Known for Eve in Skyfall. British actress Naomie Harris was born in London, the only child of television scriptwriter Lisselle Kayla. Her father is from Jamaica and her mother is from Trinidad. She showed an interest in acting from an early age and attended the prestigious Anna Scher Theatre School.
From here, Harris won roles in various projects, such as Simon and the Witch(1987) and Los chicos del mañana (1992). She went on to study social and political sciences at Pembroke College, Cambridge University, an experience Harris did not enjoy.
After graduating from University, Harris trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Acting success soon followed and her breakthrough film role came in Danny Boyle's 28 días después... (2002). Other notable projects include Corrupción en Miami (2006) and Small Island (2009) (for which she was named best female actor by the Royal Television Society). Harris also won fans for her role as Tia Dalma in the blockbusting "Pirates of the Caribbean" films and further international attention came her way when she was cast as Field Agent Eve in the twenty third James Bond film, Skyfall (2012). - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous
Trivia
She is best known to American audiences for her roles as Tia Dalma in Piratas del Caribe. El cofre del hombre muerto (2006) and Piratas del Caribe. En el fin del mundo (2007), and as Eve Moneypenny in the James Bond series, beginning with Skyfall (2012).
Trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Her mother is Lisselle Kayla, who came to England from Jamaica at the age of five. Her father is from Trinidad.
She is the first black actress to play Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond series. Harris's interpretation of Moneypenny is also significantly expanded from the character's secretarial roots; in Skyfall (2012) she is introduced as a full-fledged MI6 field agent and an agile sidekick to Bond.
Replaced Lupita Nyong'o in the role of Angela Rivera in Southpaw (2015) after Nyong'o backed out of the project.
Appeared in two films that earned $1 billion at the worldwide box-office, as did Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway.
Personal Quotes
Everything starts in the writing, and getting more and more women's perspective in the writing will have a huge impact on the quality of films we get. At the moment, we don't really see women as we see ourselves and as we really are because it's only men writing for us. I've read a lot of scripts where I've thought: "No women would ever say that! No woman would ever behave like that!" Women are put into these categories of bitch, mother or sex symbol. If we had more women writing we would have a more realistic representation of what it's like to be a woman.
I haven't been directed by a woman. I'd love to be; it would make a big difference. Often as an actress you can feel very alienated, especially if you are playing the female lead in a male-dominated cast and environment. It's very hard to feel relaxed, to feel able to express yourself and to feel that you will be heard in that kind of environment.
Film is such a male-dominated industry. There's a lot of "who you know" in terms of how you get promoted. The whole way the business is constructed [means there are ] just men at every level, which makes it really hard for women to get their feet in the door. Also, the way of working makes it very difficult for women to succeed in the business. It must be incredibly hard if you have children to navigate the hours.
It's business first and foremost in the US, and you're a commodity. But I love their can-do mentality. They enjoy success and all the doors are open, no matter what you look like or where you're from. It's a big, hungry machine that constantly needs new talent to feed it, so everyone gets a chance. I'm sure my career would have petered out if I'd stayed in Britain; there's just not enough work here. On the other hand, I love coming back and being normal.
[on Danny Boyle]: He's the reason, really, that I have the career that I've had because he took a risk on me and gave me Selena in "28 Days Later." [He] really started my career for me, I'm very grateful to Danny Boyle.
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