Danai Jekesai Gurira is an American-Zimbabwean actress, author, and playwright. She is a very intelligent, strong, and independent lady. All of these remarkable qualities can be seen in her outstanding performance in the Black Panther sequels. She is an extraordinary playwright and she has received many accolades to prove that as well.
Danai Gurira Biography
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Danai Gurira was born February 14th, 1978 in Grinnell, Iowa, to Zimbabwean parents. Her mother Josephine Gurira, a college librarian, and her father Roger Gurira, a Chemistry professor at Grinnell College. Both parents later worked at the University of Wisconsin–Platteville. Her parents moved from Zimbabwe to the United States in 1964. Gurira is the youngest of four siblings. She has 2 sisters; Shingai and Choni and a brother, Tare, a chiropractor. She stayed in Grinnell until December 1983, when at age five her family relocated back to Harare, Zimbabwe.
She went to high school at Dominican Convent High School, Harare. She then returned to the United States to study at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, earning her Bachelor of Arts in psychology. Gurira also has a Master of Fine Arts in acting from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Danai Gurira Career
She taught playwriting and acting in three countries; Liberia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. One of her first significant performances was in 2001, during her days as a senior at Macalester College. Gurira performed in a production of the Ntozake Shange play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf.
She co-wrote and co-starred in In the Continuum, first performed at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company and later Off-Broadway, which won her three awards. In December 2011, In the Continuum was used to commemorate World AIDS Day 2011.
Danai Gurira Husband
She made her first Broadway performance in 2009 in August Wilson’s play Joe Turner’s Come and Gone portraying Martha Pentecost.
Gurira was featured in Marvel’s film Black Panther, in 2018. She portrayed Okoye, the head of the Dora Milaje, the personal bodyguards of the Black Panther, and received several accolades for her performance. She repeated the role of Okoye in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, also released in 2018 and 2019 subsequently. She will be playing the role once again in the 2022 sequel of Blank Panther: Wakanda Forever. In 2020, she signed a deal with ABC Studios.
Danai Gurira Movies
Gurira has featured in the following stage and screen films;
- 2005: In the Continuum
- 2004: Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- 2009: Life on Mars
- 2009: Law & Order
- 2010: American Experience
- 2010: Lie to Me
- 2010–2011: Treme
- 2012–2020: The Walking Dead
- 2017: Robot Chicken
- 2021: What If…?
- 2023: Untitled Walking
- 2009: Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
- 2009: Eclipsed
- 2011: Measure for Measure
- 2012: The Convert
- 2015: Familiar
- 2022: Richard iii
- 2007: The Visitor
- 2008: My Soul to Take
- 2008: Ghost Town
- 2010: 3 Backyards
- 2011: Restless City
- 2013: Mother of George
- 2015: Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast
- 2017: All Eyez on Me
- 2018: Black Panther
- 2018: Avengers: Infinity War
- 2019: Avengers: Endgame
- 2022: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Danai Gurira Awards/Nominations
Gurira has received the following awards and nominations throughout her career;
- Obie Award for Special Citation – Won (2006)
- Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play – Nominated and John Gassner Memorial Playwriting Award – Won (2006)
- Helen Hayes Awards for Best Lead Actress Non-Resident – Won (2007)
- Gotham Award for Best Ensemble Cast – Nominated (2008)
- Boston Society of Film Critics Award Best Cast – Nominate (2008)
- Method Fest for Best Supporting Actress – Won (2008)
- Satellite Award for Best Cast – Television Series – Won (2012)
- Whiting Awards for Writing in Drama The Convert – Won (2012)
- Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Writing – Won (2013)
- Eyegore Awards for Best Ensemble Cast Award – Won (2013)
- Chlotrudis Awards for Best Actress – Nominated (2013)
- Black Reel Award for Best Actress – Won and Best Breakthrough Performance – Nominated (2014)
- American Black Film Festival Hollywood Awards for Best Actress – Nominated (2014)
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Nominated (2016)
- Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television – Won (2016)
- Tony Award for Best Play – Nominated (2016)
- Lilly Awards for Outstanding Playwriting – Won (2016)
- Drama Desk Award for Sam Norkin Award – Won (2016)
- Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Play – Nominated (2016)
- TCG Gala for Honoree – Won (2016)
- ImageNation Revolution Awards for Revolution Award for Artistic Excellence – Won (2016)
- Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play – Nominated (2016)
- Black Girls Rock! Award for Star Power Celebrant – Won (2016)
- Saturn Awards for Best Supporting Actress on a Television Series – Nominated, Best Supporting Actress –Won, and Best Supporting Actress on a Television Series – Nominated (2017)
- MTV Movie Awards for Best On-Screen and Best Fight – Nominated (2018)
- People’s Choice Awards for The Action Movie Star of 2018 – Won
- Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Nominated (2019)
- Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture – Won (2019)
- Saturn Awards for Best Supporting Actress on a Television Series – won (2019)
Danai Gurira Net Worth
The multiple award-winning actress is worth $4 million as of 2022.