Zawe Ashton

Rising star Zawe Ashton is an English actress, director and playwright best known for her roles in Channel 4 comedy-dramas Not Safe for Work and Fresh Meat. Named as one of “55 faces of the future” by Nylon magazine and “Ultimate Newcomer” by Cosmopolitan, she recently joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will face off against Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel in the 2022 film Captain Marvel 2. Ashton is also a talented writer who won the London Poetry Slam Championship in 2000, and she has also penned several critically acclaimed plays and published her first book Character Breakdown in 2019.

Born in Hackney, London, Ashton caught the acting bug early and attended the prestigious Anna Scher Theatre School at six years old. She then became a member of the National Youth Theatre and earned an acting degree from the Manchester School of Theatre. Ashton’s career first took off in theatre, with roles in Othello at the Globe Theatre, Harold Pinter’s Betrayal at The Harold Pinter Theatre, This Wide Night (Soho Theatre) and the part of Salome in Salome at the Headlong Theatre and Hampstead Theatre, which earned her 2nd prize at the Ian Charleson Awards.

After landing minor television roles in the likes of Holby City, Sherlock and The Bill, she got her big break on the small screen when she was cast as Violet “Vod” Nordstrom in the Channel 4 comedy-drama Fresh Meat. Her portrayal earned her a cult following and led to numerous television and film roles in the likes of Doctor Who, Not Safe For Work and Wanderlust.
Recently seen on Broadway in Betrayal alongside Tom Hiddleston, Ashton’s upcoming role in Captain Marvel 2 is set to thrust the incredibly talented star even further into the spotlight.