Zawe Ashton is a British actress, playwright, author and director who is currently starring in the period romantic dramedy Mr. Malcolm’s List, opposite Freida Pinto and Ṣọpẹ Dìrísù. Ashton’s portrayal of Vod in Channel 4’s Fresh Meat won her a cult following, and her other credits include the BBC/Netflix series Wanderlust and the feature Velvet Buzzsaw, opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, Toni Collette and Rene Russo. She recently wrapped production on Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels, opposite Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris. Ashton recently starred in both the West End and on Broadway in the critically acclaimed revival of Betrayal, with Tom Hiddleston and Charlie Cox. In addition to being an accomplished actress, Ashton has also established herself as an award-winning writer, producer and director. She was the youngest winner of the London Poetry Slam Championship in 2000. Her debut play, Harm’s Way, was nominated for a Verity Bargate Award in 2007 and her directorial debut, Happy Toys, was nominated for Best British Short at the Raindance Film Festival in 2014. Ashton’s play For All the Women Who Thought They Were Mad was produced in London at the Hackney Showroom and at Soho Rep in New York. Her novel Character Breakdown was published by Penguin Books in 2019.
