You probably recognise Gugu Mbatha-Raw from one of her many high-profile stage and screen roles – she’s played everyone from Juliet to Andrew Garfield’s Romeo to Ophelia with Jude Law in Hamlet, not to mention The Morning Show and Loki (merely Disney+’s most-watched Marvel series ever). But away from her impressive acting career, Mbatha-Raw has been toiling away in a new, somewhat more personal role – as an aspiring artist.

Art – specifically, painting – is a long-standing passion of hers and she’s really very good at it. During lockdown, the star became something of a viral sensation for her portraits of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, which she auctioned off, donating proceeds to social justice charities. She’s since shared further works of Chadwick Boseman, Desmond Tutu and Kevin Hart – her co-star in her newest movie, Lift – to her Instagram page. The paintings are genuinely brilliant (Hart’s is especially impressive when you learn that she had Covid while painting it).

‘That was one of the first paintings I’ve given as a gift,’ she admits, of the portrait she presented to Hart on their last day of filming. ‘The film [Lift] is all about an art heist, so we visited The National Gallery with the director. I studied art at school and Kevin developed his interest over the course of the movie – and he’s in a place where he can buy some serious paintings, you know? So, I said, “Well this could be one to add to the collection – hopefully it will increase in value over the years”,’ she laughs.

We’re meeting Mbatha-Raw for a shoot at our new Soho.Home.Studio in Westbourne Grove, London. Just a stone’s throw from Electric House, the new interior design space showcases Soho Home collections inspired by the cities Soho House is located in (think handcrafted furniture alongside textiles, lighting and tableware). Situated over two floors, it features a dedicated interior design service, as well as limited-edition artwork from Soho Home’s ongoing collaborations. The timing of her visit is somewhat fortuitous, since Mbatha-Raw has recently swapped her Stateside abode for one back in good old Blighty and is currently on the hunt for interiors inspiration.

‘The mirrors are really fun and I love the small, swivelling armchairs – they have a very 1950s yet modern vibe,’ she enthuses, zeroing in on the Garrett chair, while taking snaps on her phone of every item that takes her fancy. She’s particularly drawn to the rotating artwork in store, which is created in collaboration with M.A.H Gallery. ‘I’m really attracted to the idea of having a relatively neutral canvas and depending on your mood or the season, changing the tone of the space through art. Home is somewhere I want to relax and I find colour very energising – which is good sometimes, but not when you’re resting.’

How would she describe her own interior style? ‘I’ve been so nomadic over the years, it’s probably a hybrid of the West Coast and old-school London. I’ve never had a “style” because I’ve spent the last 10 to 15 years living out of suitcases, so it ends up being quite eclectic. If you’re always on the move, you’re unable to have clutter. I like quite a clean, calming space.’ It figures then that her favourite room is her bathroom. ‘I love the sanctuary of a big bathtub and a bit of downtime, especially when you’re jet-lagged after travelling or decompressing from a busy day on set.’ [More at Source]