Who is Zawe Ashton? Parents, age and all we know as British star expecting second child with Tom Hiddleston

The British actress, director, and writer Zawe Ashton is back in the news because she and her fiancé, actor Tom Hiddleston, are about to have another child. Known for living a very private life, the pair first met while costarring in Betrayal, a 2018 play.

On July 25, 1984, Zawe Ashton was born in Hackney. Her real name is Zawedde Emma Ashton, and she is the oldest of three siblings. Her family has a strong political and educational background.

She was born to Victoria Ashton and Paul Ashton. Her mother, Victoria, is of Ugandan heritage and was previously working as a design and technology teacher. Paulo Muwanga, Zawe Ashton's maternal grandfather, served as Uganda's first president and prime minister.

Paul Ashton, her father, is English and has worked for Channel 4 in the UK as an educational program commissioner and English instructor.

Zawe gives her parents a lot of credit, calling them her "favorite double act." In a 2016 interview with The Guardian, she recognized her father as a "brilliant writer" who shaped her playwriting career. She also reflected on a difficult time in her teenage years when she put off going to college to help her mother throughout her battle with cancer. She went on to make a full recovery.

Ashton started acting when she was six years old and went to the Anna Scher Theatre School. As her mother recovered from cancer, she went on to enroll herself in Manchester Metropolitan University and later got a degree in acting. She was also a member of the National Youth Theatre.

Zawe Ashton's career highlights

Zawe Ashton has had a successful and prosperous career in the industry, be it movies, television, or theater. She made a breakthrough with the famous sitcom Fresh Meat (2011–2016), which aired on Channel 4, where she played the role of Vod. She then went on to act in other movies and plays, the notable ones being The Handmaid's Tale, Not Safe for Work, and Wanderlust.

Filmography

Her vast works in the industry include the Jake Gyllenhaal hit, Nocturnal Animals, which is a psychological thriller; another movie that she worked on with Gyllenhaal includes Velvet Buzzsaw, and the true drama movie about Joyce Vincent, Dreams of a Life, where she portrayed Joyce. She went on to receive a nomination for the British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer.

In the year 2023, she finally made her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Dar-Benn, the Kree villain.

Theater Work

Her theater work is as impressive as her filmography. She has been on stage alongside Tom Hiddleston, who would later become her fiancé. She appeared in Othello at the Globe Theatre, Splendour at the Donmar Warehouse, and Harold Pinter’s Betrayal in both London and on Broadway.

She won second prize at the Ian Charleson Awards for her performance in Salome and has been a consistent performer in the United Kingdom's most renowned theaters.

Writing

Aston is a prominent writer as well. In 2000, she won the London Poetry Slam Championship, having begun writing as a youngster. Prominent locations, including the Royal Court and Soho Theater, have hosted productions of her plays, Harm's Way and For All the Women Who Thought They Were Mad. In the year 2019, she went on to publish her memoir titled 'Character Breakdown,' which explores the difficulties faced by women of color in the acting industry.

In the year 2021, she was selected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL) in recognition of her accomplishments.

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