Lady Agatha Danbury is a widowed doyenne who commands fear and respect from the ton. Netflix’s Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story gives her a further backstory, and after six episodes, we learn her life has been a tale of survival despite her position as a trusted member of the queen’s court. Agatha, played by Arsema Thomas, endured a loathsome marriage to a man she was promised to at the age of 3, and even though he dies halfway through the prequel series, it presents a new set of problems on par with those of Succession. But this gifted actress is much more than just the character she plays on TV. Read on to find out things you didn’t know about Arsema Thomas.
She’s Of Nigerian and Ethiopian Ethnicity
Arséma was born in Atlanta and has strong philanthropic ties to Africa – her mother being Ethiopian and her father, Nigerian. She has lived in Uganda, Kenya, Togo, Comoros, Benin, and India. Her parents were diplomats and worked in economic development for Africa.
She speaks 5 languages
She speaks many languages, including English, French, Spanish, Yoruba, and Amharic, thanks to the fact that her parents, a Nigerian father and an Ethiopian mother, who worked in economic development for Africa, were diplomats and exposed her to current events at an early age. Her childhood and adolescence were spent mostly in Uganda, Kenya, Benin, and Togo
She gave up her professional career to pursue acting
Arséma received her B.A. in Biological Sciences from Carnegie Mellon University and her Master of Public Health in Health Policy & Management from Yale University. Thomas attended New York every weekend for auditions, but the pandemic changed everything. It took a couple years for Thomas to find their footing, working odd jobs and squeezing in auditions.
Her Favourite Nigerian Dish
She revealed on a Q&A with netflix, she revealed her favourite dish is moin moin. Moin-moin, also known as moimoi, is a steamed or boiling bean pudding made with washed and peeled black-eyed beans, onions, fresh ground red peppers, spices, and fish/egg/crayfish. It is a protein-rich cuisine that originated in Yorubaland in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo.
Her Favourite Nigerian Song
It should come as no surprise that Water by Fela Kuti is her favorite Nigerian song. Fela Anklápó Kuti, also known as Abami Eda, was a Nigerian musician, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. He is regarded as the pioneer of Afrobeat, a Nigerian music genre that combines West African music with American funk and jazz. All Music described him as “a musical and sociopolitical voice” of international significance.
The proverb “Water has no enemy” is often heard in southern Nigeria. This is exemplified by the naming of many people, such as Ameze, Amenaghawon, Eze i mwen eghian, and Amenovbiye. This naming practice is reinforced by a communal spirituality that venerates water as a deity, embodied in Olokun, the water goddess of abundance, fertility and prosperity.
Favourite Nigerian Authors
Arsema Thomas favourite Nigerian authors are Abiola Bello and Eloghosa Osunde.
Favourite Nigerian Netflix Movie
Lionheart by Genevieve Nnaji. In Lionheart, Nnaji plays Adaeze Obiagu, a daughter of Chief Ernest Obiagu (Pete Edochie), who aspires to take over her father’s business when he becomes too ill to do so. However, her father begs his brother Godswill (Nkem Owoh) to step into her father’s position, and Godswill and Adaeze must cooperate to save the firm from bankruptcy and a threatened takeover by entrepreneur Igwe Pascal.
Favourite Nigerian History
Youths standing up for themselves against present government.
