Naomie Melanie Harris is a British actress. She started her career as a child, appearing in the television series Simon and the Witch in 1987. She portrayed Selena in the zombie film28 Days Later, the witch Tia Dalma in the second and third Pirates of the Caribbean films, and Winnie Mandela in . She portrayed Eve Moneypenny in the James Bond films Skyfall and Spectre, and is set to reprise the role in the upcoming film No Time to Die. In 2016, she starred in the critically acclaimed film Moonlight, a performance that earned her several accolades, including nominations for the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Harris was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to drama.
Early life and education
Naomie Harris was born on 6 September 1976 in Islington, London, where she was raised. Her mother, Carmen Harris, sometimes credited as Lisselle Kayla, emigrated from Jamaica to London as a child with her parents. Harris's father, Brian Clarke, a fashion designer, emigrated from Trinidad to the UK, and has British, Grenadian, and Guyanese ancestors. They separated before Harris was born, and she was raised by her mother and has no relationship with her father. Harris grew up in a council flat in Finsbury Park. Her mother later remarried and Harris has two younger half-siblings. Her mother worked as a screenwriter on EastEnders and is a healer. She attended St Marylebone School in London. Harris attended the Anna Scher Theatre where she studied acting as a child before attending Woodhouse College as a sixth-form student. She graduated from Pembroke College, Cambridge, in 1998 with a degree in social and political sciences. Harris trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Career
Harris has appeared in television and film since she was nine, including a starring role in the remake of the science fiction series The Tomorrow People. In 2000, she played Susan in The Witch of Edmonton at the Southwark Playhouse. In November 2002, she starred in Danny Boyle's postapocalyptic film 28 Days Later. In the same year, she starred in the television adaptation of Zadie Smith's White Teeth. Harris has appeared in ', ', and Michael Mann's Miami Vice. She did a comic turn in Michael Winterbottom's indie ensemble piece, A Cock and Bull Story. She starred in Channel 4's adaptation of the 2006 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 played Elizabeth Lavenza in Danny Boyle's stage production of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein for the National Theatre from 22 February to 2 May 2011. She played the lead role in The First Grader, directed by Justin Chadwick, which was premiered on 18 May 2011 in the Seattle International Film Festival. at the State Theatre in 2012 Harris co-starred in the 23rd James Bond film, Skyfall, playing Eve Moneypenny. She is the first black actress to play Moneypenny, and is the first Moneypenny to be given a first name. Harris portrayed Winnie Mandela in the biopic , based on the book of the same name, opposite the actor Idris Elba. The film was released on 29 November 2013. On viewing the film, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela told Harris that it seemed as if she were not acting, but channeling her, and that it was "the first time she felt truly captured on film". Harris reprised her role as Moneypenny in the 24th Bond film, Spectre, which was released on 26 October 2015. In 2016, Harris starred as Paula in the critically acclaimed film Moonlight. She played the abusive, drug-addicted mother of the film's main character, Chiron. The film follows her son and her through a 20-year period. Moonlight'' won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Harris was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, among other awards.
Personal life
Harris has never married and has no children. Since 2012, Harris has been in a relationship with Peter Legler.
Filmography
Films
Television
Video games
Theatre
Awards and nominations
In addition to numerous acting awards, Harris was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 New Year Honours, for services to drama. She received the honour from Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on 23 February 2017. She has also been recognised for her influence with her addition in the 2019 edition of the Powerlist, ranking the 100 most influential Black Britons.
