Whiting Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 28 (2012) Winner
Danai Jekesai Gurira
だない・じぇけさい・ぐりら
Danai Jekesai Gurira
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1978-02-14 （Grinnell, Iowa）
- Nationality
- United States, Zimbabwe
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Christianity
- Residence History
- Grinnell, Iowa (until 1983) → Harare, Zimbabwe → Saint Paul, Minnesota → New York City → Los Angeles, California
Career
- Occupations
- Actress, Playwright, Screenwriter, Producer, Activist
- Active Years
- 2004-
- Affiliations
- Almasi Arts (founder and Executive Artistic Director), Love Our Girls (founder), UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, Gurazoo Productions (founder)
- Influenced By
- Ntozake Shange
- Influenced
- Lupita Nyong'o
- Nominations
- Tony Award nomination for Best Play for Eclipsed (2016), Black Reel Award nomination for Best Actress for Mother of George (2014)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macalester College | — | Psychology | BA | 約1996-2001 | United States |
| New York University Tisch School of the Arts | — | Acting | MFA | — | United States |
Macalester College
Psychology
Degree:
BA
Period:
約1996-2001
Year of Graduation:
2001
Country:
United States
Bachelor of Arts in psychology. Honors paper submitted.
New York University Tisch School of the Arts
Acting
Degree:
MFA
Country:
United States
Master of Fine Arts in acting.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Obie Award | In the Continuum | Special Citation | Obie Awards | Won |
| 2007 | Helen Hayes Award | In the Continuum | Best Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production | Helen Hayes Awards | Won |
| 2012 | Whiting Award | The Convert | Drama | Whiting Foundation | Won |
| 2016 | Saturn Award | The Walking Dead | Best Supporting Actress on Television | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films | Won |
| 2018 | Saturn Award | Black Panther | Best Supporting Actress | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films | Won |
| 2019 | NAACP Image Award | Black Panther | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | NAACP | Won |
Obie Award
2006
Work:
In the Continuum
Category:
Special Citation
Organization:
Obie Awards
Result:
Won
Helen Hayes Award
2007
Work:
In the Continuum
Category:
Best Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production
Organization:
Helen Hayes Awards
Result:
Won
Whiting Award
2012
Work:
The Convert
Category:
Drama
Organization:
Whiting Foundation
Result:
Won
Saturn Award
2016
Work:
The Walking Dead
Category:
Best Supporting Actress on Television
Organization:
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films
Result:
Won
Saturn Award
2018
Work:
Black Panther
Category:
Best Supporting Actress
Organization:
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films
Result:
Won
NAACP Image Award
2019
Work:
Black Panther
Category:
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Organization:
NAACP
Result:
Won
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
In the Continuum
2005 DramaStory of two African women navigating life after contracting HIV.
HIV/AIDSStrong womenExperiences of African women
Eclipsed
2009 DramaWomen living as sex slaves to a rebel commander during the Liberian civil war.
WarWomen's rightsSurvival
The Convert
2012 DramaStory of a convert in colonial-era Zimbabwe.
ColonialismReligionIdentity
Familiar
2015 DramaExplores cultural identity in an immigrant family.
FamilyCultureImmigration
Bibliography
- Running Head: The Neglect of Black Women in Psychology
- In the Continuum
- Eclipsed
- The Convert
- Familiar
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Focus on strong female charactersRealistic and emotionally rich dialogueAfrican contexts
- Recurring Motifs
- Voices of African womenLegacy of colonialismSurvival and resilience
Legacy
Known for playwrighting complex stories of African women, successful actress in MCU and The Walking Dead. Brought fresh voice to American theater and active philanthropist.
In Popular Culture
- Known for Michonne in The Walking Dead
- Okoye in Marvel Cinematic Universe
Quotes
-
Born into this world as an African girl, I never understood the absence of voices and people who were similar to me...
Source: Interview (2013)
Trivia
- Zimbabwean-American born in Iowa to professor parents.
- Founded Almasi Arts in Zimbabwe to support arts education.
- UN Women Goodwill Ambassador since 2018.