Page 60 - Powerlist 2019 - Digital Edition

Media, Publishing & Entertainment

NEW Naomie Harris at a special screening of the film in Washington in 2013:
2019 “The last time I saw you, you were kicking butt in Skyfall”,
Actor prompting Naomie to think, ‘Oh my God, the President
knows who I am!’”
In terms of longevity and international recognition, there But it hasn’t been an overnight success story for Naomie,
are few black British actresses whose careers can match who was born and raised in London and who graduated
Naomie Harris, best known for playing Miss Moneypenny from Cambridge in 1998 with a degree in social and
in the James Bond films Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015). political sciences.
Since then the Academy Award-nominated actress has She started her acting career at just nine, and appeared
cemented this status with standout performances in other on the big screen in Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later (2002), the
critically acclaimed works such as Academy Award- TV adaptation of Zadie Smith’s White Teeth (2008), Pirates
winning film Moonlight (2016), and as Winnie Mandela of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006), Miami Vice
opposite Idris Elba’s Nelson Mandela in the critically (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007).
acclaimed biopic Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom (2013). In 2016, Naomie starred opposite Will Smith and Helen
She described the latter role as “the hardest thing I’ve Mirren in Collateral Beauty and she recently completed the
ever done”. But the hard work obviously paid off as even Jungle Book-inspired fantasy movie Mowgli.
former US President Barack Obama is a fan, telling her Naomie received an OBE in 2017 for services to drama.

56 Powerlist 2019