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You won’t find Gugu<br />
Mbatha-Raw on Instagram,<br />
Twitter or even Facebook.<br />
The British-born actress<br />
isn’t interested in documenting<br />
her every move on<br />
social media, and she<br />
doesn’t think anyone else would want her to<br />
either. “I’m quite a private person, even though<br />
what I do is quite public,” Mbatha-Raw explains.<br />
“I would probably overthink it. I’d be like,<br />
Does the whole world really need to know this?<br />
Am I important enough for the world to really<br />
care what I’m doing right this second?” Our<br />
answer? Yes and yes. Plus her halo of soft spiral<br />
curls, perfectly full lips and sophisticated style<br />
seem tailor-made for selfies.<br />
But if the 34-year-old bombshell won’t give<br />
us what we want on our phone screens, she’s<br />
certainly delivering on the silver screen. After<br />
mesmerizing audiences as the leading lady in<br />
both Belle and Beyond the Lights, Mbatha-<br />
Raw is set to star as Dr. Kate Murry in one of<br />
the most highly anticipated films of the year, A<br />
Wrinkle in Time. Ava DuVernay directed the<br />
approximately $100 million project, which has<br />
an A-list cast that includes Oprah Winfrey,<br />
Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling. Storm<br />
Reid, a 14-year-old newcomer, plays Murry’s<br />
daughter, Meg, the protagonist.<br />
As she continues to hone her ability to get<br />
into character for various roles, we asked<br />
Mbatha-Raw to do similar transformations in<br />
honor of her favorite beauty icons. Songstress<br />
Billie Holiday, musical genius (and one of<br />
Mbatha-Raw’s close friends) the late Prince, civil<br />
rights activist Angela Davis and Egyptian queen<br />
Cleopatra represent not only aesthetic inspiration<br />
but also the kind of storied legacies that<br />
Mbatha-Raw finds most intriguing.<br />
“It wasn’t just their beauty that attracted<br />
me to them,” Mbatha-Raw says. “It’s good to<br />
celebrate people of substance.” She does just<br />
that with the masterful touch of makeup and a<br />
striking wardrobe. With the way her career is<br />
soaring, we’re certain the legacy Mbatha-Raw<br />
leaves behind will be just as stunning.<br />
º<br />
Hair, Matt Fugate using Kérastase L’incroyable Crème/<br />
Exclusive Artists. Makeup, Nick Barose/Exclusive Artists<br />
Management. Manicure, Sunshine Outing.<br />
Lensman Joshua Pestka (@joshua.pestka)<br />
has worked alongside some of the most<br />
creative and talented people in the beauty<br />
and fashion industry for more than a decade.<br />
FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong> ESSENCE.COM 95
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