Whether you first fell in love with her hilarious one-liners [1] as badass, brainy Shuri in Black Panther [2], or were already a fan from her role as Nish in Black Mirror's key Black Museum episode [3], Letitia Wright is an actress you'll be seeing a lot more of. She's been building up her film and TV work in British shows like Banana, Cucumber, Humans, and Doctor Who, and now thanks to her breakout role in the Marvel movie, she's hitting the big time. While we wait for the return of Shuri in the next Marvel film, Avengers: Infinity War, get to know the Brit a little better with these 11 facts.
She Was Born on a Spooky Day
Letitia was born on none other than Halloween [4]: Oct. 31, 1993. She lived in Guyana in South America for the first seven years of her life, before moving to the UK with her family.
She Considers Herself a "North London Girl"
Letitia grew up in Tottenham and, even though Hollywood has come knocking, told Time Out [5] she will "always be a north London girl". She used to hang out at Bruce Castle Park, go to the Hollywood Green cinema, and sit outside Alexandra Palace on summer nights. The actress describes Tottenham as a "dope place to grow up because it's so community-based. It's a melting pot of cultures."
She's Candid About Her Mental Health
Letitia has been open about her battle with depression when she entered her 20s, telling Vanity Fair [6]: "I was in the dark going through so many bad things, when the world didn't know about Shuri and Letitia and whatever is happening now." By speaking about her struggles during the Black Panther [7] press tour, Letitia hopes to combat the stigma that surrounds mental health. She told Teen Vogue on its Young Hollywood shoot [8]: "In the black community, it's something that happens, but we don't speak about it. We have to continue to talk about it and bring it straight to the forefront."
She's a Born-Again Christian
Letitia took a break from acting when suffering from depression, and in that hiatus found God. She came to Christianity after attending a London actors' Bible study. She was so focused on her relationship with God at the time that she turned down a role in a movie starring Nicole Kidman [9] and Elle Fanning (probably How to Talk to Girls at Parties). She told Teen Vogue [10] that she had to "break out of" the "repetitive cycle" by taking time away from work and that surrendering to God really worked for her.
She's One of BAFTA and Burberry's 2015 Breakthrough Brits
In 2015, Letitia's career got a boost when she was named one of BAFTA and Burberry's Breakthrough Brits [11]. Letitia and her fellow 17 rising stars in film, TV, and games received one-to-one mentoring, guidance sessions, and networking opportunities for the following year. She had also been picked out as one to watch in 2012 as one of Screen International's UK Stars of Tomorrow.
She's Been Compared to a Hugely Successful Actor
Letitia's first lead role in a film was in 2015's Urban Hymn, and its director had serious praise for the actress. Michael Caton-Jones described her as [12]: "the most exciting young screen acting talent that I've had the pleasure of working with since Leonardo DiCaprio [13] on This Boy's Life."
She Has Sick Rap Skills
It's not just acting that Letitia's good at; it's rapping, too. Going by the name of MC Baby Underbite — a funny reference to her Shuri costume — she's been freestyling with costar Lupita Nyong'o [14] on the Black Panther [15] set. Her rap skills were caught on camera again [16] with Winston Duke beatboxing along. In fact, Letitia told Vanity Fair [17] she's "the queen of rap battle in Wakanda."
She Trod the Boards in a "Triangular, Crazy Connection"
Before Black Panther [18], Letitia got stage credits to her name, too, performing in a play about Liberian rebel soldiers called Eclipsed in the West End. Her future Black Panther costar Danai Gurira wrote it, and Letitia's role was played by Lupita Nyong'o when the play moved to Broadway. The British actress told Vanity Fair [19] she thinks of this coincidence as a "triangular, crazy connection".
She Has Sister Solidarity
Letitia says the situation in Hollywood really "hit home" when her Black Panther [20] costar Lupita Nyong'o spoke about Harvey Weinstein sexually harassing her. Letitia told Time Out [21] that a few months later, Brie Larson gathered all the women on set to tell then about Time's Up. And then: "The next thing I know, America Ferrera [22] — who I grew up watching on telly — is emailing me".
She Has High Hopes for Shuri's Influence
Letitia hopes that her tech-genius Black Panther [23] character Shuri inspires girls to think in new ways about their academic subjects and careers and get more involved in science, maths, and technology. She told Teen Vogue [24] that she wishes she'd seen movies like Hidden Figures when she was younger and been inspired to take science classes more seriously.
She Can See the Future
Ahead of the 2018 BAFTAs, Letitia made a prediction that her friend and Black Panther [25] costar Daniel Kaluuya would win an award at the ceremony. She was so convinced that she made a wager with her Time Out interviewer [26]: "If I'm wrong, I owe you some chips." Although he didn't scoop the gong for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his turn in Get Out, he did win the Rising Star Award.