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Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Actor · Born April 21, 1983 (43) · Oxford, Oxfordshire, England UK

BAFTA Award nominee

Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha-Raw, MBE (/ˈɡuːɡuːəmˈbætərɔː/; born 21 April 1983) is a British actress. She began acting at the National Youth Music Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She gained acclaim for her roles as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Octavia in Anthony and Cleopatra in 2005 at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. She made her West End and Broadway debut, portraying Ophelia in Hamlet in 2009. For her role as the titular character in Jessica Swale's 2015 play Nell Gwynn, she received an Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress nomination. Her early television roles include  Doctor Who(2007), the NBC series Undercovers (2010), and FOX's Touch (2012). She had her breakthrough with the British period drama film Belle (2013), for which she won the BIFA for Best Actress. After roles in the films Beyond the Lights (2014) and Miss Sloane (2016), she co-starred in the Emmy Award-winning Black Mirror episode "San Junipero" (2016), for which she received acclaim. Her other film roles include Beauty and the Beast (2017), A Wrinkle in Time (2018), Motherless Brooklyn (2019), Misbehaviour (2020), and Summerland (2020). She has also acted in the Apple TV+ drama series The Morning Show (2019) and the Disney+ series Loki (2021–present). In 2017, Mbatha-Raw was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama. In February 2021, Mbatha-Raw was appointed a global Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Description above from the Wikipedia article Gugu Mbatha-Raw, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 21, 1983 (43)
From
Oxford, Oxfordshire, England UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
40 on MovieCove · 59 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 22% in 30 days

What are Gugu Mbatha-Raw's films like?

Across their 27 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
24%
Morality
24%
Self
23%
Survival
12%
Power
8%
Society
7%
Ideas
1%
Identity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose5 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 22 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 7 · Dark 10

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 14 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 10 · Intense 10

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 15 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 13 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 7 · Engaged 11 · Full focus 4

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 5 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 11

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 14 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

15 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 7 of 15 analyzed roles.

Hero
7 of 15
Ally
5 of 15
Herald
1 of 15
Shadow
1 of 15
Mentor
1 of 15
Show the 15 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
18
Melancholic
14
Hopeful
11
Dread
6
Bittersweet
6
Other
18

How their films linger

Hopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 13 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet17
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Gugu Mbatha-Raw's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 35 of their 40 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Gugu Mbatha-Raw's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

59 credits, 40 with a MovieCove page; 17 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Possession (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Show 5 episodes · Executive Producer · as Claudia

  • Fuze(2025)

    as Zuzana

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The War Between the Land and the Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 5 episodes · as Salt

  • The Woman in Cabin 10(2025)

    as Rowan

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Lift(2024)

    as Abby Gladwell

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Surface(2022)

    Show 16 episodes · Executive Producer · as Sophie Ellis · as Tess Caldwell / Sophie Ellis

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows

  • The Girl Before(2021)

    Show 4 episodes · Associate Producer · as Jane Cavendish

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Loki(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · as Judge Ravonna Renslayer · as Ravonna Renslayer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Come Away(2020)

    as Alice Littleton (Adult)

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Summerland(2020)

    as Vera

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Misbehaviour(2020)

    as Jennifer Hosten - Miss Grenada

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Morning Show(2019)

    Show 10 episodes · as Hannah Shoenfeld

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Motherless Brooklyn(2019)

    as Laura Rose

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance(2019)

    Show 9 episodes · as Seladon (voice)

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Fast Color(2018)

    as Ruth

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Farming(2018)

    as Ms. Dapo

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • A Wrinkle in Time(2018)

    as Dr. Kate Murry

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Irreplaceable You(2018)

    as Abbie

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Cloverfield Paradox(2018)

    as Ava Hamilton

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • After the Storm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Mother

  • Beauty and the Beast(2017)

    as Plumette

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Miss Sloane(2016)

    as Esme Manucharian

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Easy(2016)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sophie

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • Free State of Jones(2016)

    as Rachel

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Whole Truth(2016)

    as Janelle

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Concussion(2015)

    as Prema Mutiso

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Jupiter Ascending(2015)

    as Famulus

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Beyond the Lights(2014)

    as Noni Jean

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • 9 Kisses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Bride

  • Belle(2013)

    as Dido Elizabeth Belle

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Odd Thomas(2013)

    as Viola Peabody

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Touch(2012)

    Show 13 episodes · as Clea Hopkins

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Black Mirror(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Kelly Booth

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Larry Crowne(2011)

    as Talia

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Undercovers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 11 episodes · as Samantha Bloom

  • All My Dreams on VHS (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Erica

  • Act of God (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Rose

  • Lost in Austen(2008)

    Show 2 episodes · as Pirhana

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Bonekickers(2008)

    Show 6 episodes · as Viv Davis

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all shows

  • Fallout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Shanice Roberts

  • Walk Away and I Stumble(2005)

    as Nurse

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Closure(2007)

    as Young PA

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Dead Clever: The Life and Crimes of Julie Bottomley(2007)

    as Jessica

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Born Equal(2006)

    as Girl at King's Cross Station

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Rachael Ray (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Viva Blackpool (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Pretty Young Woman

  • Vital Signs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 5 episodes · as Eve

  • Walk Away and I Stumble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Nurse

  • Doctor Who(2005)

    Show 4 episodes · as Tish Jones

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Agatha Christie's Marple(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Tina Argyle

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • MI-5(2002)

    Show 9 episodes · as Jenny

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Bad Girls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Fidelity

  • Holby City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Colette Hill

  • Trial & Retribution(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jenny Miller

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • An Untamed State (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Mireille Duval Jameson

  • Blood Ties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Detective Reese Rezek

  • Nobody’s Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Lily

  • Seacole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Mary Seacole

  • TRINITY (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 2 episodes · as Commander Katherine Decker

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 59 titles, 54 of them dated from 1997 to 2026; peak year 2019.

Biggest box office

A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

$133M worldwide

Highest rated

Miss Sloane (2016)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

Loki (2021)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19972026

Peak 2019 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 18 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 2002Screen debut· Spooks
  • 2007First film· Straightheads
  • 2013First top-billed film· Belle
  • 2013Breakout· Belle
  • 2021Career best· Loki

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting59 of 59: 56 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score60thProducing3 of 59: 0 only producing, 3 with another role

59 titles, 3 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1990s3 · acting2000s16 · acting2010s24 · acting2020s11 · 11 acting · 3 crew

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 22% of 23 roles
0717

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

Nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2015.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Gugu Mbatha-Raw's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 26; across their 22 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 58th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Approval · how many liked their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Reach · how many have seen their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 22

Midcredits score across 40 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th12
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 40 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed7
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

Bonekickers (2008)

80th percentile spread · 41% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Miss Sloane (2016)

Midcredits 94th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 22 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 45. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Gugu Mbatha-Raw's work okay for kids?

Across up to 22 MovieCove titles with content scores, every category sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore17 titles4–67 · median 43 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity22 titles14–56 · median 23 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity18 titles29–61 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs16 titles15–46 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense16 titles16–63 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Gugu Mbatha-Raw work with?

People who share at least 2 of Gugu Mbatha-Raw's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Nick Hurran shares the most, 2.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers