel, Part, Context

Different fragrances promote different emotions, and I find that fragrance gets me in the frame of mind for that person.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Mind, Emotions, Gets, Different Emotions

If you're an artist, it's great to have a knowledge of the business and be educated about that, but you've got to keep the balance right between business and artistry; otherwise, you get cynical.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Business, Artist, Otherwise, Cynical

I've always sung. I was really into musical theater when I was growing up. As a kid, I listened to Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone, actually, on cassette tapes.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Always, Tapes, Musical, Cassette

I was always the one leading the way in terms of wanting to do acting, singing and dancing. I was lucky that my mother had a very well-adjusted perspective of the world and never pressured me to do anything I didn't want to do.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Dancing, Lucky, Always, Well-Adjusted

I don't really want to just play the girlfriend or the love interest. I get so many scripts like that, and - not to moan, because I'm really fortunate - but I just look at those scripts, and my heart sinks a little bit because I think there's so much more to us than that.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Love, Play, I Think, Scripts

I definitely grew up to Nina Simone and a lot of Ella Fitzgerald. And I loved Amy Winehouse. I loved that sort of soulful singer.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Singer, Ella Fitzgerald, Ella

I spent a chunk of time in New Orleans doing the movie 'Free State Of Jones,' getting to work with Matthew McConaughey, and also did 'Concussion,' where I got to work with Will Smith.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Doing, Movie, Smith, New Orleans

My personal style is somewhat androgynous and simple. With my lifestyle, I've become more of a minimalist.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Personal, More, Minimalist, Androgynous

Corsets were a challenge in 'Belle;' fake nails tripped me up in 'Blackbird.' Guess I'm not a mani type of girl!

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Girl, Nails, Type, Belle

In terms of 'Beyond the Lights' and 'Belle,' they're definitely stories about identity. They're female empowerment stories. So I'm exploring that through my work.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Work, Through, Stories, Belle

I was so thrilled to be in 'Doctor Who.' It's such a wonderful experience, and the fan base that that show has never fails to surprise me.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Surprise, Wonderful, Show, Fan Base

The 'Pride and Prejudice' with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle was something I watched on a weekly basis with my mum at home in Oxfordshire.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Colin, Jennifer, Mum, Pride And Prejudice

I'm a very improvisational cook. I sort of like to make things up as I go along. I'm quite creative in the kitchen.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Cook, Like, Very, Kitchen

I feel like my work has been incredibly diverse.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Like, Been, Incredibly, Diverse

For me, I try and be authentic in my choices and follow my instincts, and I think it's a valuable message for women in today's society to learn to love yourself.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Love, Think, I Think, Instincts

That's the wonderful thing about acting - you play a role. It's about humanity, rather than labeling.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Play, Role, Rather, Labeling

At home I wear my own clothes, no makeup and don't do anything exciting with my hair. I get to borrow pretty dresses for the red carpet and have experts do my hair and makeup.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Makeup, Pretty, My Own, Red Carpet

Everyone says to you, 'if you play Ophelia, you'll end up crazy,' but we're all somewhere on the spectrum of mental health, and I think that if you approach it that way it's not such an intimidating issue.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Play, Mental, I Think, Intimidating

From the age of four, I loved ballet and tap. I was in the school band, the choir, and all my school plays.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Tap, Plays, School Plays, Choir

It's odd doing a movie, and then a year and half later having to go to a premiere and talk about what you did, and get dressed up and have your picture taken.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Doing, Half, Having, Odd

I am an only child, so I relate to the intensity of that single-parent, mother-daughter relationship.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

I Am, Intensity, Relate, Only Child

I do a lot of yoga, and when I'm in L.A., I have an outdoorsy sort of lifestyle. It's sort of comfortable, West Coast, yoga chic.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

West Coast, Yoga, Sort, Lifestyle

This is going to sound really sad, but I didn't really have any heartthrobs when I was growing up. I was a bit of a geek.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Sound, Going, Bit, Geek

This is what I've always wanted to do ever since I was a little girl. Coming from dance and theater and what was accessible to me in my hometown, it was all I did after school and on the weekends. The idea of making my hobby into my job was the ultimate quest.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Idea, Weekends, Accessible, Hobby

One of my favourite places is Hampstead Heath. When I first moved to London, I lived in Highgate, and I would walk on the Heath at the weekends and go to the Kenwood House coffee shop.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

London, Weekends, Shop, Heath

For film, I think because it's more detailed, and especially with historical material, you really have to find the right projects. Speaking as a mixed-race woman, there aren't many historical stories about people like me. When people think of 'dual heritage,' they think it's a modern concept, but really it's not.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Woman, I Think, Projects, Dual

Watching and learning from the great Josette Bushell-Mingo, who was playing Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra at the time, and then to return to the same stage six months later playing a lead role, was incredible - I fell in love with the poetry and the breadth of the language so much that I didn't want it to end.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Love, Role, Breadth, Cleopatra

I like being free to take on any project that inspires me and to trust that the work will speak for itself.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Trust, Will, Like, Inspires

I never wanted to be like anyone growing up. It's always been about the enjoyment, and I've just never wanted to imitate anyone.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Always, Like, Been, Imitate

When you become a slave to a public persona and don't feel comfortable without it, it becomes a shield, and it shouldn't come at the expense of your self-worth.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Feel, Shield, Persona, Self-Worth

You've got to find a way to relate to people. I just did an improvised episode for Joe Swanberg's new Netflix show, 'Easy,' and it was a huge learning curve for me and taught me so much about fear and courage. But when you're present in the moment, the audience, it's incomparable.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Show, Curve, Joe, Incomparable

I think there are parts of myself in every character I play.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Character, Play, Think, Parts

I try not to define myself. Other people are going to do that for you anyway.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Myself, Other, Going, Anyway

I just love performing so much, and I threw myself into every musical theater production that was going in my home town and at school. And then, I went to the National Youth Music Theatre, which was really a galvanizing experience for me when I was 17.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Love, Experience, Production, Home Town

In 2009, I was living in London and getting work I enjoyed.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

London, Living, Getting, Enjoyed

Because of my job, my hair gets played with a lot on set, so I try to give it little bit of breathing space when I'm not working.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Give, Breathing, Set, Played

When I was nine, 'The Borrowers' was such a big series for me!

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Big, Nine, Series, Borrowers

Speaking as a mixed-race woman, there aren't many historical stories about people like me.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Woman, Speaking, Stories, Historical

I'm interested in playing lots of different complex women.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Lots, Playing, Interested, Complex

I enjoy classics, but classics are classics for a reason. I prefer to focus on the future. There are a lot of new stories to be heard.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Reason, New, Lot, Classics

I love to go hiking. There's a lot of concrete in L.A., and I come from the Shires, so it's important for me to get back in touch with nature.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Love, Nature, Concrete, Hiking

I feel like I learn in every project.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Learn, Feel, Like, Project

I think being biracial is a different experience. I think that, and coming from the U.K., I feel as much white as I do black. And so it's really important for me to address these issues of identity in my work. But also, you know, we're always stronger when we work on, you know, what we have in common. And I love exploring that in my work.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Love, Feel, I Think, Address

When I'm not working, I'm really, really low key. I don't wear makeup unless I have to; I don't get my hair done unless I really need to.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Done, Need, Wear, Makeup

You have to be able to appreciate who you are.

- Gugu Mbatha-Raw

You, Able, Who, Appreciate

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