Ruth Negga

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Ruth Negga BIO

RUTH NEGGA is an exceptionally talented and versatile actress with a body of work that spans award- winning theatre productions, big screen historical dramas, independent films and innovative television series. Ruth can currently be seen in Rebecca Hall’s Passing, opposite Tessa Thompson. The film is based on an adaptation of Nella Larsen’s 1920’s Harlem Renaissance novel of the same name that tells the story of two Black women, Irene Redfield (Thompson) and Clare Kendry (Negga), who can “pass” as white but choose to live on opposite sides of the color line during the height of the Harlem Renaissance in late 1920s New York. After a chance encounter reunites the former childhood friends one summer afternoon, Irene reluctantly allows Clare into her home, where she ingratiates herself to Irene’s husband (played by André Holland) and family, and soon her larger social circle as well. As their lives become more deeply intertwined, Irene finds her once-steady existence upended by Clare, where the film unfolds as an examination of obsession, repression and the lies people tell themselves and others to protect their carefully constructed realities. For this performance, Ruth has garnered nominations for a Gotham Award, Golden Globe® and SAG Award® in the category of Best Supporting Actress.

Ruth will next lens the titular role of the drama series Josephine, which follows the remarkable story of Josephine Baker, one of the most legendary Jazz performers and civil rights activists of the twentieth century. Ruth will also executive produce the project, alongside showrunner Dee Harris-Lawrence and director Millicent Shelton.

Most notably, Ruth was seen starring as ‘Mildred Loving’ opposite Joel Edgerton in Jeff Nichols’ Loving, inspired by the documentary The Loving Story. The film follows Mildred and Richard Loving, the couple behind the pivotal 1967 civil rights case, Loving vs. Virginia. The interracial couple married in June 1958 and as a result were arrested and sentenced to year in the state penitentiary— a sentence that was suspended on the condition that they be exiled from the state of Virginia. The couple spent the next nine years fighting, determined to be together in their home state. Loving Vs. Virginia became a landmark victory in the Supreme Court, as well as an important step forward in the Civil Rights battle. For her performance, Ruth’s accolades include Academy Award®, Golden Globe® and Critics Choice Award® nominations. She also won an IFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Film.

On film, previous works include James Gray's sci-fi epic Ad Astra, Duncan Jones’ action Warcraft, Richie Adams’ independent Una Vida, John Ridley’s historical drama All Is By My Side, Stephen Bradley’s Noble, Marc Forster’s World War Z, David Weaver’s thriller The Samaritan, and Neil Jordan’s dramatic comedy Breakfast on Pluto.

On television, Ruth was last seen as her reoccurring role starring as ‘Tulip O’Hare’ in the fourth and final season of the AMC series “Preacher” opposite Dominic Cooper. Produced by Seth Rogen, the series is based on the hit graphic novel of the same name. This supernatural, twisted and darkly comedic drama follows preacher ‘Jesse Custer’ (Cooper), who is inhabited by a mysterious entity that causes him to develop an unusual power. Jesse along with his badass ex-girlfriend ‘Tulip’ (Negga) and an Irish vagabond named ‘Cassidy’ (Joseph Gilgun) are thrust into a crazy world populated by a cast of characters from Heaven, Hell and everywhere in between. Tulip is a volatile and hell-raising force of nature, and a gifted criminal who is not afraid to steal, cheat or kill to get what she wants.

Previously, Ruth lent her voice as ‘Mother’ in the animated program “Angela’s Christmas,” for which she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award within the category of Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program. Ruth holds a variety of US and UK credits including Justin Chadwick’s HBO television movie “The Money;” Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for ABC as the beautiful and sinister ‘Raina’ for which she was nominated for a 2016 Irish Film & Television Award in the category of “Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Drama”; the hit UK series “Misfits” for Logo as ‘Nikki’; as ‘Rosie’ on “Love/Hate” for RTE; as ‘Rochelle’ on BBC’s mini-series “Five Daughters;” and as 'Shirley Bassey' in the TV movie “Shirley,” for which Ruth won the Irish Film and Television Academy Award for Best Actress.

Outside of her roles on screen, Ruth still maintains a strong connection to theatre. Last year, she was seen in her New York City theatrical debut in the titular role of Yael Farber’s Hamlet at St. Ann’s Warehouse for which Ruth was nominated for a Drama Desk Award in the category of Lead Actress in a Play. This performance was following its acclaimed run at The Gate Theatre in Dublin.

Ruth’s extensive and award-winning theatre production credits include Lolita as her stage debut for Corn Exchange Theatre Company at the Abbey Theatre; Duck for Out of Joint and The Royal Court Theatre, for which she was nominated for an Olivier best newcomer; Playboy of the Western World at The Old Vic; Hamlet as the role of Ophelia at the National Theatre; Phèdre at the National Theatre, for which she won the Ian Charleson Award; Oedipus Loves You at Peter Pan Theatre; Lay Me Down Softly, The Crucible, The Bacchae, Burial At Thebes, all at the Abbey Theatre; and Titus Andronicus at The Project Theatre, for which she received the Irish Times Award for Best Actress.

Ruth was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and was raised between there, Limerick, Ireland, and London, England.

Ruth Negga Photos

Ruth Negga STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
Limited Engagement, 2022
Lady Macbeth

[West End]
Young Vic Production, 2020
Portia Coughlan

[Off-Broadway]
St. Ann's Warehouse Off-Broadway Revival, 2020
Hamlet

[West End]
Old Vic Production, 2011
Performer


Ruth Negga Movies

Capital Letters
[ 2004 ] Taiwo
Breakfast on Pluto
[ 2005 ] Charlie
Isolation
[ 2005 ] Mary
Phèdre
[ 2009 ] Aricia
National Theatre Live: Hamlet
[ 2010 ] Ophelia
The Samaritan
[ 2012 ] Iris
Jimi: All Is by My Side
[ 2013 ] Ida
World War Z
[ 2013 ] W.H.O. Doctor
Of Mind and Music
[ 2014 ] Jessica
Noble
[ 2014 ] Joan
Iona
[ 2015 ] Iona
Warcraft
[ 2016 ] Lady Taria
Loving
[ 2016 ] Mildred
Ad Astra
[ 2019 ] Helen Lantos
Angela's Christmas Wish
[ 2020 ] Mother
Passing
[ 2021 ] Clare

Ruth Negga TV Shows

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Raina
Love/Hate
Rosie
Preacher
Tulip O'Hare, Lucy

Ruth Negga Awards and Nominations

Drama Desk Awards - 2022 - Outstanding Actress in a Play

Ruth Negga, Macbeth

Tony Awards - 2022 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Ruth Negga, Macbeth

Drama Desk Awards - 2020 - Outstanding Actress in a Play

Ruth Negga, Hamlet

Olivier Awards - 2004 - Most Promising Newcomer in an Affiliate Theatre

Ruth NeggaDuck

Ruth Negga Videos

Ruth Negga News


Photos: Inside Netflix's GOOD GRIEF Premiere With Dan Levy, Ruth Negga & More

Netflix hosted the World Premiere of the upcoming film GOOD GRIEF at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. Cast members in attendance included Daniel Levy (who also wrote, directed and produced the film), Ruth Negga, Himesh Patel, Arnaud Valois and Kaitlyn Dever. Check out the photos from the premiere now!

Review: MACBETH, Donmar Warehouse

It would be interesting to see the show free from all the fancy listening gear so we can bask in the thrill of seeing Tennant and Jumbo grapple with their actions without a middleman. After all, isn’t part of the beauty of theatre that the audience isn’t separated from the story by a screen of any kind? The run is sold out (as it should be!) and they’re probably already in talks for a transfer (as they should!), but one wonders if this is actually what the future of drama is: a Shakespearean ASMR experience that will be dubbed as immersive. Fair is foul, and foul is fair.

Michael Imperioli Will Make Broadway Debut Opposite Jeremy Strong in AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE

Emmy & SAG Award winner Michael Imperioli will make his Broadway debut opposite Jeremy Strong in AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. We have all the details on when the play will arrive, which theatre it will play, and more!

Ruth Negga, Premiere From Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker & More Set for NYU Skirball 2024 Season

Get ready for an exciting 2024 season at NYU Skirball, featuring acclaimed actress Ruth Negga and a highly anticipated premiere from renowned choreographer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker. Explore the lineup and mark your calendars for this unforgettable season of performances.

American Premiere of LIFE & TIMES OF MICHAEL K is Coming to St. Ann's Warehouse

Don't miss the American premiere of 'Life & Times of Michael K,' a stunning puppet theater production that received rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Find out the dates and venue for this highly acclaimed show at St. Ann's Warehouse.

Ruth Negga, Lili Taylor & Paul Lazar to Join Suzanne Bocanegra Artist Lectures at NYU Skirball

Get ready for Ruth Negga, Lili Taylor, and Paul Lazar take the stage in Suzanne Bocanegra Artist Lectures. Don't miss this star-studded event, book your tickets now!

Theatre & Film Producer Patrick Daly's Caledonia Productions Signs First-look Deal With Fremantle's Passenger

Acclaimed theatre and film producer Patrick Daly and his production house Caledonia Productions (August: Osage County, UNA) has signed a first-look deal with Passenger, which is headed by its founder Richard Brown (This England, True Detective, Catch-22).

Grace Gummer, Mamie Gummer & Louisa Jacobson to Star in THREE SISTERS at Williamstown Theatre Festival

Additional cast and creative team members have been revealed for the 2023 Williamstown Theatre Festival summer season’s Main Stage Reading Series. See who is starring, and learn how to purchase tickets!

Video: Jeremy Strong Talks Theatre Roots and ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE on CBS SUNDAY MORNING

Watch Jeremy Strong revisit his theatre roots and discuss his post-SUCCESSION return to Broadway in ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE on CBS Sunday Morning.

SUCCESSION Star Jeremy Strong Will Return to Broadway in AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE

Jeremy Strong (Succession) will star in a new Broadway production of Henrik Ibsen’s AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, featuring a new adaptation by Amy Herzog, directed by Tony Award- winner Sam Gold. The production will premiere on Broadway in early 2024 at a theater to be announced.

Theatre For A New Audience's Gala Honors Two Remarkable Women In Theatre: Ayanna Thompson And Audrey Hefferna

At its annual Spring Gala, Theatre for a New Audience will honor two luminaries of the theatre world and vital presences at TFANA.

Austin Pendleton, Jeff Perry, and More to Star in Steppenwolf Theatre's NO MAN'S LAND

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, will conclude its 47th season with Harold Pinter's celebrated masterwork No Man's Land directed by Les Waters (In the Next Room..(or the vibrator play), Dana H., Middletown), playing July 13 – August 20, 2023 in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theater.

Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, Leland Fowler & More to Star in THIS LAND WAS MADE World Premiere at Vineyard Theatre

Vineyard Theatre has announced the cast and design team for the World Premiere of This Land Was Made, written by Tori Sampson. See how to purchase tickets!

Laura Benanti, Lily Rabe & More to be Featured in Williamstown Theatre Festival 2023 Summer Season

Programming has been confirmed for the 2023 Williamstown Theatre Festival summer season.

Ruth Negga, Katy Davis & More to Star in 2022-23 Transatlantic Commissions Program Readings

Irish Repertory Theatre and Fishamble: The New Play Company announced additional casting for the west coast dates for the inaugural readings of their first collaboration, the 2022-23 Transatlantic Commissions Program.

FAT HAM Full Cast and Design Team Announced

The full cast and design team has been announced for the Broadway production of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy Fat Ham by James Ijames. See who is starring in the show, how to purchase tickets and more!

Viola Davis, Jeff Daniels, Billy Porter And More Among 2023 Audie Award Finalists

The Audio Publishers Association has announced finalists for the 2023 Audie Awards®, the premier awards program recognizing distinction in audiobooks and spoken-word entertainment. Winners across 26 competitive categories will be revealed at the Audie Awards Gala on March 28. The ceremony will be streamed to the public from Chelsea Piers’ Pier Sixty in NYC. 

THE JUNGLE to Return to St. Ann's Warehouse in February

St. Ann’s Warehouse and Good Chance will bring The Jungle back to St. Ann’s, where it made its sold-out American Premiere in 2018. See performance dates, how to purchase tickets, and more.

James Ijames' Pulitzer Prize-Winning FAT HAM Will Open on Broadway in 2023

The 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy Fat Ham by James Ijames will make its Broadway premiere in 2023. The Public’s Associate Artistic Director and Resident Director Saheem Ali returns to direct the complete original Off-Broadway cast, including Nikki Crawford as “Tedra,” Chris Herbie Holland as “Tio,” Billy Eugene Jones as “Rev” and “Pap,” Adrianna Mitchell as “Opal,” Calvin Leon Smith as “Larry,” Marcel Spears as “Juicy,” and Benja Kay Thomas as “Rabby.”

PRIMA FACIE, Starring Jodie Comer, Will Open at the Golden Theatre

Jodie Comer will make her highly anticipated Broadway debut in the US premiere of Prima Facie, a new play by Suzie Miller. Prima Facie opens on Sunday, April 23, 2023 at the Golden Theatre. Previews begin on Tuesday, April 11, 2023.

Ruth Negga FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Ruth Negga next theatre project?

Ruth Negga's next show will be Macbeth which opens on 4/28/2022 on Broadway.

How many Broadway shows has Ruth Negga been in?

Ruth Negga has appeared on Broadway in 1 shows.

How many West End shows has Ruth Negga been in?

Ruth Negga has appeared on London's West End in 2 shows.

What was Ruth Negga's first West End show?

Ruth Negga's first West End show was The Playboy of the Western World which opened in 2011

What awards has Ruth Negga been nominated for?

Ruth Negga has been nominated for several awards, including Outstanding Actress in a Play at the Drama Desk Awards for "Macbeth," Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play at the Tony Awards for "Macbeth," Outstanding Actress in a Play at the Drama Desk Awards for "Hamlet," and Most Promising Newcomer in an Affiliate Theatre at the Olivier Awards for "Duck."

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