POPSUGAR UK

Get to Know Antonia Gentry Before She Blows You Away in Ginny & Georgia

23/02/2021 - 03:05 PM

A gritty new mother-daughter Netflix drama is coming our way, and we couldn't be more excited. Ginny & Georgia [1] tells the story of a 30-year-old mom and her angsty 15-year-old daughter who settle down in a small New England town after years on the road, and the cast is full of fresh-faced actors, including Antonia Gentry, who plays Ginny. The 23-year-old Atlanta native isn't new to Netflix — having appeared in Candy Jar and Raising Dion — but Ginny & Georgia marks her biggest role yet. Here's what you should know about the up-and-coming actress before her new series debuts on Feb. 24.

She Attended a Performing Arts High School

Antonia was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, though she attended John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School [3] in Augusta, GA, for middle and high school, which is where she developed her love of acting. The Davidson Fine Arts' Facebook page recently gave Antonia a shout-out in honour of her new show [4], writing, "DFA Drama alum Antonia Gentry stars in new Netflix series Ginny & Georgia airing this February! Yayyyyyyy Toni!"

She Was in an Improv Comedy Troupe in College

After graduating from Davidson Fine Arts in 2015, Antonia attended Emory University in Atlanta, where she became a member of Rathskellar [5], an improv comedy club that is reputed to be one of the oldest student improv groups in the country [6]. Before graduating in 2019, Antonia gave her fellow improv troupe members a sweet shout-out [7] on Instagram, writing, "Number one group and number one fans. Thanks for laughing at my jokes for 4 years."

Her First Major Role Was in a Netflix Movie

While attending Emory, Antonia landed her first major acting role, which was playing Jasmine in Netflix's 2018 movie Candy Jar. She also appeared in a season one episode of Raising Dion as Wendy in 2019.

She's Dating Her High School Sweetheart

Antonia's boyfriend, Atlanta-based producer and composer Ezra Pounds, is also a Davidson Fine Arts grad, and the two have seemingly been together since at least 2012 [8]. Antonia and Ezra post tons of loved-up pics together on Instagram, and recently, Ezra promoted his girlfriend's upcoming series [9] in an IG post. "SO FKN Excited for my bestfriend, my soulmate, & my lover @_antoniagentry_ !!!!!" he wrote. "ALL OF U BETTER GO WATCh GINNY & GA FEB. 24 OR ELSE."

She's Spoken About the Racism She's Faced For Being Mixed-Race

Antonia was raised by a white father and a Black mother, and in June 2020, she opened up about her experience of growing up mixed-race [10] in a candid IG post, saying she'd experienced racism all of her life.

After listing just some of the many horrible things she'd heard over the years, Antonia wrote, "I could write a book filled with real quotes from white people AND people of colour that I have been subjected to in my 22 years of life, but I'll spare you. It is important to know the costs of covert racism, and to know that it is taught through example, not mommy and daddy sitting you down and saying, 'Black people are sub-human.' And to know that for centuries, black and brown people have been objectified, commodified, dehumanized, and undermined in ways that are insidious, incendiary, and intrinsic."

She continued, "I recognise my own privilege, despite the racism I've experienced. Recognising the OVERT problem is NOT ENOUGH. Racism is a disease that has infected us ALL. Be the cure for yourself, for your community, for your family, for your country. For the world."


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https://www.popsugar.co.uk/entertainment/who-is-antonia-gentry-facts-48178607