who are Thandie Newton’s Parents?
The British actress of African descent, Thandie Newton, is the child of Nyasha Newton (mother) and Nick Newton (father).
Nyasha is a Shona tribe princess, hailing from Zimbabwe, while Nick is a British artist and lab technician.
Allegedly, they chose the name Thandiwe for her, a term signifying ‘beloved’ in Zulu, Swati, Ndebele, Xhosa, and Swazi languages.
who is Thandie Newton?
For over twenty years and continuing, Thandie Newton has taken on distinctive and demanding roles in both film and television.
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Many of these roles have featured spirited, passionate, and resilient characters.
The stunning British/American actress began her journey in the film industry at a young age and has consistently added remarkable achievements to her career.
Throughout her illustrious career, Newton has earned numerous coveted awards and nominations for her exceptional performances in both American and British cinema.
The renowned actress embarked on her acting journey in 1991, debuting as Thandiwe Adjewa in John Duigan’s comedic film ‘Flirt.’
Just three years later, she landed a significant role in ‘Interview with the Vampire,’ where she portrayed the character Yvette, a devoted house slave, alongside Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.
Additionally, Newton has graced the screens in a multitude of high-profile movies, sharing the spotlight with distinguished figures like Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey, Eddie Murphy (in the 2007 romantic comedy ‘Norbit’), Tyler Perry (in the romantic drama ‘Good Deeds’), and many more.
Thandie Newton’s Parents
Newton has revealed her decision to return to her birth name’s original Zimbabwean spelling, ‘Thandiwe.’
This change reflects her desire to honor her mixed heritage, as she is of both British and Zimbabwean descent.
‘Thandiwe,’ pronounced as ‘tan-DEE-way,’ was bestowed upon her by her parents, Grace Nyasha Jombe and Nick Newton.
Who is Thandiwe Newton’s mother Nyasha?
Thandiwe Newton was born in London to Nick, her white British father, and Nyasha, her Zimbabwean mother.
Nyasha, now in her 70s, is a princess of the Shona tribe, hailing from what was formerly Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe.
According to reports from the Daily Mail, Nyasha’s full maiden name is Grace Nyasha Jombe.
She relocated to London in 1966 and worked as a nurse at Bexley Hospital, a psychiatric facility in Kent.
Thandiwe Newton’s birth took place in London’s Charing Cross Hospital in November 1972.
However, she spent her initial three years in Zambia, where her parents were employed at a local hospital.
Economic hardships and political turmoil prompted the family’s return to Penzance.
They settled in her father’s hometown in Penzance, Cornwall, when Thandiwe was three years old.
Who is Thandiwe Newton’s father Nick?
Nick Newton hails from a long-established Cornish family with ties to the mining industry.
In the early 1960s, he went by the name Nicky and played bass guitar in a rock band called the Druids.
Following the band’s dissolution in the mid-1960s, Nick relocated to London, where he transitioned into a career as a laboratory technician.
He was also reportedly involved in his family’s antique business.
Nick and Nyasha enrolled Thandiwe in a local Catholic primary school, where she faced challenges and was singled out.
She recounted an incident to Vogue where she was excluded from a class photo for wearing cornrows.”
Her husband and children
Thandie Newton and English producer, director, and writer Oliver Parker married in 1998.
They have three children together: Ripley Parker (born in 2000), Nico Parker (born in 2004), and Booker Jombe (born in 2014).
Thandie named her daughters after German actress/singer/songwriter Nico (Christa Päffgen) and the character Ellen Ripley from the Alien film series.
Oliver Parker, known as Ol Parker, was born in London, England, and has been active in the entertainment industry since 1995.
He is both an author and director, achieving fame for his 2018 musical film ‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.’
Ol has garnered recognition and multiple nominations for his work, including the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in Motion Pictures and the BAFTA Award for Best British Film.
