Born: 21st April 1983 (as Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha-Raw)
Episodes Broadcast: 2007

Oxford-born Gugu Mbatha-Raw was named after the Zulu phrase igugu lethu, meaning “our pride”, in recognition of the heritage of her father, a refugee from South Africa's draconian apartheid policies. Interested in performance and dance from a young age, she became involved in amateur dramatics via local group Dramascope, the annual Christmas pantomime at the Oxford Playhouse, the Oxford Youth Music Theatre, and finally the National Youth Theatre. Mbatha-Raw also became an accomplished saxophonist. In 2001, she gained admission to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. After graduating, Mbatha-Raw attracted notice for her portrayal of Juliet opposite Andrew Garfield's Romeo in a 2005 production of Romeo And Juliet at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. She began appearing on television the same year, including an episode of Holby City.

Recurring roles soon followed on Spooks, Bad Girls and Vital Signs, including work on the latter with director Charles Palmer. When Palmer was invited to direct the 2007 Doctor Who episode Smith And Jones, which introduced new companion Martha Jones and her family, Mbatha-Raw was cast as elder sister Tish. Later that season, she played a key role in The Lazarus Experiment before returning for the season finale, The Sound Of Drums / Last Of The Time Lords. She could subsequently be seen in shows like Bonekickers and Lost In Austen.

Mbatha-Raw earned widespread critical praise for her performance in the 2013 movie Belle

Mbatha-Raw made her West End debut in 2009, playing Ophelia to Jude Law's Hamlet. She then found work in Hollywood, including the short-lived series Undercovers and Touch. Mbatha-Raw's first major movie was Tom Hanks' Larry Crowne (2011). In 2013, she earned widespread critical praise for her performance in the title role of the historical drama Belle. Other films during the decade included Jupiter Ascending, Concussion and A Wrinkle In Time. Mbatha-Raw also continued to earn occasional television credits, such as an episode of Black Mirror, a recurring role in The Morning Show, and a vocal performance in The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance. She was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2017 for her services to drama.

During the Twenties, Mbatha-Raw appeared in Loki, a television spin-off of the Marvel Cinematic Univese. She could also be seen in The Girl Before and Surface, earning her first credit as an executive producer on the latter. In 2021, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees appointed Mbatha-Raw a global Goodwill Ambassador. Her surprise return to Doctor Who was announced in 2024, when it was confirmed that she would star in a spin-off series entitled The War Between The Land And The Sea.