Ruth Negga

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.