Feature: Crossroads Conversations with Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Last night, actress and former Tatler cover star, Gugu Mbatha-Raw MBE, made her way to Sloane Street for a glitzy discussion at Giorgio Armani’s London flagship. Merely one week since the store’s marble-adorned, enviably chic store played host to Armani/Casa’s Frieze party, the Italian luxury powerhouse’s gleaming Knightbridge haunt was the perfect setting for a conversation with author Yomi Adegoke.

Focusing the discussion on Mbatha’s experience in the film industry, a select few of London’s social set were called upon to attend the event, titled ‘Crossroads Conversations’. Celebrating the second season of similar events hosted by Giorgio Armani, Mbatha-Raw joins the likes of ballet dancer and director Aurélie Dupont, Michelin-Starred chef Vicky Lau, and activist Kristina Lunz on the impressive roster of invited speakers. Guests enjoyed champagne, Aperol Spritz and delectable canapés as they listened to her insightful and impressive anecdotes.

‘For me it always starts with the script. It is the first piece of contact I have for a role. After years and years of reading scripts and stories you get a feel for them,’ said the actress on choosing a role. ‘For me, my rule is to try and do things I have not done before. Not to repeat myself. After doing two psychological thrillers back-to-back, I then did a lighter, heist action movie with Kevin Hart and for me that was a refreshing choice because I think you cannot do the deep dark psychological stuff all of the time. You need to restore yourself with different genres.’

One of her favourite roles saw the movie maven play Egyptian Queen Cleopatra on stage in back in 2005. ‘[She] is my idol and I had always wanted to play her. She is such a powerful and iconic woman in history,’ Mbatha-Raw explained, ‘In terms of the wardrobe of Cleopatra, I certainly had to do my research. I think ancient Egypt is such an interesting period that hasn’t been explored recently on film and I feel like there is such a scope for a costume designer to build that world. There is so much texture to that world.’ [More at Source]

Oct 21, 2022