Letitia
Wright

Letitia Michelle Wright, born October 31, 1993 is a Guyanese-British actress. She began her career with guest roles in TV series such as “Top Boy,” “Coming Up,” “Chasing Shadows,” “Humans,” “Doctor Who,” and “Black Mirror,” the latter earning her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. Her breakthrough came with the 2015 film “Urban Hymn,” for which the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) named her one of the 2015 BAFTA Breakthrough Brits. 

Letitia Wright is a dynamic actor whose comprehensive training at top drama school Identity School of Acting has refined her talent in multiple performance disciplines. At Identity, Letitia excelled in courses focused on voice, improvisation, monologues, radio plays & audiobooks, Stanislavski, Meisner, text & performance, audition technique, and screen acting. Notably, her training in the audition technique course, designed to prepare actors with the skills used in a live casting, involved working with the latest scripts and casting sides. This intensive preparation was instrumental for Letitia, especially for her auditions for Marvel’s “Black Panther”. 
 

Letitia Wright developed her passion for acting through school plays, but it was the 2006 film “Akeelah and the Bee” that truly inspired her to pursue a professional career, particularly Keke Palmer’s performance, which resonated deeply with her. Letitia Wright trained and studied at Identity Drama School at age 16. 

In 2018, Wright achieved global recognition for her role as Shuri in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film “Black Panther,” winning an NAACP Image Award and a SAG Award. She reprised the role in “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018), “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (2022). In 2019, she received the BAFTA Rising Star Award. Wright also starred in Steve McQueen’s 2020 anthology series “Small Axe,” earning a Satellite Award nomination. 

In 2011, Wright appeared in a recurring role on the series “Top Boy” and in two episodes of “Holby City.” She had a minor role in the 2012 film “My Brother the Devil,” earning recognition from Screen International as one of its 2012 Stars of Tomorrow. Michael Caton-Jones cast her in her first leading role in “Urban Hymn” (2015), which brought her to Hollywood’s attention. That same year, she appeared in the “Doctor Who” episode “Face the Raven,” and in 2016, she began a recurring role as Renie on “Humans.” During this time, she also performed in the play “Eclipsed,” written by Danai Gurira, at London’s Gate Theatre. In 2017, Wright starred in the “Black Mirror” episode “Black Museum,” earning a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. 

Wright co-starred in the 2018 film “Black Panther,” playing Shuri, the sister of King T’Challa and princess of Wakanda. The film, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, also starred Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, and Danai Gurira. Wright’s performance earned her the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture. She reprised her role as Shuri in “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018), released just two months later, and appeared as Reb in Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the sci-fi novel “Ready Player One.” That same year, Wright had a cameo in Drake’s music video for “Nice for What.” 

In 2018, Wright also starred in the play “The Convert” at London’s Young Vic Theatre, set in 1895 Rhodesia, where she portrayed Jekesai, a young girl saved from an arranged marriage by a missionary. 

In 2019, Wright won the BAFTA Rising Star Award. She appeared alongside Donald Glover and Rihanna in the short musical film “Guava Island,” released by Amazon Studios, before reprising her role as Shuri in “Avengers: Endgame.” In November 2018, it was announced that Wright would star alongside John Boyega in a film adaptation of the novel “Hold Back The Stars.” 

Wright appeared in “Death on the Nile” (2022) and was cast in Steve McQueen’s mini-series “Small Axe,” which focuses on London’s West Indian community between the 1960s and 1980s. In the first episode, “Mangrove,” she portrayed British Black Panther leader Altheia Jones-LeCointe, earning nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her passionate and focused performance. 

In February 2020, Wright was cast to play twin sisters June and Jennifer Gibbons in “The Silent Twins,” based on the 1986 book by Marjorie Wallace. Filming began in April, and the movie was released in September 2022. 

Wright reprised her role as Shuri in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (2022), which depicts Shuri becoming the new Black Panther following the death of T’Challa. This film marked her first leading role and was dedicated to Chadwick Boseman, who passed away from colon cancer in 2020.