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

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

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" In terms of 'Beyond the Lights' and 'Belle,' they're definitely stories about identity. They're female empowerment stories. So I'm exploring that through my work. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I feel like I learn in every project. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I'm interested in playing lots of different complex women. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" For me, I try and be authentic in my choices and follow my instincts, and I think it's a valuable message for women in today's society to learn to love yourself. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I was so thrilled to be in 'Doctor Who.' It's such a wonderful experience, and the fan base that that show has never fails to surprise me. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" You have to be able to appreciate who you are. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

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

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I played Dorothy in 'The Wizard of Oz.' That was my first role on stage. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I just love performing so much, and I threw myself into every musical theater production that was going in my home town and at school. And then, I went to the National Youth Music Theatre, which was really a galvanizing experience for me when I was 17. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I was always the one leading the way in terms of wanting to do acting, singing and dancing. I was lucky that my mother had a very well-adjusted perspective of the world and never pressured me to do anything I didn't want to do. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I see L.A. as a workplace rather than somewhere to live. If I don't get out, I go crazy. If you have a little success, people treat you differently, so it's good to keep a healthy perspective. It's acting, not rocket science. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I feel like my work has been incredibly diverse. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" Everyone says to you, 'if you play Ophelia, you'll end up crazy,' but we're all somewhere on the spectrum of mental health, and I think that if you approach it that way it's not such an intimidating issue. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I never wanted to be like anyone growing up. It's always been about the enjoyment, and I've just never wanted to imitate anyone. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I like to choose things that fit my body for sure; you learn to find the things that complement your shape. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" 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. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I definitely grew up to Nina Simone and a lot of Ella Fitzgerald. And I loved Amy Winehouse. I loved that sort of soulful singer. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" That's the wonderful thing about acting - you play a role. It's about humanity, rather than labeling. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I do a lot of yoga, and when I'm in L.A., I have an outdoorsy sort of lifestyle. It's sort of comfortable, West Coast, yoga chic. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I try not to define myself. Other people are going to do that for you anyway. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" 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. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" When you become a slave to a public persona and don't feel comfortable without it, it becomes a shield, and it shouldn't come at the expense of your self-worth. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" You've got to find a way to relate to people. I just did an improvised episode for Joe Swanberg's new Netflix show, 'Easy,' and it was a huge learning curve for me and taught me so much about fear and courage. But when you're present in the moment, the audience, it's incomparable. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" My personal style is somewhat androgynous and simple. With my lifestyle, I've become more of a minimalist. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" At home I wear my own clothes, no makeup and don't do anything exciting with my hair. I get to borrow pretty dresses for the red carpet and have experts do my hair and makeup. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" This is going to sound really sad, but I didn't really have any heartthrobs when I was growing up. I was a bit of a geek. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I think there are parts of myself in every character I play. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" Corsets were a challenge in 'Belle;' fake nails tripped me up in 'Blackbird.' Guess I'm not a mani type of girl! "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" I love to go hiking. There's a lot of concrete in L.A., and I come from the Shires, so it's important for me to get back in touch with nature. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

" If you're an artist, it's great to have a knowledge of the business and be educated about that, but you've got to keep the balance right between business and artistry; otherwise, you get cynical. "

Gugu Mbatha-Raw