Irish-Ethiopian actress Ruth Negga joins the list of Irish talent to be honoured at the U.S-Ireland Alliance's Oscar Wilde Awards at the end of this month. The Limerick native has won herself more than a few nominations this award season, with even the possibility of an Oscar win ahead. On February 23, she will receive an Oscar Wilde Award, at the ceremony hosted by director JJ Abrams at Bad Robot in Santa Monica. Caitriona Balfe, Glen Hansard, Zachary Quinto, and Martin Short will also be honoured at the ceremony. Actors Chris Pine and Catherine O’Hara will present the awards.
Most notably Negga has achieved worldwide acclaim for her role in the historical drama Loving, the true story about an interracial couple who were arrested for their marriage in 1958. The U.S-Ireland Alliance hosted a screening of the film which Negga herself attended in Beverly Hills. Her performance in the role of Mildred Loving made her an Oscar contender for this year's awards, which will air live on February 26, three days after the Oscar Wilde Awards.
Alliance founder Trina Vargo praised Negga's performance for Loving, saying, “We’re thrilled to honor Ruth. I watched the film several times at our various screenings and found new subtleties with each viewing. The brilliance of Ruth’s performance lies in the nuances. It’s a role that requires the conveyance of emotion as much through a look as through dialogue.”
Aside from taking over cinemas around the world, Negga has also appeared on her share of television screens, with roles on shows such as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for ABC, the UK series Misfits for Logo, Love/Hate for RTE, and the BBC’s mini-series Five Daughters.