Black Mirror and Disney are very different when it comes to their aesthetics and stories. Disney movies are known to have a lot of bright colors and themes within their movies. Black Mirror is an anthology series known to have very dark and eerie episodes. They do have a share of amazing actors that have graced screens big and small. These actors have been featured in different Disney-owned franchises such as Pixar and Marvel movies. I’ll warn you that there will be some spoilers ahead if you haven’t caught up on Black Mirror or watched these Disney movies!
Letitia Wright
Gif from Tumblr
Letitia Wright is a Guyanese-British actress who is in Black Panther, in theaters now. She plays T’Challa’s younger sister, Princess Shuri, who is the smartest character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In Black Mirror, she plays a young woman named Nish in an episode called “Black Museum.” “Black Museum” is the season finale of the show’s fourth season, and it’s probably one of my favorite episodes because of Wright’s performance as Nish when she switches accents from British to American in her reveal. This episode made me really excited for her role as Shuri in Black Panther. She doesn’t disappoint as Shuri either. A fun fact about her is that she went to acting school with John Boyega.
Daniel Kaluuya
Picture from Spotern
Daniel Kaluuya was also in Black Panther as W’kabi, T’Challa’s power-hungry friend who ends up being on Kilmonger’s side during a civil war in Wakanda. Kaluuya is a phenomenal actor, and his biggest strengths lie in thrillers. Therefore, it makes him a perfect actor to be cast in a Black Mirror episode. He plays the main role in the second episode of the first season, “Fifteen million merits,” which is about a virtual society that can be activated through pedaling. There is a talent competition that can change a person’s life in that society. Kaluuya’s character falls in love with a woman who has a beautiful voice. He sacrifices his fifteen million merits for her to join the talent competition. The woman gets taken away and he wants revenge. A fun fact about Kaluuya is that his performance in this episode automatically casted him as the main actor in Get Out.
Bryce Dallas Howard
Gif from tenor
Bryce Dallas Howard was in the modern remake of Pete’s Dragon. She plays the character Grace who finds Pete, the young boy who has befriended Elliot the dragon. It’s not an iconic role compared to her Black Mirror role as Lacie Pound in the episode, “Nosedive.” The episode is about the effect of social media in modern society. Lacie Pound struggles with getting better ratings to attend a friend’s gathering. Her monologue when she is at her friend’s wedding is one of the best monologues in the whole show. It transforms Lacie into a character who is caught up in the ratings, not noticing the humanity of the show. Bryce Dallas Howard does a wonderful job of portraying a character who is caught up in her social media world. A fun fact about Bryce Dallas Howard is that she starred as Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man 3 (2007).
Kelly MacDonald Picture from screencrush
Kelly MacDonald voiced Merida from Pixar’s Brave. In her Black Mirror episode, “Hated In The Nation,” she plays Karin Parke, a detective who tries to link mysterious deaths that come from social media. Her performance is subtle but impactful, which is perfect for this episode because of the collaboration between actors. Karin Parke shows the reality of collaborative detective work, since her character is not the one that finds out about the twist within the bees. A fun fact about Kelly MacDonald is that she was in No Country For Old Men.
These actors have exposed their talent in both their Black Mirror episodes and within the Walt Disney Company. They have a great future within the Entertainment Industry, that’s for sure!
Header Photo from Gizmodo