Zawedde Emma Ashton, known professionally as Zawe Ashton, was born on July 25, 1984, in Hackney, London, England. She is of Ugandan and English descent. Her maternal grandfather was Paulo Muwanga, a former President and Prime Minister of Uganda.
Ashton began acting at a young age, attending the Anna Scher Theatre School. She wrote and performed as a teenager with the Contact Youth Theatre in Manchester. She has a degree in Acting from the Manchester Metropolitan University School of Theatre. Ashton’s early career included appearances in British television series and stage productions. She gained recognition for her stage work, including performances in plays such as “Rhinoceros,” “Gone Too Far!,” and “This Wide Night.” She made her West End debut in 2007 in “Othello” at the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
Ashton has had a prolific television career, with notable roles in various British series. She is best known for her role as Vod in the Channel 4 comedy-drama series “Fresh Meat” (2011-2016). She also appeared in “Case Histories” (2011), “Not Safe for Work” (2015), and “Guerrilla” (2017), among others. More recently, she appeared in the Hulu drama “The Handmaid’s Tale” (2018).
Ashton has also appeared in a number of films. Her film credits include: