In a new interview with the British Vogue, Thandiwe Newton presents the world with the “w” that was “carelessly” removed from her first credit as an actress and perpetuated by her professional career since then. “That’s my name,” the Westworld actress says. “It was always my name. I’m taking back what’s mine. ” He writes Vogue, Thandiwe means “beloved” in the Shona language of Zimbabwe, where Newton’s mother is from. In all future projects, Newton will be credited with the correct spelling of his name.
The actress, born Melanie Thandiwe Newton Parker, also reveals that her decision to speak publicly about her experience with sexual harassment and misconduct in the film industry, including being treated by Flirting director John Duigan, as a teenager, did not stop reacting, a point that led Newton to fire an advertiser “who begged her to stop talking about sexual abuse because ‘it was not good for her reputation’”
Newton says: “There was a moment when my ghost changed, you know, and it was then, I was 16. He got me off the track completely. I was traumatized. It was a kind of PTSD, for sure. I was so upset and shocked that a director had abused a young actress, and that it was happening elsewhere, minors being abused and how it was all fucked up. I was basically waiting for someone to come in and say, ‘Well, what are we supposed to do about it?’ ”
O Country of God the actress also reflected on the recent pressure for female co-stars to receive a commiseration payment for the same work as their male colleagues, as happened to her and Westworld co-star Evan Rachel Wood in 2018. “It wasn’t a celebration. I was disgusted ”, remembers Newton. “Even though people know they can speak now, there is still a fear of losing their job. I mean, literally, people still say, ‘There’s someone else who could take that position, if you’re not happy’, that kind of shit. I think studio heads need to take a lot more responsibility. “