Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Gugu Mbatha-Raw redefined what the concept of ingénue. A classically trained actress, Mbatha-Raw made her mark on British television with supporting roles in popular series like "Spooks" (BBC, 2002- ), a slick spy drama that followed members of the U.K.'s intelligence team, and on the sci-fi thriller "Doctor Who" (BBC, 2005-). She lit up the Broadway stage as Ophelia in the Donmar Warehouse production of "Hamlet" (2009) opposite Jude Law in the title role. The part was the actress' ticket to fame across the pond, for shortly after the play's runs in London and New York, acclaimed American filmmaker J.J. Abrams chose Mbatha-Raw to play the female lead in the spy drama series, "Undercovers" (NBC, 2010), opposite Boris Kodjoe. After that series failed to ignite, Mbatha-Raw received international critical acclaim for her role in the historical drama "Belle" (2013). Roles in romantic drama "Beyond the Lights" (2014), NFL drama "Concussion" (2015), Civil War-era biopic "Free State of Jones" (2016) and Bill Condon's "Beauty and the Beast" (2017) showed off her remarkable range.