Quotes from Gugu Mbatha-Raw

From the age of four, I loved ballet and tap. I was in the school band, the choir, and all my school plays.

I like being free to take on any project that inspires me and to trust that the work will speak for itself.

I think being biracial is a different experience. I think that, and coming from the U.K., I feel as much white as I do black. And so it's really important for me to address these issues of identity in my work. But also, you know, we're always stronger when we work on, you know, what we have in common. And I love exploring that in my work.

I was born in the '80s, so I don't really remember it very strongly, but the music is so iconic. And so those artists - Madonna, Prince, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston - you still hear those songs all the time. And there's such a distinctive style - the clothes, the shoulder pads, the big hair, the perm.

In 2009, I was living in London and getting work I enjoyed.

When I'm not working, I'm really, really low key. I don't wear makeup unless I have to; I don't get my hair done unless I really need to.