Before she became the enigmatic lead in Apple TV+’s psychological thriller “Surface,” Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha-Raw, known simply as Gugu Mbatha-Raw, was captivating audiences on stage. Introduced to the world in the 2013 period drama Belle, directed by BAFTA-winner Amma Asante, her breakout role earned her the British Independent Film Award and cemented her as a rising star.
But Mbatha-Raw’s journey began long before Belle. A classically trained actress, she studied at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), where she honed her craft through an intensive, theater-focused curriculum. At RADA, she immersed herself in Shakespeare, Method acting, and movement-based techniques, which would later serve as the foundation for her dynamic career.
The year 2009 proved to be a pivotal moment for Mbatha-Raw. In a whirlwind of milestones, she made her West End debut, Broadway debut, and first trip to America in one transformative year. She played Ophelia opposite Jude Law’s Hamlet, first in London and then at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City.
Performing Shakespeare for British and American audiences gave her insight into the different energies each brought to the theater. “A Broadway audience has such a different energy,” she recalled. The experience deepened her appreciation for live performance, including a special week of performing Hamlet at Denmark’s Kronborg Castle in Elsinore, the setting of Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy.
While her RADA training was theater-centric, Mbatha-Raw transitioned seamlessly to film and television, drawing from a versatile “toolkit” of techniques she had mastered over the years. She credits her background in Stanislavsky’s method, Alexander Technique, and Chekhov’s movement work, which included everything from animal studies to classical dance, as instrumental in shaping her performances.
Her adaptability has been key to her success. “It’s the power of setting your mind to something,” she says in an interview with Broadway. “We have to evolve to the present moment—we can’t just sit around lamenting what was.”
This mindset helped her tackle one of her most technical challenges yet—recording a Jane Austen audiobook. The process required meticulous script annotation, vocal precision, and the ability to embody multiple characters, all of which she embraced as part of her artistic growth.
In “Surface,” Mbatha-Raw brings depth and complexity to the role of Sophie, a woman grappling with memory loss, deception, and the search for her true identity. With Season 2 which premiered on February 21, she takes Sophie, and Tess, her shadow character, to even darker, more thrilling places, proving once again that whether on stage or screen, she is a force to be reckoned with.
From Shakespeare’s Ophelia to the enigmatic Sophie, Mbatha-Raw’s career continues to evolve, driven by her relentless curiosity and artistic fearlessness. And if her past is any indication, the best is yet to come.
