Zawe Ashton is a multifaceted artist, boasting a diverse range of talents that span the realms of acting, writing, and directing. Her captivating performance as Vod in Channel 4's "Fresh Meat" garnered a devoted following, and her extensive work across television, film, and stage has garnered numerous accolades and awards.
Most recently, Zawe took to the Broadway stage in the critically acclaimed revival of Harold Pinter's BETRAYAL, directed by Jamie Lloyd, alongside Tom Hiddleston and Charlie Cox. Ben Brantley of The New York Times praised her performance, stating that she is "a breakout star... her deeply sensitive performance elicits a feminist subtext in Betrayal." She also received a WhatsOnStage nomination for the West End run of the show.
Zawe's recent film and television credits include the Netflix feature film Velvet Buzzsaw, in which she starred alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, Toni Colette, and Rene Russo. She is set to appear alongside Toni Colette again in the BBC/Netflix television series Wanderlust, and will take on the role of Oona in the fourth series of the critically acclaimed Handmaid's Tale. Her breakout role as Vod in 'Fresh Meat' earned her two British Comedy Awards nominations, with the show itself nominated for a BAFTA in 2014. Her poignant portrayal of Joyce Vincent in Carol Morley's 'Dreams of a Life' garnered a Best Newcomer nomination at the British Independent Film Awards in 2012.
Beyond her accomplished acting career, Zawe has also established herself as an award-winning writer, producer, and director. As a playwright, her second play FOR ALL THE WOMEN WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE... MAD was produced in London at the Hackney Showroom and at Soho Rep in New York, simultaneously in 2019. Her writing career began when she became the youngest winner of the London Poetry Slam Championship in 2000. Her debut play Harm's Way was nominated for a Verity Bargate Award in 2007. Zawe's directorial debut Happy Toys was nominated for Best British Short at the Raindance Film Festival in 2014.
As an author, Zawe's novel, CHARACTER BREAKDOWN, was published by Penguin / Random House in 2019. The Times praised the novel, describing it as "'Smart, funny, vivid, honest, dark, timely'".
