If you didn't know who Lashana Lynch was before, you almost certainly do now! The British-born actress was one of the breakout stars of this year's Captain Marvel [1], playing ace pilot Maria Rambeau [2], the single mom [3] who's the closest friend and ally [4] of Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel. Like many of the stars of the Marvel movies, Lynch's career is taking a massive upswing on the heels of her breakout role, but she actually had a pretty impressive résumé before that.
We've rounded up some of the most important and interesting facts to know about Lynch. Check out the gallery ahead for more info about your favorite new Marvel heroine [5] — and where you can find her next!
She's a Classically Trained Actress
Lynch grew up in the UK, where she trained classically at the Sylvia Young Theatre School. Her earliest roles include stage credits that stretched expectations [6]: notably, she played Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet (usually a male role) and Rita in Educating Rita (historically a white role).
Her stage career was met with praise and even a prestigious scholarship. During her time in drama school, she was awarded the Laurence Olivier bursary [7], a highly competitive scholarship from the London Society of Theatre that recognizes especially gifted drama students.
She Played a Character From Shakespeare
Lynch's classical training came in handy when she was cast on the Shonda Rhimes Shakespearean drama [8] Still Star-Crossed, which focused on the survivors of the Montague and Capulet families after the events of Romeo and Juliet. As Rosaline Capulet, Lynch made her American TV debut, and even though the show was canceled after one season due to poor ratings, it did introduce her to some of Hollywood's power players.
She's Not Just an Actress — She Sings and Writes Too!
Although Lynch is best known for her work on screen, she actually started out as a singer-songwriter. "I was a singer before I started acting [9]. I first started songwriting at 12 years old but then acting took over, and I went to drama school. I'm trying to get back into it now – so watch out for my EP!" she told BMS World Mission back in 2012.
"I always write my own stuff [10], it's a fusion of soul, jazz and experimental. It's a soul vibe really. . . . Usually I write the lyrics and I meet with guitarists, pianists and drummers. I find that best represents my music, I don't like artificial sounds. So yeah, hopefully more to come soon!" she explained in 2014 to Afridiziak Theatre News.
She's Your Latest Marvel Fave
Lynch has been acting for years, but it's her role in Captain Marvel that launched her into the spotlight as part of the world's biggest movie franchise. She plays Maria Rambeau, the fierce fighter pilot and best friend to Brie Larson's Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel. The dynamic between Maria and Carol is the heart of the film, something Lynch told Vanity Fair was unusual for a superhero flick and important [11].
"The drama and the connection between the two women is just as important as the connection from the universe to the audience."
It seems impossible to imagine anyone other than Lynch playing the role, but she actually was a late-in-the-game replacement. Originally, DeWanda Wise was slated to play Maria, but in March 2018, news broke that Lynch had been brought on board instead. [12] Reportedly, Wise had to drop out because the shooting schedule conflicted with her commitments to the Netflix series She's Gotta Have It.
She's a Bond Girl Now
Lynch is jumping right from one iconic movie franchise to another. Although her exact role is still being kept tightly under wraps, we do know that she will appear in some capacity [13] in the still-untitled Bond 25.
The announcement was made in Jamaica at the Goldeneye resort, near the spot where Ian Fleming created and wrote the original James Bond novels. For Lynch, the location was particularly meaningful: she's of Jamaican descent herself.
"It means everything to me to be here working [14]," Lynch told Essence. "It's slightly bizarre because I normally come here to see family and sit on the beach and have a drink in my hand. But now I get to mesh the two worlds together and it is exciting."