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Zawe Ashton

Zawe Ashton

Actor · Born July 25, 1984 (42) · London, England, UK

Zawedde Emma Ashton (born 25 July 1984) is an English actress, playwright and narrator. She is best known for her roles in the comedy dramas Fresh Meat and Not Safe for Work, the Netflix horror thriller film Velvet Buzzsaw and for her portrayal of Joyce Carol Vincent in Dreams of a Life (2011). She will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Dar-Benn in The Marvels (2023). She was born in Hackney, London to an English father and a Ugandan mother. She was a member of the National Youth Theatre and graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 25, 1984 (42)
From
London, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
22 on MovieCove · 41 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 9% in 30 days

What are Zawe Ashton's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Self.

Genres

Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Survival
22%
Self
20%
Morality
18%
Bonds
17%
Society
10%
Ideas
9%
Power
4%
Justice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 3 · Dark 2

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 4 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 3 · Intense 3

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 4 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

10 analyzed roles

Usually the Trickster: 2 of 10 analyzed roles.

Trickster
2 of 10
Hero
2 of 10
Ally
2 of 10
Mentor
1 of 10
Threshold guardian
1 of 10
Herald
1 of 10
Shadow
1 of 10
Show the 10 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Contemplative
6
Dread
5
Melancholic
4
Joyful
4
Other
12

How their films linger

Thought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet10
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Zawe Ashton's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 22 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Roku Channel (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Zawe Ashton's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

41 credits, 22 with a MovieCove page; 8 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Broken English(2025)

    as The Media Archivist

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • All of You(2024)

    as Andrea

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Mog's Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Mrs. Gaynor (voice)

  • The Marvels(2023)

    as Dar-Benn

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Maryland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Also Mary

  • Mr. Malcolm's List(2022)

    as Julia Thistlewaite

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Egypt's Lost Pyramid(2019)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Greta(2018)

    as Alexa Hammond

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Velvet Buzzsaw(2019)

    as Josephina

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Wanderlust(2018)

    Show 5 episodes · as Claire Pascal

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • World's Tiniest Masterpieces (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Narrator

  • The Handmaid's Tale(2017)

    Show 3 episodes · as Oona

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Guerrilla(2017)

    Show 6 episodes · as Omega

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all shows

  • Oasis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Severin

  • Oasis (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Severin

  • Nocturnal Animals(2016)

    as Alex

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Little Soldier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • The Tall Tales of Urchin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Ragamuffin (voice)

  • Not Safe for Work(2015)

    Show 6 episodes · as Katherine

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Flinch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Emily

  • Happy Toys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Writer

  • The Place We Go To Hide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Psychobitches (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Cleopatra · as Eartha Kitt

  • Playhouse Presents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Eartha Kitt

  • Lapland(2011)

    as Jingle Jill

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • A bloody muddle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Kate

  • Fresh Meat(2011)

    Show 30 episodes · as Violet 'Vod' Nordstrom

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Weekender (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Sarah

  • Dreams of a Life(2011)

    as Joyce Vincent

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Case Histories(2011)

    Show 9 episodes · as Deborah Arnold

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Blitz(2011)

    as Elizabeth Falls

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Tomato Soup (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Gun Girl

  • St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold(2009)

    as Bianca

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Misfits(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Jessica

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Othello - Live at Shakespeare's Globe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Bianca

  • Doctor Who(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Journey Blue

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Crust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Sasha

  • Shooters(2002)

    as Charlie’s Girl

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Demon Headmaster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 2 episodes · as Rebecca

  • Game-On(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Little Girl

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Comic Relief (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 41 titles from 1988 to 2026; peak year 2010.

Biggest box office

The Marvels (2023)

$206M worldwide

Highest rated

24 Hours in Police Custody (2014)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

The Marvels (2023)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19882026

Peak 2010 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting39 of 41: 39 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score51stDirecting2 of 41: 0 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting2 of 41: 0 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing1 of 41: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s2 · acting2000s6 · acting2010s26 · 24 acting · 2 crew2020s6 · acting

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 10% of 10 roles
0919

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Zawe Ashton's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 13; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 48th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

91stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 22 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 22 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

Guerrilla (2017)

71st percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Nocturnal Animals (2016)

Midcredits 92nd · 81% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Zawe Ashton's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles33–81 · median 67 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles17–65 · median 52 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles32–90 · median 60 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles20–88 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles19–68 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Zawe Ashton work with?

People who share at least 2 of Zawe Ashton's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Freida Pinto shares the most, 2.

Actors

Mixed roles