Danai Gurira

Biography

Danai Gurira is an American and Zimbabwean actress, playwright, and screenwriter. Born in Grinnell, Iowa, and raised in Harare from age five, she trained at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She co-wrote and co-starred in the play In the Continuum, which won her an Obie Award. Her play Eclipsed earned six Tony Award nominations, including Best Play. On screen, she played Michonne in The Walking Dead from 2012 to 2020 and Okoye in the Marvel films Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). She also appeared in The Visitor (2007), winning a Method Fest award, and played Afeni Shakur in All Eyez on Me (2017), which brought an NAACP Image Award nomination. For Black Panther, she received a SAG Award and a Saturn Award. She co-created and wrote an episode of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024).

48years old

Turns 49 on February 14in 105 days

Born February 14, 1978Grinnell
Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
Danai Jekesai Gurira (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 8
Career span: 19 years2007 to 2026

Genres

Adventure63%, 5 films
Action50%, 4 films
Drama38%, 3 films
Sci-Fi25%, 2 films
Animation13%, 1 film

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

Own stunts
Gurira plays Michonne, a relentless, katana-wielding woman whose past is a mystery and who shows steely resolve. For the series, Gurira learned to ride horses, which she enjoyed as a physical challenge.
Behind the camera
Gurira said she started writing plays to make better use of her acting strengths and to tell stories about strong women she identifies with.

Danai Gurira movies on Netflix

Matchbox the Movie2026IMDb rating 5.7as Helen
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever2022IMDb rating 6.6as Okoye
Avengers: Infinity War2018IMDb rating 8.4as Okoye
Black Panther2018IMDb rating 7.3as Okoye
All Eyez on Me2017IMDb rating 5.9as Afeni Shakur
Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast2014IMDb rating 7.1as Fury (voice)
My Soul to Take2010IMDb rating 4.8as Jeanne-Baptiste
The Visitor2007IMDb rating 7.6as Zainab

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Black Panther2018 Action, Adventure, Sci-Fias Okoye
IMDb rating 7.3927K votes
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever2022 Action, Adventure, Dramaas Okoye
IMDb rating 6.6402K votes
The Visitor2007as Zainab
IMDb rating 7.647K votes
All Eyez on Me2017as Afeni Shakur
IMDb rating 5.927K votes
Avengers: Infinity War2018as Okoye
IMDb rating 8.41.4M votes
My Soul to Take2010as Jeanne-Baptiste
IMDb rating 4.823K votes
Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast2014as Furyvoice
IMDb rating 7.112K votes
Matchbox the Movie2026as Helen
IMDb rating 5.72.2K votes

Most often with

Ryan Coogler directed two of these films. Twelve actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Angela Bassett

Martin Freeman

Isaach De Bankolé

Michael B. Jordan

Lupita Nyong'o

Chadwick Boseman

Ryan CooglerDirector, 2 films

Films together

Angela Bassett2 films together, 2018 to 2022
Angela Bassett's page
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever2022IMDb rating 6.6Gurira as OkoyeBassett as Ramonda
- Black Panther2018IMDb rating 7.3Gurira as OkoyeBassett as Ramonda
Martin Freeman2 films together, 2018 to 2022
Martin Freeman's page
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever2022IMDb rating 6.6Gurira as OkoyeFreeman as Everett Ross
- Black Panther2018IMDb rating 7.3Gurira as OkoyeFreeman as Everett K. Ross
Isaach De Bankolé2 films together, 2018 to 2022
Isaach De Bankolé's page
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever2022IMDb rating 6.6Gurira as OkoyeBankolé as River Tribe Elder
- Black Panther2018IMDb rating 7.3Gurira as OkoyeBankolé as River Tribe Elder
Michael B. Jordan2 films together, 2018 to 2022
Michael B. Jordan's page
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever2022IMDb rating 6.6Gurira as OkoyeJordan as Killmonger
- Black Panther2018IMDb rating 7.3Gurira as OkoyeJordan as Erik Killmonger
Lupita Nyong'o2 films together, 2018 to 2022
Lupita Nyong'o's page
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever2022IMDb rating 6.6Gurira as OkoyeNyong'o as Nakia
- Black Panther2018IMDb rating 7.3Gurira as OkoyeNyong'o as Nakia
Chadwick Boseman2 films together, 2018
Chadwick Boseman's page
- Avengers: Infinity War2018IMDb rating 8.4Gurira as OkoyeBoseman as T'Challa / Black Panther
- Black Panther2018IMDb rating 7.3Gurira as OkoyeBoseman as T'Challa / Black Panther
Ryan CooglerDirector, 2 films, 2018 to 2022
All films by Ryan Coogler
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever2022IMDb rating 6.6Gurira as Okoye
- Black Panther2018IMDb rating 7.3Gurira as Okoye
Also two films together6 more actors
- Connie ChiumeBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) and Black Panther (2018)
- Danny SapaniBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) and Black Panther (2018)
- Letitia WrightBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) and Black Panther (2018)
- Winston DukeBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) and Black Panther (2018)
- Dorothy SteelBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) and Black Panther (2018)
- Florence KasumbaBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) and Black Panther (2018)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

Twelve awards and honors from 2010 to 2023.

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Danai Gurira's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Result
Other honors
2023	TIME100 Impact Awards	Won
2020	Honorary degree from Spelman College	Honorary
2019	OkayAfrica 100 Women	Won
2017	OkayAfrica 100 Women	Won
2014	Black Reel Awards	Won
2014	Saturn Awards	Won
2013	Eyegore Awards	Won
2013	Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award	Won
2012	Satellite Awards	Won
2012	Whiting Awards	Won
2010	Helen Hayes Award	Won
2010	NAACP Theatre Awards	Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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