Murderbot star Noma Dumezweni on the culture that's made her
Born in Swaziland before moving to England as a child, Noma Dumezweni is an actress whose prolific career spans theatre, film and television. She recently starred as Queen Selina in Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, with other film credits including Mary Poppins Returns.
On the small screen, Dumezweni has appeared in Only Murders in the Building, The Watcher, Normal People and Doctor Who. On stage, she played Hermione in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which won her a Laurence Olivier award for best supporting actress, and she has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 2006, she won the Olivier Award for her performance in A Raisin in the Sun.
Dumezweni is currently in Apple TV+'s sci-fi series Murderbot opposite Alexander Skarsgård, based on Martha Wells' books about a security android who is horrified by human emotion, yet drawn to its vulnerable 'clients'.
I'm currently listening to the Ezra Collective album Where I'm Meant To Be. I still have to catch up with more recent releases. They give me so much joy – to my ear, they are so creatively free, beautiful!
The book that influenced me the most is Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind. I felt such a revelation in my own awareness of my senses. It's the history of the making of perfumes and a stunning perspective on how we humans, in all our rancid and sublime emanations, wish to connect.
I'm currently reading All Fours by Miranda July. I actually paused for a few weeks as I am a postmenopausal woman… ha! The book cause a lot of feelings to come up. She's excellent. I am also loving Sonny Boy by Al Pacino.
I have many favourite films. Spy with Melissa McCarthy is my screen comfort food! Rose Byrne is magnificent, Peter Serafinowicz is ridiculously out there, and I have to bow down to Jason Statham's brilliant commitment, playing with the glorious comedy genius that is McCarthy. I also loved the film There's Still Tomorrow from writer, actor, director and comedian Paola Cortellesi. I went down a rabbit hole finding out more about this Italian talent. Brava!
I'm currently watching Matlock with the great Kathy Bates alongside a stunning newcomer, Skye P Marshall.
The best hotel room in the world is at the Four Seasons Hotel in Mexico City. I went for the first time last year for a wedding, and I get it now!
My favourite building is somewhere along London's South Bank, depending on the light.
This year, I'm looking forward to my kid finishing their high-school journey. What's next is so exciting! Murderbot begins when she finishes, so we'll watch together.
If I could have designed one thing it would have been the Citymapper app – wherever you travel, it's so brilliant.
If I could bring back one trend it would be looking people in the eye; acknowledging their presence with a simple 'hey' or nod as they pass you by. People more often seem shocked when I smile and say 'hello'. It brings them into the present. We need that.
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