Naomie Harris
Encyclopedia
Naomie Melanie Harris is an English
screen actress. She is best known for her starring role as Selena in 28 Days Later
, as well as her supporting turn as Tia Dalma/Calypso
in the second and third Pirates of the Caribbean
films. In November 2011, it was announced that she would appear in the next James Bond
movie, Skyfall.
as a child. After graduating in 1998 from Pembroke College, Cambridge
with a degree in Social and Political Sciences, Harris trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
.
She had a very difficult time as a student at Cambridge. "When I went to Cambridge University, Mum said I wouldn't fit in and she was right," she explains. "I hated it. The people there were so different to me. They talked about Eton
and skiing and here I was, this black girl from Finsbury Park
. I just felt so lonely. There was only one other black person in my year; I was very unhappy and cried every day."
Harris is a Buddhist.
series The Tomorrow People
. She became internationally well known in 2002 with her lead performance in Danny Boyle
's post-apocalyptic film 28 Days Later
, opposite Cillian Murphy
. In the same year, she starred in the television adaptation of Zadie Smith
's White Teeth
.
Since then, Harris has been cast in supporting roles in big budget films, such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, and Michael Mann
's Miami Vice
. She also did a comic turn in Michael Winterbottom
's well-regarded indie
ensemble piece, A Cock and Bull Story
, and appeared with Josh Hartnett
in the 2008 release of August. She starred in Channel 4
's adaptation of the novel Poppy Shakespeare
which was first shown on 31 March 2008. She also appeared in BBC's historical drama Small Island
in December 2009.
She is currently playing Elizabeth Lavenza in Danny Boyle's production of Nick Dear
's adaptation of Frankenstein
for the National Theatre
.
She plays the lead role in The First Grader
, directed by Justin Chadwick
, and premiered on May 18, 2011 in the Seattle International Film Festival.
Shadow & Act has revealed that an item first dropped in the Brit tabloid rag News Of The World may actually have some substance behind it. The paper reported that Harris "will be Daniel Craig's sexy sidekick in the soon-to-be filmed new 007 movie" but the actress herself is playing the cards a bit more close to the chest. In UK interviews for The First Grader, she has confirmed she has been talking with producers for the next James Bond
film, Skyfall.
During UK publicity interviews for her critically acclaimed movie The First Grader, Harris confirmed that she has been talking with James Bond producers about a part but wouldn't reveal for which role or whether she has accepted or not. A spokesperson for EON Productions confirmed that Harris has indeed met with the filmmakers, although no deals have yet been struck.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
screen actress. She is best known for her starring role as Selena in 28 Days Later
28 Days Later
28 Days Later is an acclaimed 2002 British horror film directed by Danny Boyle. The screenplay was written by Alex Garland, and the film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, and Christopher Eccleston...
, as well as her supporting turn as Tia Dalma/Calypso
Tia Dalma
Tia Dalma, played by Naomie Harris, is a fictional character from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and a primary character in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, in which a significant amount of the plot revolves around her and her powers...
in the second and third Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean (film series)
Pirates of the Caribbean is a series of fantasy-adventure films directed by Gore Verbinski and Rob Marshall , written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
films. In November 2011, it was announced that she would appear in the next James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movie, Skyfall.
Personal life
Harris was born and raised in London, England, the daughter of sitcom writer Lisselle Kayla, a single mother who had emigrated to England from JamaicaJamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
as a child. After graduating in 1998 from Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
with a degree in Social and Political Sciences, Harris trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, opened by Laurence Olivier in 1946, is an affiliate of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama, an organisation securing the highest standards of training in the performing arts, and is an associate school of the Faculty of Creative Arts of the University of the...
.
She had a very difficult time as a student at Cambridge. "When I went to Cambridge University, Mum said I wouldn't fit in and she was right," she explains. "I hated it. The people there were so different to me. They talked about Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and skiing and here I was, this black girl from Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park, London
Finsbury Park is an area in north London, England which grew up around an important railway interchange at the junction of the London Boroughs of Islington, Haringey and Hackney...
. I just felt so lonely. There was only one other black person in my year; I was very unhappy and cried every day."
Harris is a Buddhist.
Career
Harris has appeared in television and film since she was nine, including a stint on the remake of the science fictionScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
series The Tomorrow People
The Tomorrow People
The Tomorrow People is a British children's science fiction television series, devised by Roger Price. Produced by Thames Television for the ITV Network, the series first ran between 1973 and 1979. The series was re-imagined in 1992, Roger Price acting as executive producer...
. She became internationally well known in 2002 with her lead performance in Danny Boyle
Danny Boyle
Daniel "Danny" Boyle is an English filmmaker and producer. He is best known for his work on films such as Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, 28 Days Later, Sunshine and Trainspotting. For Slumdog Millionaire, Boyle won numerous awards in 2008, including the Academy Award for Best Director...
's post-apocalyptic film 28 Days Later
28 Days Later
28 Days Later is an acclaimed 2002 British horror film directed by Danny Boyle. The screenplay was written by Alex Garland, and the film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, and Christopher Eccleston...
, opposite Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy is an Irish film and theatre actor. He is often noted by critics for his chameleonic performances in diverse roles and distinctive blue eyes and general sex appeal....
. In the same year, she starred in the television adaptation of Zadie Smith
Zadie Smith
Zadie Smith is a British novelist. To date she has written three novels. In 2003, she was included on Granta's list of 20 best young authors...
's White Teeth
White Teeth
White Teeth is a 2000 novel by the British author Zadie Smith. It focuses on the later lives of two wartime friends—the Bangladeshi Samad Iqbal and the Englishman Archie Jones, and their families in London...
.
Since then, Harris has been cast in supporting roles in big budget films, such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is a 2006 adventure fantasy film and the second film of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, following Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl . It was directed by Gore Verbinski, written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, and produced by...
, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, and Michael Mann
Michael Mann (film director)
Michael Kenneth Mann is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. For his work, he has received nominations from international organizations and juries, including those at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Cannes and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
's Miami Vice
Miami Vice (film)
Miami Vice is a 2006 American crime drama film about two Miami police detectives, Crockett and Tubbs, who go undercover to fight drug trafficking operations. The film is a loose adaptation of the 1980s TV series of the same name, written, produced, and directed by Michael Mann...
. She also did a comic turn in Michael Winterbottom
Michael Winterbottom
Michael Winterbottom is a prolific English filmmaker who has directed seventeen feature films in the past fifteen years. He began his career working in British television before moving into features...
's well-regarded indie
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
ensemble piece, A Cock and Bull Story
A Cock and Bull Story
A Cock and Bull Story is a 2006 British comedy film directed by Michael Winterbottom...
, and appeared with Josh Hartnett
Josh Hartnett
Joshua Daniel "Josh" Hartnett is an American actor and aspiring producer. He first came to audiences' attention in 1997 as "Michael Fitzgerald" in the television series Cracker. He made his feature film debut in 1998, co-starring with Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later for Miramax...
in the 2008 release of August. She starred in Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's adaptation of the novel Poppy Shakespeare
Poppy Shakespeare
Poppy Shakespeare is a novel about mental illness by Clare Allan. It tells the story of day patients at a mental health hospital. The central characters are Poppy Shakespeare, a new patient, and "N", a long term patient. Poppy arrives at the hospital strongly asserting that she is sane and...
which was first shown on 31 March 2008. She also appeared in BBC's historical drama Small Island
Small Island
Small Island is a 2004 prize-winning novel by British author Andrea Levy. It was adapted for television in two episodes by the BBC in 2009....
in December 2009.
She is currently playing Elizabeth Lavenza in Danny Boyle's production of Nick Dear
Nick Dear
Nick Dear is a writer for stage, screen and radio. He received a BAFTA for his first screenwriting credit, a TV adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion....
's adaptation of Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
for the National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
.
She plays the lead role in The First Grader
The First Grader
The First Grader is a 2010 film directed by Justin Chadwick, starring Naomie Harris, Oliver Litondo, and Tony Kgoroge, and based on the true story of Kimani Maruge, a Kenyan man who enrolled in elementary education at the age of 84 after the Kenyan government announced universal and free elementary...
, directed by Justin Chadwick
Justin Chadwick
Justin Chadwick is an English actor and television and film director.Chadwick began acting at the age of eleven. He graduated from the University of Leicester and in 1991 made his screen debut in London Kills Me...
, and premiered on May 18, 2011 in the Seattle International Film Festival.
Shadow & Act has revealed that an item first dropped in the Brit tabloid rag News Of The World may actually have some substance behind it. The paper reported that Harris "will be Daniel Craig's sexy sidekick in the soon-to-be filmed new 007 movie" but the actress herself is playing the cards a bit more close to the chest. In UK interviews for The First Grader, she has confirmed she has been talking with producers for the next James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film, Skyfall.
During UK publicity interviews for her critically acclaimed movie The First Grader, Harris confirmed that she has been talking with James Bond producers about a part but wouldn't reveal for which role or whether she has accepted or not. A spokesperson for EON Productions confirmed that Harris has indeed met with the filmmakers, although no deals have yet been struck.
Awards
- 2004: Won Black Reel Award for Best Breakthrough Performance in 28 Days Later (2002)
- 2007: Nominated for Rising Star Award at the BAFTAs
- 2007: Screen Nation Film and TV Award for Best Female Film Performance.
- 2007: Ansbacher Rising Star Tribute - Bahamas International Film Festival
Films
- Crust (2001), Receptionist
- Living In Hope (2002), Ginny
- Anansi (2002), Carla
- 28 Days Later28 Days Later28 Days Later is an acclaimed 2002 British horror film directed by Danny Boyle. The screenplay was written by Alex Garland, and the film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, and Christopher Eccleston...
(2002), Selena - TraumaTrauma (2004 film)Trauma is a 2004 British psychological thriller directed by Marc Evans and written by Richard Smith.-Cast:*Colin Firth as Ben*Mena Suvari as Charlotte*Naomie Harris as Elisa*Sean Harris as Roland*Neil Edmond as Mills...
(2004), Elisa - After the SunsetAfter the SunsetAfter the Sunset is a 2004 action comedy film starring Pierce Brosnan as Max Burdett, a master thief caught in a cat-and-mouse game with FBI agent Stan Lloyd played by Woody Harrelson...
(2004), Sophie - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's ChestPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's ChestPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is a 2006 adventure fantasy film and the second film of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, following Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl . It was directed by Gore Verbinski, written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, and produced by...
(2006), Tia DalmaTia DalmaTia Dalma, played by Naomie Harris, is a fictional character from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and a primary character in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, in which a significant amount of the plot revolves around her and her powers... - Miami ViceMiami Vice (film)Miami Vice is a 2006 American crime drama film about two Miami police detectives, Crockett and Tubbs, who go undercover to fight drug trafficking operations. The film is a loose adaptation of the 1980s TV series of the same name, written, produced, and directed by Michael Mann...
(2006), Det. Trudy Joplin - A Cock and Bull StoryA Cock and Bull StoryA Cock and Bull Story is a 2006 British comedy film directed by Michael Winterbottom...
(2006), Jennie - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Tia Dalma/CalypsoTia DalmaTia Dalma, played by Naomie Harris, is a fictional character from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and a primary character in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, in which a significant amount of the plot revolves around her and her powers...
- Street Kings (2008), Linda Washington
- Explicit IllsExplicit IllsExplicit Ills is a 2008 American film, written and directed by Mark Webber in his directorial debut. The film features four interconnected stories taking place in Philadelphia involving subject matter such as poverty, drugs and the possibility of love....
(2008), Jill - August (2008), Sarah
- Morris: A Life with Bells OnMorris: A Life with Bells OnMorris: A Life with Bells On is a 2009 British independent film, a comic spoof documentary about morris dancing.-Development:Morris: A Life with Bells On was written by Charles Thomas Oldham , who also co-produced it with his wife, the film's director Lucy Akhurst...
(2009), Sonja - Ninja AssassinNinja AssassinNinja Assassin is a 2009 American martial arts film directed by James McTeigue. The story was written by Matthew Sand, with a screenplay penned by J. Michael Straczynski of Babylon 5. The film stars South Korean pop musician Rain as a disillusioned assassin looking for retribution against his...
(2009), Mika Coretti - Sex & Drugs & Rock & RollSex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (film)Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll is a 2010 biopic of Ian Dury, starring Andy Serkis as Dury. The film follows Dury's rise to fame and documents his personal battle with the disability caused by having contracted polio during childhood. The effect that his disability and his lifestyle have upon his...
(2009), Denise - My Last Five GirlfriendsMy Last Five GirlfriendsMy Last Five Girlfriends, a 2010 film starring Brendan Patricks, is a British Romantic Comedy based on pop-philosopher Alain De Botton's book, Essays In Love My Last Five Girlfriends, a 2010 film starring Brendan Patricks, is a British Romantic Comedy based on pop-philosopher Alain De Botton's...
(2009), Gemma - The First GraderThe First GraderThe First Grader is a 2010 film directed by Justin Chadwick, starring Naomie Harris, Oliver Litondo, and Tony Kgoroge, and based on the true story of Kimani Maruge, a Kenyan man who enrolled in elementary education at the age of 84 after the Kenyan government announced universal and free elementary...
(2010), Jane Obinchu - Skyfall (2012), Field Agent Eve
Television
- Simon and the WitchSimon and the WitchSimon and the Witch is the name of a children's book by Margaret Stuart Barry, published by Collins, illustrated by Linda Birch. It is also generally used as the name of the series which follows on. Simon is a very sensible young schoolboy who has a friend who is a real witch...
(1987–1988), Joyce - Erasmus Microman (1989, 1 episode), Millie
- Runaway BayRunaway Bay (TV series)Runaway Bay was a children's adventure television series, which ran from 1992 to 1993. The series followed a group of friends having adventures while living on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean. The show was principally produced by Lifetime Productions International Ltd with Ellipse...
(1992–1993), Shuku - The Tomorrow PeopleThe Tomorrow PeopleThe Tomorrow People is a British children's science fiction television series, devised by Roger Price. Produced by Thames Television for the ITV Network, the series first ran between 1973 and 1979. The series was re-imagined in 1992, Roger Price acting as executive producer...
(1994–1995), Ami Jackson - Trial & Retribution V (2002, miniseriesMiniseriesA miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
), Tara Gray (part 2) - White TeethWhite TeethWhite Teeth is a 2000 novel by the British author Zadie Smith. It focuses on the later lives of two wartime friends—the Bangladeshi Samad Iqbal and the Englishman Archie Jones, and their families in London...
(2002, miniseries), Clara - The Project (2002, miniseries), Maggie Dunn
- DinotopiaDinotopiaDinotopia is a fictional utopia created by author and illustrator James Gurney. It is the setting for the book series with which it shares its name. Dinotopia is an isolated island inhabited by shipwrecked humans and sentient dinosaurs who have learned to coexist peacefully as a single symbiotic...
(2002–2003), Romana - Poppy ShakespearePoppy ShakespearePoppy Shakespeare is a novel about mental illness by Clare Allan. It tells the story of day patients at a mental health hospital. The central characters are Poppy Shakespeare, a new patient, and "N", a long term patient. Poppy arrives at the hospital strongly asserting that she is sane and...
(2008), Poppy Shakespeare - Small IslandSmall Island (television drama)Small Island is a two-part 2009 BBC One television drama adapted from the 2004 novel of the same title by Andrea Levy. The programme stars Naomie Harris and Ruth Wilson as joint respective female protagonists Hortense Roberts and Queenie Bligh, two women who struggle to fulfil their personal...
(2009), Hortense Roberts - Blood and Oil (2009), Alice Omuka
- Accused (2010), Alison Wade