Zazie Beetz: A Dazzling Force in 2023's Hollywood

A magnetic onscreen presence and stunning performances have quickly propelled Zazie Beetz to fame in the entertainment industry. The likable German-American actress has appeared in a variety of popular TV shows and films including Atlanta (alongside Donald Glover) and Deadpool 2. Off the screen- Beetz is considered to be a humble and approachable individual — far from the normal glamorous and distant celebrity.

Read on for a breakdown of what Zazie Beetz has been up to in the world of showbiz, and what to expect in the coming years.

Zazie Beetz has had a packed schedule when it comes to her acting career. The exceptional actress announced herself in the entertainment scene with her role in the hit FX series, Atlanta. In the show, Beetz plays the role of Van (Vanessa) – the on-and-off girlfriend of Earn (played by Donald Glover). While talking to Essence, the actress was categorical in saying, “Atlanta fundamentally changed my life.”

In the show, Beetz’s character starts as a dutiful mother caring for her young daughter and holding down a steady job. However, as the show progresses, Van (the only female character with a recurring role in the show) goes on a journey of freedom and self-discovery.

During the Essence interview, the actress stated that she believed the show would leave a huge mark in the field of Black entertainment. She said that creatives could see from the show’s progression that you don’t have to follow any formula when telling your story.

After showing off her immense talent and skills in Atlanta, Beetz started getting parts in big Hollywood projects. In 2018, the actress appeared in Deadpool 2 – her biggest project at the time. In this Marvel Universe movie, Beetz played the role of Domino – whose superpower makes her the luckiest woman alive. At the time, Deadpool 2 set the record as the highest-grossing R-rated movie in history. Her next movie, Joker would come to break this record

In the Joker – which was released in 2019 – Beetz played the role of Sophie Dumond. The record-breaking movie followed the origin story of the Batman comics’ villain, the Joker. In the film, Sophie (Beetz) lives next to Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) – she witnesses his transition from clown to the Joker.

The Women in Film Max Mara Face of the Future Award winner also played a part in Jay-Z’s spaghetti Western The Harder They Fall. The project which was released in select theaters before being streamed globally on Netflix is a Black cowboy film.

In the movie, Beetz plays the character Stagecoach Mary Fields. In an InStyle interview, Beetz says, “She's a badass” when describing her character in the film. While the movie does follow a completely fictional storyline, all the characters are real Black personalities in the historical West.

In the interview, Beetz says it is important to tell this version of events because many characters in older Westerns were based on Black personalities but changed to white to fit the narrative.