We've been thinking: Gugu Mbatha-Raw is the sexiest naturally curly actress to hit the red carpet since Lupita Nyong'o rocked her Afro puffs [1]. This month she is starring in the film Beyond the Lights, which has actually brought her to the forefront of the beauty scene (she's rocking purple hair for most of the movie [2]). With a British mother and South African father, Gugu represents multicultural beauty in the best way — her full first name, Gugulethu, means "our pride" in Zulu.

We caught our first glimpse of Gugu in Belle last year, but before that, the Brit spent time acting in theater and on TV. Since then, she's been slowly gaining momentum among the red carpet celebrities to watch, and here's why. One: her caramel complexion is flawless. Two: she's not afraid to try bold makeup combinations. Three: she often proves how versatile natural hair can be [3], rocking it in ringlets and straight strands. We have 10 more reasons Gugu should be your new beauty love, so keep reading to get the full story.

The "I'm Sexy and I Know It" Smolder

Her Elvis Impersonation

She's Got Vintage Flapper Flair

This Mod-Meets-Modern Cat Eye

She Understands the Power of a Red Lip

But She Also Knows How to Go Bare

She's Not Afraid to Embrace Her Natural Texture

There's an Old Hollywood Feeling About Her

But Then She Mixes It Up With Something We've Never Seen Before

She's Just So Damn Gorgeous (We're Definitely Jealous)